A voyage to Mexico and Havanna: including some general observations on the United States

Chapter I

Commercial intercourse between the United States and the Republic of Mexico, at the present time — Voyage from New Orleans to Tampico — Tampico, and Federalism in that City — Journey to the City of Mexico, with remarks upon the social standing of the inhabitants on the road Page 1.

Chapter II

The city of Mexico — Mexican antiquities — Churches, promenades, climate and diseases of Mexico — Gambling there, in France and in the United States — Robberies and roads in the Republic of Mexico ■ — Laxity of the Mexican authorities — An aid-de^camp of General Santa Anna tried, convicted and executed as a high-way robber — The Island of Cuba and Gen. Tacon. ........ 10

Chapter III

Drunkenness in Mexico, with allusions to the United States — How Americans look upon France and other nations of Europe — Extracts from French works — Missions to convert France — Americans who visit Europe — Manners in the United States — Schools in Mexico- Public education and teachers in the United States — What parents do for their children — American Doctors — Making of a Professor in the college of Cincinnati — Woodward college in the same place —-Other remarks on teachers—How Europe stands in reference to sciences and arts.^ .......... 24

Chapter IV

Duelling, races, and fires in Mexico — Conflagrations in the United States— The Mexican army, as it was and is — The Mexican Museum— Lynch-law in reference to Gen. Santa Anna — Course of the American press towards Mexico — The expulsion of the French — Execution of Gen. Mejia — Antiquities of Mexico — Foreigners in the United States and Mexico — Speculations on American credulity— Two cases of professional imposition in Mexico. ... 46 i* CONTENTS.

Chapter V

Art9 in Mexico — Newspapers in that country and in the United States — Pamphlets — Religious papers — Prejudices and tolerance— The Catholic clergy in the United States — The Mexican clergy- Federalism vs. the clergy, or Generals Mejia, Urrea and Anaya — Abuses among that clergy, which demand reform — How the clergy of Mexico acted towards an American Catholic Bishop — Religious feelings of the Mexicans. • •*•»#*••»•••. 65

Chapter VI

The President of the Republic of Mexico and Gen. Filisola — Public morality in that country — A Mexican minister to Prussia — Revolutionary events, and their effects on Mexico — Federalism and Federalists— Errors in reference to the government of Mexico — The freedom of the press — Corruption — A contract for the government troops in Matamoras — Custom-house regulations— Smuggling — National debt of Mexico — Iturbide — Santa Anna at St. Jacinto and Vera Cruz — A false charge against Americans and Mexicans— Gen. Jackson's opinion of Santa Anna. ••»»...*. 77

Chapter VII

What form of government would better suit the Mexicans — American aristocracy— Austrian government in Italy — Louis Philippe and the British government — Botta and the Italians — The Lombardo- Venetian kingdom — The Germans or the French mastering Italy — Visit of a foreign ambassador to the governor of one of the United States —Elections and institutions of this country — Elective franchise of aliens in the United States — Native American Society — The leaders of the late revolutions in Italy — Political character and other remarks on the Italians — Italian refugees in France and England — The present system of Austria « * . « « 89

Chapter VIII

Present resources of Mexico — Mexico versus Texas — What Texas is — Journey from the City of Mexico to Vera Cruz — Puebla.' — Gen. Urrea in the Castle of Perote — Jalapa — Vera Cruz — St. Juan de Ulua, and former opinion in regard to its strength— Gen. Rincon and the French storming — Conduct of the Mexican soldiery — Opinion of Col. Soto about Ulua — The force of prejudice — The Kontuckians — Wearing arms and its consequences — Erroneous notions on murders and murderers which prevail in some of the United States. •»..»*%..* * % 1Q5

CONTENTS. t

Chapter IX

-age from Vera Cruz to Havanna — Americans who winter there— Remarks on the physical constitution of the people of the United tates — Commerce in Havanna — Spanish troops in the island of Cuba — Its climate, diseases, and necessary precautions — Prince of Anglona, the present governor of that island — Police in Havanna— Houses there — Clergy — Lotteries — Steam Ships — Rail Roads — Manners. #».«..*«•*»»»...,' # 118

