The Spanish possessions in North America, extend from the isthmus of
Darien, along the coast of the Pacific Ocean, to the distance of more
than two thousand two hundred miles. One half of them is situated under
the burning sky of the tropics, and the other belongs to the temperate
zone. Their whole interior forms an immense plain, elevated from six to
eight thousand feet above the level of the adjacent seas. The chain of
_mountains_ which constitutes this vast plain, is a continuation of that
which, under the name Andes, runs through South America. They are, in
general, little interrupted by valleys, and, for the most part, their
declivity is very gentle. In consequence of this elevation, the Mexican
provinces, situated under the torrid zone, enjoy a cold rather than a
temperate _climate_. The interior provinces, in the temperate zone,
have, like the rest of North America, a climate essentially different
from that of the same parallels in the European continent. A remarkable
inequality prevails between the temperature of the different seasons:
German winters succeed to Neapolitan and Sicilian summers.
This country suffers many inconveniences from a want of water, and
particularly of navigable rivers. The Rio del Norte and the Rio Colorado
are almost the only _rivers_ of any importance. The _lakes_ with which
Mexico abounds, are merely the remains of immense basins of water, which
appear to have formerly existed on the high and extensive plains of the
Cordilleras. The largest of these, the _Lake of Chapala_, contains
nearly one hundred and sixty square leagues, and is about twice as large
as the lake of Constance.
A great portion of high land, in the interior of New Spain, is destitute
of vegetation; and some of the loftiest summits are clad with perpetual
snow. This country is not so much disturbed by earthquakes as several
parts of South America; for, in the whole of New Spain there are only
five _volcanos_; Orizaba, Popocatepetl, Tuxtla, Jorullo, and Colima.
The _volcano of Jorullo_, in the province of Valladolid, was formed
during the night of the 29th of September, 1759. The great catastrophe,
in which this mountain rose from the earth, and by which a considerable
space of ground changed its appearance, is, perhaps, one of the most
extraordinary physical revolutions in the history of the earth. Geology
points out parts of the ocean, where, at recent periods, near the
Azores, in the Egean Sea, and to the south of Iceland, small volcanic
islands have arisen above the surface of the water; but it gives no
example of the formation, amidst a thousand small burning cones, of a
mountain of scoria, near seventeen hundred feet in height, above the
adjoining plain. Till the middle of the year 1759, fields cultivated
with sugar-canes and indigo occupied the extent of ground between the
two brooks called Cultamba and San Pedro. In the month of June, a
subterraneous noise was heard. Hollow sounds of most alarming
description, were accompanied by frequent earthquakes, which succeeded
one another for fifty or sixty days, to the great consternation of the
inhabitants. From the beginning of September every thing seemed to
announce the complete re-establishment of tranquillity; when, in the
night between the 28th and 29th, the subterraneous noises recommenced.
The affrighted Indians fled to the mountains; and a tract of ground,
from three to four square miles in extent, which goes by the name of
_Malpays_, rose up in the shape of a bladder. The bounds of this
convulsion are still distinguishable in the fractured strata. The
Malpays, near its edges, is only about forty feet above the old level of
the plain; but the convexity of the ground thus thrown up, increases
progressively, towards the centre, to an elevation of more than five
hundred and twenty feet.
The persons who witnessed this astonishing catastrophe, assert that
flames were seen to issue forth, for an extent of more than half a
square league; that fragments of burning rocks were thrown up to
prodigious heights; and that, through a thick cloud of ashes, illumined
by the volcanic fire, the softened surface of the earth was seen to
swell up like an agitated sea. The rivers of Cultamba and San Pedro
precipitated themselves into the burning chasms. The decomposition of
the water contributed to invigorate the flames, which were
distinguishable at a vast distance. Eruptions of mud, and other
substances, indicated that subterraneous water had no small share in
producing this extraordinary revolution. Thousands of small cones, from
six to nine feet in height, called by the Indians "hornitos," or ovens,
issued forth from the Malpays. Each small cone is a "fumorola," from
which a thick vapour ascends; and in many of them a subterraneous noise
is heard, which appears to announce the proximity of a fluid in
ebullition. In the midst of the ovens six large masses, elevated from
one thousand three hundred to one thousand six hundred and forty feet
above the old level of the plains, sprung up from a chasm. The most
elevated of these is the great volcano of Jorullo. It is continually
burning, and has thrown up an immense quantity of scorified and
basaltic lavas, containing fragments of primitive rocks. These great
eruptions of the central volcano continued till the month of February,
1760. In the following year they became gradually less frequent. The
Indians, frightened at the horrible noises of the new volcano, had
abandoned all the villages, within seven or eight leagues of it. They,
however, gradually became accustomed to them, and returned to their
cottages. So violent were the eruptions of this mountain, that the roofs
of houses in Queretaro, though at a distance of more than forty-eight
leagues, in a straight line from the scene of explosion, were sometimes
covered with ashes.
