424 On the Commerce of Mexico. 
tain, in different proportions according to its quality, — 
alcohol, mucilaginous fecula, sugar, water, and potash. It 
has been observed that the drunkenness produced by it, 
under its different varieties, is of a less violent description 
than that produced by another common beverage of the 
country, “chinguiritis” (brandy made from the sugar cane), 
and that delirium tremens is rarely produced by the immo- 
derate use of the former, though often by that of the latter. 
It is also affirmed, that the pulque drinker is commonly 
long-lived, whilst the reverse is the case with regard to 
those addicted to “chinguirito,” and that the former 
beverage, notwithstanding its somewhat acid taste, is, pro- 
bably on account of the fecula contained in it, peculiarly 
beneficial to women suckling their infants, and to those 
people whose constitution requires a wholesome stimulant. 
The earliest date at which a settled tax was levied on 
pulque, was in the year 1668, under the Duke of Albu- 
querque, Viceroy at the time, who allowed the munici- 
pality of the city of Mexico to receive 1 real per arroba as 
gate dues upon its entrance. This impost was afterwards 
farmed out to various individuals, the first time at only 
660 dollars per annum, but the rate rapidly increasing at 
different consecutive periods, in the year 1745 it was con- 
tracted for at the annual rate of 128,000 dollars, and that 
for nine years, the sale of it being subsequently administered 
by the crown itself, and producing large amounts to the 
Treasury. 
The excesses committed by the lower orders during a 
riot occasioned by the high price of maize in the city of 
Mexico, in the year 1692 being attributed to pulque drink- 
ing, the Count de Galvez, Viceroy at the time, consulted 
the royal University, as well as the College of Jesuits, as 
to the expediency of prohibiting the use of it altogether, 
especially among the Indian population, and the report 
upon the subject, which was issued by each of these learned 
bodies, isa most curious specimen of scholastic pedantry 
and monkish logic, the prohibition being finally determined 
upon. It was removed, however, within a short time after- 
wards, and the crown of Spain allowed the sale of the 
popular beverage again under certain restrictions, incorpo- 
rating the tax upon it with the other colonial imposts, in 
which, in course of time, it became a highly important 
item, producing in some years a sum of more than 1,000,000 
dollars to the Treasury. During the few years which pre- 
ceded the war of independence, the annual amount of the 
