there, to continue further on to Guanajuato, which is a still greater mining district, I believe; and even Zacatecas was hinted at. I declined both, as being beyond the scope of my intentions and not calculated to add any novelty to what Pachuca and Real del Monte had shown me. I should have been without friends and introductions, and I am quite sure the country could not have exhibited such geological attractions as did these last mentioned districts. At the same time, had the water volcano (as it is called) at Guanajuato chosen to shoot up the stones and hot fountains with which it is credited, at the moment of my visit, I should have witnessed something that Pachuca could not show me, and have found a counter-recollection to that of Vesuvius. Very soon the Central Railway, which took me towards Querétaro (being the line to which I should myself attach great importance as regards the opening of the heart of the country, through the English line, to Vera Cruz upon the coast, and to New York through the American systems that come down to Paso del Norte), will be open; and by and by the works will be thence carried on to Guanajuato and Zacatecas, as well as to other districts in that direction.

CHAPTER VIII.

HACIENDAS.

I WAS anxious to realize hacienda life in Mexico, for more reasons than one. Naturally, I wished to know what it was in itself, and secondly, I was curious to be able to compare it with what I had seen in Brazil. This comparison, might be exact as regards two leading products in both countries: coffee and sugar; and might afford also an interesting approximate one as regards the two different classes of labour on the estates; that of the negro, or slave in Brazil, and that of the (so-called) Indian, or free native in Mexico. By the introduction of my friend, Mr. Allsopp, I paid two visits with him to the hacienda San Antonio, near Mexico; and with my friend, Mr. Jackson, I visited the two haciendas, Las Animas and Jasmine, near Orizaba. San Antonio lies close upon the road, and almost close under the hills, between the towns of San Angel and Tlalpam; and it is reached by means of a tramway, on which you travel, as indeed you do upon all the Mexican tramways, admirably. The line runs first to Tacubaya, which lies beyond Chapultepec, and

thence continues in the direction of St. Angel, where it takes a curve round the base of the mountains for Tlalpam. But we devoted one morning to Tacubaya, which I cannot but remember as a very charming suburb of Mexico; and here Mr. Allsopp is domiciled. It has its ugly associations with the slaughter of prisoners, perpetrated there by General Marquez during the war of the empire; and it has its own pleasing features in gardens, trees, and villas. Whenever I mention these words, however, it must not be imagined that the description of "trim" and "neat,” can be applied to either. There is a sort of loose profusion of growth in all these very fertile countries with only small populations.

Bearing, this in mind, I will say that I was particularly struck with the two properties of the families Escandon and Barron at Tacubaia. The dwelling in the first property is luxuriously furnished, and it stands in a large shrubbery and garden, full of all varieties of blooming shrubs and flowers. The second is large, but in inferior repair; the owner living, I believe, in Paris. But what struck me very much indeed was the view of Mexico, with the surrounding country and mountains, as seen from the first-floor balcony of this chateau. Mexico is distant enough to show in prominence its churches only, of which there are many, and among which rises the cathedral in chief. It is always the churches that make a city in the prospect look well, even though these buildings,

when you are close to them, are unattractive and even ugly. Then, again, the view is to my mind finer than that from Chapultepec; for Chapultepec itself comes into it as a fine object; and in this foreground the trees and the green meadows, with a piece of distant water, combine to charm the eye. How different is the air out here from that we breathe in the city! Nor is this spot without an association, which might sanctify it with some whom I know; for these gardens were a chosen spot with Maximilian, who would very often wander through them alone, reminded perhaps of Miramar, which he never should have left; and a little anecdote was told me concerning him here, that he one day gave a watch to the steward, as a friendly acknowledgment of the pleasant hours he had passed, in solitary communion with his own reflections.

Our first visit to San Antonio was made on a Sunday, but as there was no one, or very few, at work on that day, it was arranged that we should come again on a week day, particularly as I wished to see the operations on the aloe, or pulque plant, when being prepared for yielding the juice. This hacienda belongs to a family of the name of Buchtwo brothers and spreads over twenty-five thousand acres. Many families would be astonished to hear that two married brothers live together in perfect harmony, with I know not how many of their married sons and daughters. However this may be, our

Sunday table was (I may say) loaded with family guests, a majority of whom were ladies; and the greatest harmony prevailed among them all. After breakfast I was taken a drive over part of the property in one of the carriages; and here I recognized that perfect liberty that I have been so accustomed to witness as belonging to hacienda life. You have horses and saddles and bridles and carriages at instant command. But they need not be west-endgroomed horses, or west-end saddles, or shining bits; nor need your coachman be in smart livery; nor do your horses, nor does your carriage, require a good road or constant washing. But all is there nevertheless; easily at command and comfortable; and away you go, over soft turf, under trees, across grips, into a field, out again, and round about, and home. This is what we did on that Sunday afternoon, and returned to Mexico, leaving a happy family behind. The two snow mountains shone gloriously out in the sky.

And here I must not forget to mention the bright and many-coloured crowds of people whom we met at San Angel, all enjoying their holiday, and offering a sufficient explanation of there being no one at work on the Sunday. People under bright skies generally look happy and comparatively thoughtless, or (say) light of heart, and particularly so when they are carrying fruits and flowers, as they were here, the tuna and the strawberry being abundant among the fruits.

Our next visit was on a Friday, when the table