The house of Don Ambrosio de Cruces was not a town mansion. It was
suburban--that is, it stood upon the outskirts of the village, some
seven or eight hundred yards from the Plaza. It was detached from the
other buildings, and at some distance from any of them. It was neither
a "villa" nor a "cottage." There are _no_ such buildings in Mexico, nor
anything at all resembling them. In fact, the architecture of that
country is of unique and uniform style, from north to south, through
some thousand miles of latitude! The smaller kinds of houses,--the
ranchos of the poorer classes,--show a variety corresponding to the
three thermal divisions arising from different elevation--_caliente_,
_templada_, and _fria_. In the hot lands of the coast, and some low
valleys in the interior, the rancho is a frail structure of cane and
poles with a thatch of palm-leaves. On the elevated "valles," or
table-plains--and here, be it observed, dwell most of the population--it
is built of "adobes," and this rule is universal. On the forest-covered
sides of the more elevated mountains the rancho is a house of logs, a
"log-cabin," with long hanging eaves and shingled roof, differing
entirely from the log-cabin of the American backwoods, and far excelling
the latter in neatness and picturesque appearance.
So much for the "ranchos." About them there is some variety of style.
Not so with "casas grandes," or houses of the rich. A sameness
characterises them through thirty degrees of latitude--from one
extremity of Mexico to the other; and, we might almost add, throughout
all Spanish America. If now and then a "_whimsical_" structure be
observed, you may find, on inquiry, that the owner is some foreigner
resident--an English miner, a Scotch manufacturer, or a German merchant.
These remarks are meant only for the houses of the country. In small
villages the same style as the country-house is observed, with very
slight modifications; but in large towns, although some of the
characteristics are still retained, there is an approximation to the
architecture of European cities--more particularly, of course, to those
of Spain.
The house of Don Ambrosio differed very little from the general fashion
of "casas grandes" of country style. It had the same aspect of gaol,
fortress, convent, or workhouse--whichever you please; but this aspect
was considerably lightened by the peculiar colouring of the walls, which
was done in broad vertical bands of red, white, and yellow, alternating
with each other! The effect produced by this arrangement of gay colours
is quite Oriental, and is a decided relief to the otherwise heavy
appearance of a Mexican dwelling. In some parts of the country this
fashion is common.
In shape there was no peculiarity. Standing upon the road in front you
see a long wall, with a large gateway near the middle, and three or four
windows irregularly set. The windows are shielded with bars of
wrought-iron standing vertically. That is the "reja." None of them
have either sash or glass. The gateway is closed by a heavy wooden
door, strongly clasped and bolted with iron. This front wall is but one
storey high, but its top is continued so as to form a parapet,
breast-high above the roof, and this gives it a loftier appearance. The
roof being flat behind, the parapet is not visible from below. Look
around the corner at either end of this front wall. You will see no
gable--there is no such thing on a house of the kind we are describing.
In its place you will see a dead wall of the same height as the parapet,
running back for a long distance; and were you to go to the end of it,
and again look around the corner, you would find a similar wall at the
back closing in the parallelogram.
In reality you have not yet seen the true front of Don Ambrosio's house,
if we mean by that the part most embellished. A Mexican spends but
little thought on the outside appearance of his mansion.
It is only from the courtyard, or "patio," you can get a view of the
front upon which the taste of the owner is displayed, and this often
exhibits both grandeur and elegance.
Let us pass through the gateway, and enter the "patio." The "portero,"
when summoned by knock or bell, admits us by a small door, forming part
of the great gate already mentioned. We traverse an arched way, the
"zaguan," running through the breadth of the building, and then we are
in the patio. From this we have a view of the real front of the house.
The patio itself is paved with painted bricks--a tessellated pavement.
A fountain, with jet and ornamental basin, occupies its centre; and
several trees, well trimmed, stand in large vessels, so that their roots
may not injure the pavement. Around this court you see the doors of the
different apartments, some of them glazed and tastefully curtained. The
doors of the "sala," the "cuarto," and the sleeping-rooms, are on three
sides, while the "cocina" (kitchen), the "dispensa" (store-room),
"granero" (granary), with the "caballeriza" and coach-house, make up the
remaining part of the square.
There is still an important portion of the mansion to be spoken of--the
"azotea," or roof. It is reached by an "escalera," or stone staircase.
It is flat and quite firm, being covered with a cement that is proof
against rain. It is enclosed by a parapet running all round it--of such
a height as not to hinder the view of the surrounding country, while it
protects those occupying it from the intrusive gaze of persons passing
below. When the sun is down, or behind a cloud, the azotea is a most
agreeable promenade; and to render it still more so, that over the house
of Don Ambrosio had been arranged so as to resemble a flower-garden.
Richly japanned pots, containing rare flowers, were placed around, and
green boughs and gay blossoms, rising above the top of the wall,
produced a fine effect on viewing the building from without.
But this was not the only garden belonging to the mansion of the rich
miner. Another, of oblong shape, extended from the rear of the house,
enclosed by a high wall of adobes on either side. These, ending upon
the bank of the stream, formed the boundary of the garden. Along the
stream there was no fence, as it was here of sufficient breadth and
depth to form an enclosure of itself. The garden was of large extent,
including an orchard of fruit-trees at its lower part, and it was
tastefully laid out in walks, flowerbeds, and arbours of different
shapes and sizes. Don Ambrosio, although but a rich _parvenu_, might
have been supposed to be a man of refined taste by any one viewing this
garden--the more so, as such delightful retreats are by no means common
in that country. But it was to another mind than his that these shadowy
trees and fragrant arbours owed their existence. They were the "ideas"
of his fair daughter, many of whose hours were spent beneath their
shade.
To Don Ambrosio the sight of a great cavity in the earth, with huge
quarries of quartz rock or scoria, and a rich "veta" at the back, was
more agreeable than all the flowers in the world. A pile of "barras de
plata" would be to his eyes more interesting than a whole country
covered with black tulips and blue dahlias.
Not so his fair daughter Catalina. Her taste was both elevated and
refined. The thought of wealth, the pride of riches, never entered her
mind. She would willingly have surrendered all her much-talked-of
inheritance to have shared the humble rancho of him she loved.