Chapter X

Slavery in the United States — Abolition and abolitionists— Case of the Spanish schooner Amistad — Montez and Ruiz put into prison — Why the president of the United States did not interfere — Slavery in the island of Cuba — Difference of laws in reference to slaves between that island and the United States — The slave trade — The English pursuing slavers — The Spanish authorities in the island of Cuba, and the captains dealing with slaves — Voyage from Havanna to New-Orleans. »»».....»,».«., 124

Introduction

The persuasion that Mexico has been, and is, too much misrepresented everywhere, but especially in the United States, has induced me, as far as I am capable, to depict that country in its true light, as regards its social, political and religious condition.

Man is so constituted, that what surrounds him is not calculated to satisfy him ; he is, by instinct, attracted to the history of every age and nation, as if their times and deeds could serve as an appendage to his own life.

There exists in us a natural anxiety for acquiring such notions, and we feel glad when we can obtain them ; although, such wrriters can do to us and to the cause of society as much good by being correct as they will do harm by being the contrary.

There are travellers who will publish accounts of their voyages for the sake of making a display of their adventures, or with the view of awakening interest and sympathy in their readers. Others will go to a country with opinions and notions which they had espoused in advance, and will never fail to see things in perfect accordance with their preconceptions. —

Vlll INTRODUCTION.

Some for want of discrimination, and some prompted either from aversion or devotion to the political or religious institutions of a country, will confound things so much as to revert every observation to the central point of their starting. Others have been found in all ages amusing themselves by writing upon countries which they had never visited, as was lately the case with an American who published a work upon Italy without having ever seen the color of that land. Many will write on a country through which they journey without knowing a single word of its language, being thus deprived of the most essential medium through which they can obtain information and scrutinize the manners of a country.

With or without permission I shall remark, that the English tourists are the curse of all countries, on account of their fictitious productions. Impregnated with the conviction that there is nothing good upon earth out of England, every thing makes them sour, and they give vent to their spleen in imprecations.

The United States have had their share of misreports from English pens. Some of the British writers on this country undertook to search with the most malignant disposition its faults — what nation, community qt individual has none ? — and collecting every thing which is bad have thus exhibited the Americans to the world ; as if only the faults, and not the virtues too, ought to be reviewed in order to fix a character upon a community.

INTRODUCTION. IX

So difficult is the task of travellers writing on foreign countries, or so many requisites are indispensable to make their works prove of any service, that at least nineteen out of twenty such books result in being worthless.

Now, I have no pretension of being that exception which has so many probabilities against it. I mean, I am fully aware my work contains nothing to save it from the fate of the nineteen; although I had the advantage to see Mexico and Havanna in no way prepossessed.

My readers will see I present them with a potion of compounded ingredients; there being the honey and the aloe, or the good and the bad. I may deceive them in the same way that a physician who does not well penetrate into the cause of his patient's disease deceives him ; that is to say, after having first deceived myself.

It befel me, while writing, to enlarge upon the United States much more than I had at first designed ; and, as many observations or accounts on this country and others, though not intended to offend any body, will displease some people, I protest that I say nothing either in my general or personal allusions, which may be suggested by dislike, enmity, or a spirit of revenge. With many of the persons to whom I allude, I am happy to say, I never had any intercourse, while my

X INTRODUCTION.

acquaintance with the others was not of a nature to excite any bad or hostile feeling.

As to the language of which 1 make use, there will appear a foreign construction 1 know ; I hope, however, that my being a stranger will serve as a passport to it.

THE AUTHOR.

Chapter I

Commercial intercourse between the United States and the Republic of Mexico, at the present time — Voyage from New Orleans to Tampico — Tampico, and Federalism in that City— Journey to the City of Mexico, with remarks upon the social standing of the inhabitants on the road.

