"_Sierra Blanca_."--Page 1. The Sierra Blanca is so called because the
tops of this range are usually covered with snow. The snow of the
Sierra Blanca is not "eternal." It only remains for about three parts
of the year. Its highest peaks are below the snow-line of that
latitude. Mountains that carry the eternal snow are by the Spanish
Americans denominated "Nevada."
"_The Grand Prairie_."--Page 2. This name is somewhat indefinite, being
applied by some to particular portions of prairie land. Among the
hunters it is the general name given to the vast treeless region lying
to the west of the timbered country on the Mississippi. The whole
longitudinal belt from the Lower Rio Grande to the Great Slave Lake is,
properly speaking, the Grand Prairie; but the phrase has been used in a
more restricted sense, to designate the larger tracts of open country,
in contra-distinction to the smaller prairies, such as those of Illinois
and Louisiana, which last are separated from the true prairie country by
wide tracts of timbered surface.
"_Settlements of Nuevo Mexico_."--Page 2. The settlements of New Mexico
covered at one time a much wider extent of country than they do now.
The Indians have been constantly narrowing the boundaries for the last
fifty years. At present these settlements are almost wholly restricted
to the banks of the Del Norte and a few tributary streams.
"_Gramma grass_."--Page 2. The _Chondrosium_, a beautiful and most
nutritions herbage that covers many of the plains of Texas and North
Mexico. There are several species of grass known among Mexicans as
"gramma"; one in particular, the _Chondrosium foeneum_, as a food for
horses, is but little inferior to oats.
"_Cackle of his fighting-cock_."--Page 7. There is no exaggeration in
all this. Every traveller in Mexico has witnessed such scenes, and many
have borne testimony to these and similar facts. I have often seen the
fighting chanticleer carried inside the church under the arm of its
owner, while the latter entered to pray!
"_Fiestas principales_."--Page 7. The more noted Saints' days, or
religious festivals, as Saint John's, Good-Friday, Guadalupe, etcetera,
are so styled to distinguish them from the many others of lesser
celebrity.
"_Tailing the bull_."--Page 7. "Bull-tailing" (_coleo de toro_) and
"running the cock" (_correr el gallo_) are favourite sports in most
parts of Mexico, but particularly in the Northern provinces. They were
also Californian games while that country was Spano-Mexican.
"_The Apache_"--Page 8. One of the largest tribes of the "Indios
bravos" or wild Indians, _i.e._ Indians who have never submitted to the
Spanish yoke. Their country lies around the heads of the Gila,
extending from that stream to the Del Norte, and down the latter to the
range of another large and powerful tribe--the Comanches--also classed
as "Indios bravos."
"_Familias principales_."--Page 8. The "first families," a United
States phrase, is the synonym of "familias principales" of Mexico.
"_Comerciante_."--Page 8. Merchant or extensive trader. Merchandise is
not degrading in Mexico. The rich merchant may be one of the "familias
principales." Although there is still an old _noblesse_ in the Mexican
republic, the titles are merely given by courtesy, and those who hold
them are often outranked and eclipsed in style by the prosperous
parvenu.
"_Alcalde_."--Page 8. Pronounced Alkalde. The duties of the Alcalde
are very similar to those of a magistrate or justice of the peace.
Every village has its Alcalde, who is known by his large gold or
silver-headed cane and tassel. In villages where the population is
purely Indian, the Alcalde is usually either of Indian or mixed
descent--often pure Indian.
"_Mode de Paris_!"--Page 8. The upper classes in Mexico, particularly
those who reside in the large cities, have discarded the very
picturesque national costume, and follow the fashions of Paris. In all
the large towns, French tailors, modistes, jewellers, etcetera, may be
met with. The ladies wear French dresses, but without the bonnet. The
shawl is drawn over the head when it becomes necessary to cover it. The
hideous bonnet is only seen upon foreign ladies residing in Mexico. The
city gentleman of first-class wears a frock-coat, but the cloth jacket
is the costume of the greater number. A long-tailed dress-coat is
regarded as an _outre_ affair, and never appears upon the streets of a
Mexican town.
"_Gachupino_."--Page 9. A Spaniard of Old Spain. The term is used
contemptuously by the natives, or Creoles (Criollos), of Mexico, who
hate their Spanish cousins as the Americans hate Englishmen, and for a
very similar reason.
"_Hijo de algo_."--Page 9. Literally, "son of somebody." Hence the
word _hidalgo_. The "blue blood" (_sangre azul_) is the term for pure
blood or high birth.
