SIX MONTHS IN MEXICO. 



CHAPTER XXV. 

 First Visit to the Silver Mine at Themascaltepec, 



Having received an invitation from Mr. 

 Smith Wilcox, the American Consul-Gene- 

 ral, to visit a silver mine distant about thirty 

 leagues from Mexico, on which he was then, 

 at considerable expense, erecting a steam-en- 

 gine, for the purpose of clearing it from the 

 water which had prevented it from being 

 worked for several years ; — on the 24th of 

 April I accompanied that gentleman, his 

 nephew, and the proprietor of the mine. 

 We left the city after breakfast, in a car- 

 riage drawn by seven mules, and travelled 

 by the side of the great aqueduct which 