Since the treaty entered into between Spain and Mexico, whereby this once her colony was acknowledged as an independent nation, and their ports were reciprocally opened for trade, New-Orleans has lost almost entirely its commerce with the republic of Mexico. While, in former times, many vessels were to be found in New-Orleans, sailing weekly for Vera Cruz, and other Mexican ports, you do not now find there, in six months, a single vessel bound to Vera Cruz, and scarcely one in two months for Tampico, or any port of that republic.

The Mexican merchants have turned to Havanna, where, they say, they find cheaper the articles they want to buy, chiefly dry goods;* and with whose people they have a common origin and language; and where they do not see themselves abused and trampled upon as, I do not hesitate to say, they are throughout the whole American union, "but much more so in New-Orleans, whose press cannot refrain from rushing, in every way, against Mexico and the Mexicans; whom they load with the most despicable epithets, whenever they happen to speak of, or make any allusion to them.

Thus, after having long, and in vain, looked for a vessel going to Vera Cruz, I left New-Orleans on the twentieth of January last, for Tampico, on board the American schooner, Eliza Ann, Captain Clark, formerly of the Lone — the same, who, during the last blockade of the Mexican Ports,

* Goods can be entered at the custom-house in Havanna for entrepot, and, being exported, they are liable to only one per cent duty.

B

Z A VOYAGE TO

having been taken out of Matamoros by a French man-ofwar, with the assistance of the mate only, rescued the vessel, and carried the French officer and crew prisoners to New-Orleans.

The passage was not a short one; still, the gentlemanly manners of the captain prevented tediousness, and made it prove very pleasant.

On the evening of the twenty-seventh we had the pilot on board, and passed the bar of Tampico. Immediately after, a custom-house officer came to take the manifesto of the cargo, with the note of the passengres* trunks, and sealed the hatches.

Although the distance from the bar to the city is not more than three leagues, contrary winds detained the schooner three days on her way up the river : during which time, the captain of the port sent twice an officer to caution Capt. Clark, not to suffer any of the passengers to land, until the vessel should be in front of Tampico.

At that time, Matamoros was threatened by the Texo- Federalists, and I thought, at first, that such intimation derived from suspicion falling on some one of the passengers; yet, when it was our lot to get ashore, the only formality required was, to have the captain marching ahead of the passengers to the governor's house.

How it happened, I could not explain ; but, we missed about half of our men on the way : the acting Governor, however, seemed by no means aware of the desertion which had taken place. He, hastily, overlooked our passports and handed them immediately back to their bearers. Three Spaniards, deck-passengers, had no passport, and, on the simple saying of the captain that he had lost them, we were all dismissed.

Now, considering the whole as a police-matter, they carried it on so imperfectly, as to render it utterly ridiculous : no reason, nor excuse can be given for tantalizing passengers as they did, unless it be their system to make " much ado about nothing.' '

I was obliged to go through some formality to obtain my baggage ; but, they were very polite in visiting it.

Some of my friends in New-Orleans who had favored me with letters of introduction, had told me that I should be forced upon accepting hospitality from the people in Tampico to whom they introduced me ; however, I can swear, that I escaped any such trouble ; and was very glad of it, as I happened to stop at a first-rate house, kept by Mr. Constant, a Swiss.

MEXICO AND HAVANNA. J

Tampico is a small, beautifully situated and rather fine looking place. It is worthy of notice as the second port of importance in the Republic, as, also, for its being, perhaps, the only new flourishing city in that country ; thus, forming there a wonder, what is a common-place sight through the United States.

The merchants of Tampico are all foreigners. That place, in consequence of late events, is considered abroad, as the cradle of liberty in the Republic of Mexico, which is, nevertheless, a great mistake.

