iy ee ee 
quent discourse, eulogising the grandeur, magnanimity, power, and 
justice of the United States. 
Attending mass before breakfast proved anything but an appe- 
tizer. The ehurch was crowded with women of all conditions, and 
the horrid reboso, which the poor use for anaes. bonnet, handker- 
chief, and spit- box; sent out an. odor which the’ incense from the. 
altar ‘failed to stifle. 
One fact struck me as singular in all the houses that we visited, 
the ladies never made their. appearance; and it was always by the 
merest accident.that we caught a glimpse of one of the family. 
At Isoletta, I became a of the show, and, seeing my servant 
talking at the door of one of his acquaintances, I took the liberty. 
of asking” permission to take a quiet siesta; but this was out of the. 
question. The good woman ov erwhelmed me with a thousand 
questions about the United States, which could only be stopped by 
questioning her in return. She denounced Armijo; said, with a 
true Castilian flash of the eye, ‘‘I do not’see how any man wearing 
those things,” pointing to my shoulder straps, ‘‘could run away as © 
he did. e had a good army to back ie and could have driven 
you all back.” 
The valley suddenly contracts below Perdilla, between Tsoletta 
and Peralta. On the east side of the river there is deep sand, and 
the country is perfectly barren. 
I observed to-night, for time and latitude at my camp, about 
500 feet northwest of Senora Charvis’s private chapel, thirteen 
altitudes of polaris:give for the latitude of this place, 34° 50’ 57”; 
and twelve of corona borealis, and nine of alpha pegasi, give the 
mpengnh longitude 7h. O7m. 8s.4. 
September 7.—The early part of last evening was most beauti- 
2 . bright: and serene; the air was of the most delightful temper- 
* 
a 
ure, varied occasionally by a gentle breeze from the south, waft- 
g along the perfume of the vineyards. I made some observations 
for time and latitude; the last unsatisfactorily, owing to the bright: - 
ness of the moon dimming the southern stars. bout 11 o’clock, 
the whole character of the night was changed by an east wind that 
came rustling down from the mountains, driving the sand before it. - 
_ Nearly the whole distance travelled in the last three days has been 
_ over drifting sand, with only occasional patches of firm soil. os 
fter rising eatly to attend to some businéss, I walked over ine 
town-of Peralta, which is interspersed with cotton wood, grow ng 
in nearly the regular order of an apple orchard. I then repaire 
to head-quarters, at the palace of Mr. Aan? a spacions one 
Story edifice, five hundred feet front. 
We marched and encamped near Tomé. It was the eve of the 
_ féte of Tomé in honor of anes Virgin Mary, and people from all 
_ parts of the country were king in crowds to the town. The 
primitive wagons of the paste were used by the women as coaches. 
ese wagons were heavy boxes mounted on wheels cut from large 
| cotton wood; over the top of the box was spread.a blanket, and 
bas inside were huddled, in a dense crowd, the women, children, Pigs, 
4 lambs, and ‘‘every thing that is his.” ‘The man of the fami ve : 
ae 2 
* 