"_Poblanas_."--Page 9. A _poblana_ is, literally, a village girl or
woman, but in a more specific sense it signifies a village belle, or
beauty. It is nearly a synonyme of the Spanish "maja."
"_Don Juan Tenorio_."--Page 9. Don Juan Tenorio--a celebrated character
of Spanish romance and drama. He is the original from which Byron drew
his conception of Don Juan. He is the hero of a thousand love-scrapes
and "_desafios_," or duels. The drama of "Don Juan Tenorio" still keeps
the Spanish stage, and Spaniards can hardly find words to express their
admiration of its poetry. It requires two nights to play this piece,
which is about twice the length of a regular five-act play.
"_Teniente_."--Page 9. "Lugar-teniente" is lieutenant in Spanish, but
the "lugar" is left out, and "teniente" stands for the title of the
subaltern.
"_Quien sabel_."--Page 10. A noted phrase which figures largely in
Spanish dialogue. Literally, "Who knows?"
"_Gambucinos and rancheros_!"--Page 10. _Gambucino_, a petty miner, who
digs or washes gold on his own account. _Ranchero_, the dweller in a
_rancho_, or country hut. The ranchero class corresponds pretty nearly
to that known as "small farmers," though in Mexico they are more often
graziers than agriculturists.
"_Enaguas_."--Page 10. Sometimes written "nagua,"--the petticoat,
usually of coarse blue or red cotton stuff, with a list of white or some
other colour forming the top part.
"_Reboso_."--Page 10. The scarf of greyish or slaty blue, worn by all
women in Mexico, except the ladies of the Upper Ten Thousand, who use it
only on occasions.
"_Allegria_."--Page 11. A singular custom prevails among the women of
New Mexico, of daubing their faces all over with the juice of a berry
called by them the "allegria," which gives them anything but a charming
look. The juice is of a purplish red colour, somewhat like that of
blackberries. Some travellers allege that it is done for ornament, as
the Indians use vermilion and other pigments. This is not a correct
explanation. The "allegria" is used by the New Mexican belles to
preserve the complexion, and get it up towards some special occasion,
such as a grand _fiesta_ or "fandango," when it is washed off, and the
skin comes out clear and free from "tan." The "allegria" is the well
known "poke-weed" of the United States (_Phytolacca decandra_.)
"_Sombrero_."--Page 11. The black _glaze_ hat with low crown and broad
leaf is a universal favourite throughout Mexico. It is often worn
several pounds in weight, and that, too, under a hot tropic sun. Some
sort of gold or silver lace-band is common, but frequently this is of
heavy bullion, and costly.
"_Pueblos_."--Page 11. There are many towns in New Mexico inhabited
exclusively by "Pueblos," a name given to a large tribe of civilised
Indians,--_Indios mansos_ (tame Indians) such tribes are called, to
distinguish them from the _Indios bravos_, or savages, who never
acknowledged the sway of the Spanish conquerors.
"_Peons_."--Page 12. The labouring serfs of the country are _peons_.
They are not slaves by the wording of the political law, but most of
them are in reality slaves by the law of debtor and creditor.
"_Petates_," etcetera--Page 12. A "petate" is a small mat about the
size of a blanket, woven out of palm-strips, or bulrushes, according to
the district; it is the universal bed of the Mexican peasant.
_Tunas_ and _pitahayas_ are fruits of different species of cactus.
_Sandias_ are water-melons.
_Dulces_ are preserves.
_Agua-miel_ and _limonada_, refreshing drinks peculiar to Mexico.
_Piloncillos_, loaves of coarse brown sugar, met with in all parts of
Mexico, and very much like the maple-sugar of the States.
_Tortillas_, the often-described daily bread of the Mexican people.
_Chili Colorado_, red pepper.
_Ollas_, earthen pots of all sizes--almost the only sort used in the
Mexican kitchen.
_Atole_, a thin gruel resembling flour and water, but in reality made
out of the finer dust of the maize, boiled and sweetened.
_Pinole_, parched maize mixed with water and sweetened.
_Clacos_, copper cents, or half-pence,--the copper coin of Mexico.
_Punche_, a species of native-grown tobacco.
_Aguardiente_, whisky distilled from maize, or sometimes from the aloe--
literally, _agua ardiente_, hot or fiery water. It is the common whisky
of the country, and a vile stuff in most cases.