502 . SALTILLO 
tions of the American army during the investment of 
Monterey. Having now reached the valley in which 
stands the city, we passed by walled inclosures where, 
among a variety of fruit and ornamental trees, we saw 
some loaded with oranges and lemons. Stone houses 
with high thatched roofs, surrounded by pretty gar- 
dens with more of an air of comfort than any we had 
seen, lined the approach to the city. On entering, 
we drove to acorral; and after putting up the wagons 
and animals, we took up our quarters at Coindreau’s 
Hotel; a spacious building with a large court, in the 
style of the country. One might have imagined that 
another bombardment was going on from the roar of 
cannon, as we entered the town; but it proved to be 
nothing more formidable than the celebration of the 
day of the “ Holy Lady of Guadalupe,” one of the 
ereatest festivals of the country. 
December 13th. Lost no time in setting the black- 
smith and carpenter at work, and in the mean time 
sallied forth to see what was remarkable in and about 
the city. We found several Americans in the place, 
although the number had greatly diminished within a 
year. There are a great many shops, and every de- 
scription of goods to be found in them. In many of 
them the clerks speak English, acquired during the 
occupation of the city by the Americans. A large 
commerce has now grown up between Monterey and 
the United States, which will tend to Americanize the 
place. At the time of our visit, the singular state of 
the frontier had greatly contributed to increase this 
commerce. Pronunciamentos, another name for revo- 
lutions, were then in vogue at Matamoras, Camargo, 
