12 



SIX MONTHS IN MEXICO. 



mediately surrounded by a crowd of people of 

 a motley appearance, mostly Spanish soldiers 

 and females from Vera Cruz ; for, being Sun- 

 day, the place was crowded with visitors from 

 the main land (as the fort is open to all, with- 

 out exception, from sun-rise to sun-set). We 

 were conducted by several gateways, passing 

 a canal through the interior, into a great 

 square, in which were many shops and stand- 

 ings for fruit, &c. &c. the area being occupied 

 by various groups of persons in different cos- 

 tumes. The whole had the appearance of 

 what an ancient wake is described to have 

 been in the feudal times in this country ; and 

 so much were the parties engaged that we 

 passed to the governor's apartments almost 

 unnoticed. His excellency, who commands 

 the last important hold of all the once immense 

 Spanish possessions in North America, was a 

 lively little man, past the prime of life. He 

 received us with great civility, but told the 



