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PORTALES MINEBJA LA MERCED. 



western, beyond the Calle Plateros, or street of the silversmiths, are 

 protected by a broad and massive corridor or portico, called the 

 portales, in which the traveller will constantly find crowds of 

 hawkers, pedlars, shopmen, letter writers, clothiers, fruit sellers, 

 liquor venders, crockery dealers and book hucksters. A few squares 

 west of the plaza, is situated the magnificent palace of the Mineria, 

 or School of Mines, one of the most elegant edifices in the capital. 



COLLEGE OF MINES — (EXTERIOR.) 



In noticing the general splendour and luxury of ecclesiastical 

 architecture in Mexico we should not omit to mention particularly 

 the beautiful convent of La Merced, a view of whose elegant in- 

 terior court and corridor is presented in the opposite plate. Gloomier 

 recollections, however, are conjured up from the past by beholding 

 the church of San Domingo and the neighboring inquisition, which 

 was the prison and the place of torture to so many unfortunate vic- 

 tims during the viceroyal government of New Spain. 



It is, in the centre or heart of the city, that all the characteristic 

 habits and costumes of the people may be most readily observed. 

 The great body of the crowd is, of course, composed of the common 

 classes — the males in their shirts and trowsers with a blanket thrown 