I must confess, I have not much confidence in the political creed of any busy community; but none at all in such a mixed heterogeneous one as that of Tampico, where you find together Germans, Spanish, French, Americans, and others, engaged in business. What now do Americans, French, Spanish, Germans, or others, care about the general prosperity of the Republic of Mexico ; of a country where they stand as mere transplanted and transient money-makers ] I venture to reply — nothing ; as we know unfortunately, but to well, how men, even in their native countries, are prone to postpone the general interest, to promoting their own.

Tampico was twice the seat of Federalism ; which does not however, imply any idea of oppression from the present government. To understand well the matter, one has only to consider, that as soon as the Federalists hoisted their flag, no more custom-house duties were in existence. It is calculated, that goods to the amount of more than two millions were introduced into Tampico, free of every duty. Would not the flag of Mahomet have been, in parity of circumstances, as welcome as that of Federalism % Would not London, Paris, New Orleans, St. Petersburgh, or any other city in the world, greet and cheer the standard under which they could, with impunity, smuggle goods to the amount of millions upon millions % Some will observe, that a country cannnot support itself without revenues, which are to a nation what the circulation of blood is to the life of man ; but, the merchants of Tampico are not lecturers on political economy, and they would be glad to supply with necessary means a new Mejia, because, they would not lose in the bargain ; nor, must we mistake commercial speculations for political events.

A poor, very poor impression was made upon me by the soldiery I saw there. What a miserable spectacle ! all short men — all dark faces — or of the color which is contracted under the burning sun of the tropics ; and

b2 which appears still darker, by the contrast of their white dresses.

I consider myself bound to repeat here a strange, though common and notorious report in reference to the facility of "purposely losing vessels, either getting in or out the bar of Tampico. This seems, by no means, a mystery there. I must, however, be satisfied with giving a hint " to whom it may concern :" only adding that, if the accounts I heard are true to a word, it is long since that business has been carried on, and some one in Tampico has grown fat from it.

I scarcely need notice that the climate there is extremely moist and hot. The yellow fever, which is called there, as in all Spanish places subject to the same disease, black vomit ; makes yearly a dreadful havoc amongst the new comers.

Three days after my arrival in Tampico, I made my start for the City of Mexico, on horseback, armed capa-pie, and wearing, agreeably to the custom of the country, a large blanket with a hole in the middle of it, to have the head passed through, so as to make the blanket fall equally before and behind : indeed I presented a very ludicrous appearance.

I left with some arrieros or carriers, who had to take care of my person and baggage ; but, as soon as I saw they performed daily not more than five or six leagues, and in the very hottest part of the day, I emancipated myself from their guardianship, and, in spite of the dangers which, they said, would attend my travelling alone on that road, I went on with the company only of my horse, arms, and thoughts.

Some one will now, very likely, anticipate a sprightly and romantic exhibition of the fields, forests, mountains and sites, through which I passed ; but, they will be disappointed. I am a very poor hand for descriptions ; I shall, therefore, confine myself to say, that I found myself transported into a really new world, amidst a new vegetation, having before me the lofty palm, the shadowy plantain, the dark orange, the delicate pine-apple and all the different tropical productions with which I presume my reader to be already well acquainted. There, at last, I found that America, which Europeans fancy to themselves, and for which I had looked in vain during my residence in the U. S.; where, the same vegetation, cultivation, productions, manners, dress, mode of living, and even faces are to be seen as in Europe*

La Huazteca, the province through which I travelled before reaching the chain of mountains, is said to be the most fertile of all Mexico. I there saw people sowing corn on one side and reaping it on the opposite ; there, I saw the same tree bearing ripe fruits and new blossoms ; I saw, there, what nature is capable of doing by itself; but, I saw at the same time a country which could export plenty of many different products, scarcely supplying with bread, milk and fruits, its idle and wretched inhabitants ; who never extend their views or wishes beyond what is indispensible to sustain their animal life.

A traveller must not expect to meet there with any accomodation. I had been favoured with the most minute sketch and details in reference to that journey, and so directed my riding as to stop where I could find the luxury of a table-bed, and light bread. What is easily to be obtained everywhere is, poultry, eggs, beans, milk and fruits.