The Mexican _population_ consists of seven races, 1. Individuals born in
Europe; 2. Creoles, or Whites of European extraction, born in America;
3. Mesti zos, or descendants of whites and Indians; 4. Mulattoes,
descendants of whites and negroes; 5. Zambos, descendants of negroes and
Indians; 6. Indians, or the copper-coloured indigenous race; and, 7.
African negroes.
The number of _Indians_, including those only who have no mixture of
European or African blood, are more than two millions and a half in
number; and these appear to constitute about two-fifths of the whole
population of Mexico. They bear a general resemblance to the Indians of
Canada, Florida, Peru, and Brazil: they have a similar swarthy and
copper-coloured skin, smooth hair, little beard, squat body, long eyes,
with the corners directed upward towards the temples, prominent cheek
bones, and thick lips. There is a great diversity in their language, but
they appear to have been all descendants from the same original stock.
It is probable that these Indians would live to a great age, did they
not often injure their constitution by drunkenness. Their intoxicating
liquors are rum, a fermentation of maize, and the root of the jatropha;
and especially a wine which is made from the juice of the great
American aloe. The police, in the city of Mexico, sends round tumbrils,
to collect such drunkards as are found lying in the streets. These are
treated like dead bodies, and are carried to the principal guard-house.
The next morning an iron ring is put round each of their ancles, and, as
a punishment, they are made to cleanse the streets for three days.
The Mexican Indian, when not under the influence of intoxicating
liquors, is grave, melancholic, and silent. The most violent passions
are never depicted in his features; and it is sometimes frightful to see
him pass, at once, from a state of apparent repose, to the most violent
and unrestrained agitation. It is stated that these Indians have
preserved, from their ancestors, a particular relish for carving in wood
and stone; and that it is astonishing to see what they are able to
execute with a bad knife, on the hardest wood. Many Indian children,
educated in the college of the capital, or instructed at the academy of
painting, founded by the king of Spain, have considerably distinguished
themselves, but without leaving the beaten track pursued by their
forefathers; they chiefly display great aptitude in the arts of
imitation; and in the purely mechanical arts.
The _Spanish inhabitants_ and the _Creoles_ are noted for hospitality,
generosity, and sobriety; but they are extremely deficient in energy,
patriotism, enterprise, and independence of character. The women have
black eyes and hair, and fine teeth: they are of dark colour, full habit
of body, and have, in general, bad figures. They usually wear short
jackets and petticoats, high-heeled shoes, and no head-dress. As an
upper garment they have a silk wrapper, which, when they are in the
presence of men, they affect to bring over their faces. In the towns on
the frontiers and adjacent to the sea-coast, many of the ladies wear
gowns, like those of our country-women. The lower classes of men are
generally dressed in broad-brimmed hats, short coats, large waistcoats,
smallclothes open at the knees, and a kind of boot or leather wrapper
bound round the leg, and gartered at the knee. The spurs of the
gentlemen are clumsy: they are ornamented with raised work; and the
straps are embroidered with gold and silver thread. The Spanish
Americans are always ready to mount their horses; and the inhabitants of
the interior provinces pass nearly half their day on horseback. In the
towns, and among the higher ranks, the men dress in the European style.
