The Maguey. 129 



The maguey often reaches the height of eight or nine feet, but 

 grows rather slow, for it requires about ten years to arrive at 

 maturity. Then springs forth from its centre a very high-stem- 

 med flower, more admired in European hothouses than in 

 Mexico, where it is not permitted to bloom. In the period 

 when the plant is preparing for it, a milky juice is collecting in 

 its centre, or heart. This is cut out and a cavity made, which 

 is filled several times a day during three months and longer. 

 A healthy, strong plant will yield in all not rarely one hundred 

 gallons of pulqu^. After having given its heart's-blood to man 

 the plant dies, but from its roots spring up a great many baby- 

 plants, which, removed in time and transplanted, grow up with- 

 out any care. 



The leaves of the maguey or aloe are used for many pur- 

 poses : the huts are roofed with them, and of their tendrils are 

 made the most excellent cords and ropes ; they are also beaten 

 to a pulp from which paper is fabricated. 



The cactus is rather a nuisance on account ot ..ts pnckly 

 character, but after all, when in bloom, its peculiar shape and 

 the brilliancy of its yellow or burning-red beautiful flowers, 

 makes it a very original ornament, which I would not miss in 

 a Mexican landscape. Some species bear an eatable fruit, 

 .J similar to a small fig, and one kind serves for the breeding ol 

 a very useful insect, the cochineal. I have not seen such a 

 ])lantation, nor do I know in v/hat part of Mexico this branch 

 of industry is carried on. 



The Indian couple who treated us with such hospitality liaa 

 the submissive manner and melancholic look of resignation 

 always to be noticed in nations that have been subjugated and 

 ill-treated by barbarians for centuries. I think I am not far 

 wrong in calling thus the Christian Spaniards who conquered 

 Mexico. I shall speak of the Indians afterwards more at length, 

 for they are more interesting to me than the descendants of 

 their conquerors, and 1 am sure that they will recover from 

 their present state of subjection and misery when an enhght- 

 ened and strong government is established in Mexico. This 

 can never be done by the white or Indian Mexicans them- 

 selves, and therefore I hope the United States will find it advi- 

 sable to unite this rich country with their republic. The In- 

 dians of Mexico are different from the savages of California 

 and the more Northern States, and I am sure that with proper 