Amongst the greatest sufferings to which a stranger must submit in Mexico, there is the sight of the hands that prepare his meals ; but especially, the baking of the tortilla, or a kind of Indian-corn paste, which the Mexicans use instead of bread. There, the primitive and natural mode of transmitting eatables to the mouth through the fingers, has not undergone any change ; and I have to say, that, none should undertake such a journey, unless after having been, at least twice, at sea on board a merchantman.

Thanks to a letter of introduction to the Archbishop of Mexico of which I was bearer, I found myself tolerably well sheltered and treated by the priests whom I happened to fall in with, on the road, and to whom I never failed to show the aforesaid letter. I was also hospitably and well entertained at a sugar-plantation belonging to Mr. Miguel Moi'itto, a Spaniard and a perfect gentleman. His plantation lies adjacent to an Indian village, called CoAakual*

* For direction to those who might desire to know the places situated on the road between Tampico and Mexico, I shall mention them, and add some remarks about them. Pueblo Viejo, the first village immediately beyond Tampico, is a dirty place : a countryman of mine keeps there something like a tavern, and knows how to empty the pockets of travellers and starve them. Tortuga and Organos are poor villages, where one must sleep on the floor, and an unequal one too. Ozulhuama looks pretty : I saw there the first Mexican church. The curate is a well-informed man. At Sta. Caterina there is a tolerably good house. Siete Palmas is a wretched Indian village. In Pastofia

B 3

I often stopped at some Indian milpas, or huts, whose inmates I constantly found to be most excellent people. The ignorance amongst the inhabitants of the villages through which I journeyed, cannot be described. Those who are of European descent, or of mixed breed, call themselves gente de razon, (reasonable people) so as to let others suppose, that the Indians have no reason ; but in fact, the gente de razon are, in no respect, superior to the aborigines, except in mischievous propensities and deeds, such as cheating, robbing and murdering. Scarcely an instance is recorded of any criminal attempt by the Indians against travellers, and, to repeat what Mr. Morillo told me, he often sent through them large sums to some distant places, which he would never have trusted to any of the reasonable congregation.

All Indians are catholics there ; they treat, however, the religion of Christ in a manner, which, somehow, approaches their ancient idolatry. A small altar with many images is unavoidably to be seen erected at the corner of their poor dwellings, before which, they are almost constantly praying, when not at work or asleep — and they sleep, I presume, fourteen or sixteen hours out of the twenty-four. I heard them even at night, praying loudly, as soon as they awoke, and continuing their lugubrious songs until they fell asleep again.

A very strange thing on that way, is to see the people so unconscious of every event in connection with their

travellers can be lodged at an Hacienda or farm, and find elsewhere something to eat. At Chicon, I met with a good-hearted Priest. Caiahual I have mentioned in the text. At Tlacolula a hard bed can be found. The Curate, who was at a loss in digesting the Latin letter I had for the Archbishop, is a money maker. At Pie de la cuesta there are excellent people, but a traveller will have again hard dreams. Zacualtipan has a meson or tavern ; yet I dislike the whole. St. Bernardo is a poor village ; but travellers meet there with the most hospitable treatment. Hacienda de Guadalupe offers middling accommodations. Totonilco el grande has a large meson; but if you do not agree before as to the fare, a nasty girl, conducting the kitchen on her own account, will charge two or three dollars for a couple of eggs and a dish of beans. This is the first place where the pulque is to be obtained. At Real del Monte, which is a mining place, a traveller will see many Englishmen and Americans. There is an English publichouse. At St. Mateo el grande, a mattress and an excellent cup of chocolate (made by a girl who was educated in a convent) can be obtained. After a ride of twenty leagues from St. Mateo, one arrives at the capital. The road from Tampico to the city of Mexico, is called camino real, or royal road ; but it is as horrid as can be imagined : in many places I was obliged to walk, and had trouble enough to get along.

