126] 16 
whitish, slightly aleoholic beverage, which I had already tasted in Sal- 
tillo and found it quite palatable. Some of the plants were just in the 
state of production. The white liquid was collected in the heart of the 
plant, where, by cutting the stem out in the right season, a cavity is formed, 
into which every day about one gallon of a sweet, saccharine juice exsu- 
dates, from which, by short fermentation, the pulque is prepared. By a 
more protracted process they obtain from it also a spirituous liquor, that is 
very freely used in Mexico, and called Mezcal, (Mezical.) From the 
fibres of the thick blades of the agave americana the old Mexicans pre- 
pared a very fine paper, on which they printed their hieroglyphic figures. 
At present they work these fibres into ropes, bags, and thread, though for 
the latter purpose a smaller and related species of agave (lechuguilla?) is 
mo juic 
deserted ranchos which had been destroyed by a f the American 
troops. From here the road winds itself through a mountain pass, with 
precipitous mountains of limestone on both sides; the pass is, on an average, 
two miles wide, and a creek with clear water runs through it. The way 
commenc ere some fortifications by throwing up redoubts and other 
works; and from the narrowness of the pass, and the steepness of the roa 
battle of Monterey, the place was abandoned by the Mexicans 
the garden. 
descended from Encantada, within 48 miles, 2,723 feet. : 
May 25.—Always descending, we still marched for some time through 
the pass, which widened successively into a large valley, surrounded to- 
wards the north and south by high barriers of mountains. Passing by 
Santa Caturina, a village to the right of our road, and by a large mill, 
Moleno de Jusus Maria, we encamped within about four miles of Monte- 
: a" M 
asl (24 from Rinconada,) with the bishop’s palace in sight. In the after- 
mn we had a thunder storm, with rain, the first good shower since we 
left: Chihwahiiq: an : S . 
, the celebrated capital of 
i ! e is 
road, but very steep sid wots General Wotth’s charge upon this fort 
does not stand the lowest among the many gallant deeds which this Murat 
walls and retrenchments were erected. The hill which ‘it occupies is a 
