508 SALTILLO 
trious character. Mier is celebrated for its fine manu- 
factures of serapes and blankets; and there was scarce- 
ly a house in which we did not see the women occu- 
pied in weaving them. These serapes, which are worn 
by all classes, are made of wool, ornamented with a 
variety of figures and of various colors. They bring from _ 
six to one hundred dollars each, according to their 
quality and ornaments. 
This town fills an important place in the annals of 
the Texan revolution, on account of its capture by the 
Texans, under the command of Colonel Fisher, their 
surrender afterwards to the Mexicans, and their subse- 
quent history.* 
Proceeding up the Rio Grande above Mier, the 
character of the country changes for the better, the 
bottoms becoming more fertile. Theshores are forthe 
greater part, a narrow strip of sand or gravel, sur- 
mounted by river bluffs of various heights. The willow, 
and occasionally the white cypress, occur near the river, 
while further back the mezquit, ebony, etc., abound. 
* This party, which consisted of 261 men, crossed the Rio Grande, 
where they encountered a Mexican force of 2340 men, with whom they 
had a severe battle, and took possession of Mier. In. this contest, accord- 
ing to the statement of General Green, an officer at the time, the Texan 
loss. was, ten killed and twenty-three wounded—that of the Mexicans, 
between seven and eight hundred killed and wounded. The Texans 
were afterwards induced to surrender to General Mejia, on certain 
pledges being given them by General Ampudia. They were placed 
under a guard of three hundred men, and marched off to the City of 
Mexico. After they had passed Saltillo and were crossing the desert to 
San Luis Potosi, they rose on their Mexican guard at a place called Sa- 
lado, overpowered them, and made their escape. Had they kept toge- 
— ther and followed the roads, they would have found water and food, and 