political situation. When we read in Mexican or American papers " the Republic of Mexico at large longs for a change of Institutions or Government/ ' we read the speculations of those who choose to write so, and not of the parties concerned in the matter. The focus of the political contest is in the large cities, whilst the poor villages, the peasantry, and therefore the population at large have not the least notions about politics. I feel tempted to say, that a child ten years old in the United States, by dint of hearing so much talking on politics, knows more of the subject, than a whole Mexican village, its priest and alcalde included. Their sympathies, if they have any, is for the party which is favourably spoken of by their curates ; while their curates and magistrates themselves know nothing, even about facts which take place at a distance of some fifty or a hundred miles from them.

I had already observed in Tampico, that the authorities were ignorant of a subject which was of some importance to them ; viz., where was at that time Gen. Anaya. They thought, he was at the head of the Texo-Federalists, who, then, intended to attack Matamoros, while I had seen him in New-Orleans and conversed with him the day before I left that City.

The New-Orleans papers alluding to Gen. Anaya and speaking of him as being there, were brought by the Eliza Ann, and had been long before digested by the merchants ; yet the talented officers of the government in Tampico laboured under such a mistake.

Now, in that part of the Republic through which I passed, the ignorance of the people went so far, as to make them believe that Gen. Anaya, or some other chief, was in, or blockading Tampico. Some Mexican traveller in jest, or designedly, had spread such a report among them, and they could hardly be convinced to the contrary. They, at last, credited my assertions, on the ground, that, as I said to them, being a stranger, I had no interest to induce them into error.

Let us lay the blame where it rests — on the government. Can they not make provision for the conveyance of their paper the Diario del Gobierno, to the chief officers of the various districts'? What good do they expect to derive, by keeping up an unfounded excitement and alarm among whole populations, according to the good pleasure of every fool, or impostor ? In that part of the Mexican territory whereof I am speaking, I believe, they do not know even what a newspaper is.

Some of the places on that road were built by the Spaniards in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. They are all, however, in a state of decay, and exhibit a sad contrast with the many new cities and towns, which one sees springing up, as by enchantment, in every part of the United States.

The abundance of game is wonderful there, and a traveller can, without much trouble, make an agreeable addition to his meals.

From November to March, that part of the Country is infested by a very troublesome insect, a kind of crawling bug called garr'wpate. At the time I was there, every tree, shrub, leaf and blade of grass was overloaded with those animals. Climbing on man and horse, they lodge themselves in any part of the body, causing the most painful itching. The garrapate may be killed by a friction' of tobacco and brandy ; an operation which must be promptly attended to in order to prevent a sore which causes pain for many days after.

I was told a preservative against its biting; which is a' general friction of pure and good olive oil, putting into half a common glass of it two spoons full of alcali. I repeated it every three or four days, and found that the insect, intoxicated by the smell, became harmless and dropped at the slightest touching. I was, nevertheless, afraid to go out of the road1 in pursuit of game, as it was the way to get covered with garrapates. The fancy took me once of killing" and cooking some parrots, which however, I did: not find very palatable.

The question raised; by some about, " whether medicine be more useful than prejudicial to the conservation of the human race, comparatively with a full reliance upon nature and its simple remedies/ ' is resolved by evidence in favour of the noble science, by journeying through that country.

They have no physicians nor apothecaries, and, knowing the properties of different herbs, they are aware of sovereign remedies for certain diseases. They will be sure of healing punctures made by the most venomous reptiles, and, if what I heard is true, they cure even hydrophobia; but, they will never get rid of an intermitting fever ; while such fevers are so much prevalent in some places, mostly inhabited by Indians, that from May to September, every one is taken sick: not to mention that, in case of any accident requiring the assistance of a surgeon, they cannot supply the deficiency, and are doomed therefore, either to be crippled all their life, or to die. In many of the places I have just alluded to, not a single old person is to be seen.