488 PARRAS 
purchased by its present owner about four years before 
for $130,000, and now yields an annual income of from 
twenty-five to thirty thousand dollars. 
There is another large wine manufacturer in Parras, 
Don Jesus Campus, whose establishment we also visit- 
ed, and which like the former, was kept in fine order. 
I bought a keg of wine of him, which was said to be 
ten years old, and a superior article. It was put up 
with great care; yet, on arriving at New-York, it was 
found to be sour. All others who have attempted to 
transport this wine to the United States, have been 
equally unsuccessful. 
Parras contains three churches, which were shown 
to us by the cura, Juan B. Bobadilla, a courteous 
and intelligent gentleman. Two of them abound in 
pictures of a higher standard than any we had seen. ° 
More care, too, was taken of: them, as well as of the 
churches, which were in good condition, and exhibited 
none of those symptoms of decay prevalent every 
where, except in Chihuahua. 
The cura manifested much interest in scientific pur- 
suits, and was quite desirous to know what we had col- 
lected. He presented us with some specimens of min- 
erals, reptiles, and insects, and promised to send me a 
larger collection as soon as he could procure them. 
I have omitted to speak of two fine Alamedas, the 
fashionable promenades of the town. . These are beau- 
tifully shaded with long rows of large cotton-wood 
trees, while flowers and lesser plants ornament the 
walks. 
We made several pleasant acquaintances here, and 
found that Americans were much respected. Many 
