Mitla: a narrative of incidents and personal adventures on a Journey in Mexico, Guatemala, and Salvador in the years 1853 to 1855. With observations on the modes of life in those countries. By G. F. von Tempsky. Edited by J. S. Bell

Front matter

MITLA. LONDON : FEINTED BY SPOTTISWOODB AND CO. NEW-STBEET S^UABE. .: " M I T L A. A NARRATIVE OF INCIDENTS AND PERSONAL ADVENTURES ON A JOURNEY IN MEXICO, GUATEMALA, AND SALVADOR IN THE YEARS 1853 TO 1855. WITH OBSERVATIONS ON THE MODES OF LIFE IN THOSE COUNTRIES. BY G. F. VON TEMPSKY. EDITED BY J. S. BELL, AUTHOR OF " JOURNAL OF A RESIDENCE IN CIBCASSIA IN THE TEARS 1836 TO 1839." LONDON : LONGMAN, BEOWN, GREEN, LONGMANS, & ROBERTS. 1858. The right of translation is reterveJ. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE EARL OE WESTMORELAND, G.C.B., G.C.H. etc. etc. etc Mr Lord, In the year 1848, your Lordship had the kindness to send to the late Mr. Patrick Walker, Her Britannic Majesty's Consul- General for the Mosquito Kingdom, a letter of introduction in my behalf. This was my only and most efficient introduction to the subsequent course of my life in America.

Your Lordship has now greatly added to that obligation by the kindness with which, in your Lordship's letter of the 24th of September last, addressed to me in Liegnitz, you acceded to my request to be allowed to show my sense of the former benefit conferred on me, by dedicating to your Lordship — as I hereby have the honour to do — this publication of MITLA, the fruit of travel and residence in a large portion of Spanish North America. I have the honour to be, My Lord, Your Lordship's much obliged and most obedient servant, GUSTAVUS FERDINAND ton TEMPSKY. Duxoon, Argyllshire: October 12, 1857.

Preface

. After various journeys in Spanish America, and frequent intercourse with the races that inhabit it, I came to the conclusion that, however much there has been written about them, they have never been portrayed in a life-like manner. I have tried to do this : I have studied to draw the Spanish American, with the scenery of his country, free of prejudice either in favour or against them ; neither leaning to romantic illumination, nor to cold dissection of their characteristics. I believe I am also expected to make an apology for presuming to bring forward these ideas in the English language, instead of my own. A

PREFACE.

. But what apology would atone for the presump tion, were this use of the English language to be proved against me as an abuse of it ? If it is, then, that an apology can be found only in the book itself, and in the charitable hearts of the public, let me appeal to the latter, to whom I trust even more than to the former, that their judgment may be a lenient one. THE AUTHOR. CONTENTS.

Chapter I. From San Francisco To Mazatlan

Embarkation at and Departure from San Francisco. — Voyage to Mazatlan. — Our Fellow-Passengers. — Expiry of one of them. — Birth of another. — Joaquin, the Highwayman. — His sanguinary Vengeance. — ArriTal at Mazatlan ... Page 1 CHAP. II. FROM MAZATLAN TO DURANGO. Mexican Hotels. — Their Furniture and Inscriptions. — A Mexican TraTelling Party. — Their Means of Defence. — We decline their Protection. — Commencement of our Journey. — San Sebastian. — A superannuated Town. — Our Start from it on Foot. — Delights of Pedestrianism. — A queer Predicament. — Traveller's-Fare. — Irish Hospitality and Heart. — Change of Temperature. — Contrasts in Vegetation. — Competitors in Business. — A choice Volunteer. — A bottomless Abyss. — Ascending the Sierra Madre. — Mingled Beauty and Grandeur. — Sugar-loaves aud Rattle -snakes. — A Thunder-storm. — First Vestiges of Comanches. — Precautions against them. — A Night-Alarm — A ragged Garrison. — Entering on " Debateable Land." — A fearful Discovery. — Fate of the Travelling Party. — Indian Foot-tracks. — A happy Deliverance X CONTENTS.