The _amusements_ of this people are music, singing, dancing, and
gambling: the latter is, indeed, officially prohibited; but the
prohibition is not much attended to. At every large town there is a
public walk, where the ladies and gentlemen meet and sing songs. The
females have fine voices, and sing French, Italian, and Spanish music,
the whole company joining in chorus. In their houses the ladies play on
the guitar, and accompany this instrument with their voices. They either
sit on the carpet cross-legged, or loll on a sofa: to sit upright, on a
chair, appears to put them to great inconvenience.
Both in _eating_ and _drinking_ the Spanish Americans are remarkably
temperate. Early in the morning those of the higher class have
chocolate. At twelve they dine on meat, fowls, and fish; after which
different kinds of confectionary are placed on the table; they drink a
few glasses of wine, sing a few songs, and then retire to take their
_siesta_ or afternoon nap. The latter is a practice common both to rich
and poor: the consequence of it is that, about two o'clock, every day,
the windows and doors of the town are all closed, the streets are
deserted, and the stillness of midnight reigns throughout. At four they
rise, wash and dress, and prepare for the dissipation of the evening.
About eleven o'clock refreshments are offered; but few take any thing
except a little wine and water and candied sugar.
The _commerce_ of New Spain, with Europe and the United States, is
carried on through the port of Vera Cruz only; and with the East Indies
and South America, through that of Acapulco. But all the commercial
transactions, and all the productions and manufactures, are subjected to
such severe restrictions, that they are at present of little importance
to the prosperity of the country. Were the various bays and harbours of
Mexico and California to be opened to the trade of the world; and were
correct regulations to be adopted, New Spain might become both wealthy
and powerful. Many parts of the country abound in iron ore, yet iron and
steel articles, of every description, are brought from Europe; for the
manufacturing or working of iron is here strictly prohibited. This
occasions the requisite utensils of husbandry, arms, and tools, to be
enormously dear; and forms a great check to the progress of agriculture,
and to improvements in manufactures.
The _ancient Mexicans_ preserved the memory of events by figures painted
on skins, cloth, or the bark of trees. These hieroglyphical and
symbolical characters, being considered by the ignorant and bigoted
Spaniards to be monuments of idolatry, the first bishop of Mexico
destroyed as many of them as could be collected. In consequence of this
barbarous procedure, the knowledge of remote events was lost, except
what could be derived from tradition, and from some fragments of those
paintings which eluded the search of the monks.
With regard to the _public edifices_ of the Mexicans: their temples were
merely mounds of earth faced with stone; and it is probable that their
other public buildings were equally rude. The ancient natives bestowed
little attention on agriculture, and were strangers to the use of money;
but their ornaments of gold and silver indicated considerable ingenuity.
They were acquainted with the manufacture of paper, of coarse
cotton-cloth, glass, and earthenware; and they possessed the arts of
casting metals, of making mosaic work with shells and feathers, of
spinning and weaving the hair of animals, and of dying with indelible
colours.
The _religion_ of the ancient Mexicans, like that of all unenlightened
nations, seems to have been founded chiefly on fear; and consisted of a
system of gloomy rites and practices, the object of which was to avert
the evils that they suffered or dreaded. They had some notion of an
invisible supreme Being; but their chief anxiety was to deprecate the
wrath of certain imaginary malignant spirits, whom they regarded as the
enemies of mankind. They worshipped idols, formed of wood and stone; and
decorated their temples with the figures of serpents, tigers, and other
destructive animals. They believed in the immortality of the soul; but
their notions of a future state may be collected from their funeral
rites: the bodies, or the ashes of the deceased, were generally buried
with whatever was judged necessary for their accommodation or comfort in
the other world, where it was believed they would experience the same
desires, and be engaged in the same occupations, as in this. The
religion established by the Spaniards is the Roman Catholic; and it is
computed that one-fifth part of the Spanish inhabitants are
ecclesiastics, monks, and nuns.
The _Spanish government_ in America is vested in officers called
viceroys, who represent the person of their sovereign; and who possess
his royal prerogatives, within the precincts of their own territories.
In its present state, New Spain is divided into twelve intendancies, and
three districts, which are called provinces[2].