160 Ten Years of ')ny Life. . 



The most considerable place near Mexico is the town of 

 Tacuba) a. It is extremely cjd, and existed before the Chichi- 

 mecas came to the plateau of Anahuac, under the Indian name 

 of Atlacoloayan, which means, ' place where the brook makes 

 a turning.' It had once 15,000 inhabitants, now is has 5,000, 

 and in summer about 1,500 more. The huts of the Indians, 

 with their aloe-fields, have mostly disappeared, and rich Mexi- 

 cans and foreigners have built in this, the finest spot of the 

 lovely Mexican valley, beautiful villas with splendid gardens. 

 It is to Mexico what Charlottenburg is to Berlin, and will soon 

 become one of its suburbs. 



In this place a Mr. Hube, the former Consul-General of 

 Hamburg, had a villa, and we were introduced by Baron Mag- 

 nus to him, his most excellent and kind wife, and her amiable 

 family. As I became more intimate with them later, and lived 

 with them when Salm was in the war, I shall speak of the 

 Hube familv more at lenofth afterwards. 



Another considerable, very charming place, near Mexico, is 

 San Augustin de los Cunvas. Before the Conquest it was 

 called Tlalpam, and is connected with the capital l3y splendid 

 roads and canals. It is most picturesquely situated on the 

 slope of the high mountain of Ajusco. Though it has still 

 (our thousand inhabitants it is not a town, and no kind of 

 suburb like Tacubaya, but has remained a genuine village. 

 There are to be found yet Indian homesteads as they were 

 before the Conquest, though new streets have sprung up also, 

 formed of fine villas. In this charming place the green seem.-s 

 iresher and greener than anywhere else. Many trees growing 

 everywhere, and rocks appearing between the houses, make 

 the interior of the place picturesque, and the neighbourhood 

 abounds in beautiiul spots. 



Every year, at Whitsuntide, San Augustin is crowded during 

 three or four days with Mexicans, for there is held then a most 

 celebrated fair. This fair is not renowned on account ot its 

 mercantile importance, but tor the gambling carried on there. 

 All Mexicans seem to be crazy about that time, and every- 

 body is seized with the gambling fever. Gambling houses are 

 opened invitingly, and many leave there considerable sums, 

 lost at ' Monte,' the favorite card game of the Mexicans. ■ 



During the rainy season many people go there for a change 

 of air — what is called ' mudar temperamente.' At other times 



