Collection: Books and Periodicals > Hutchings' Illustrated California Magazine

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Title: Volume 3 (1858-1859) Collection Type: Books and Periodicals Collection Name: Hutchings' Illustrated California Magazine Published: 1858-1859 # of Pages: 592 Download PDF: User Login Required Download OCR Text: User Login Required

Date Scanned: 2024-08-29 22:23:33 OCR Software Version #: tesseract 5.4.1 First Created: 2025-03-17 03:20:47 Last Updated: 2025-03-17 03:20:47

Original Held At: Searls Historical Library Location: 161 Nevada City Hwy, Nevada City, CA 95959

Page: of 592  

FROM SAN FRANCISCO TO ONE CORNER OF MEXICO. 245 in any part of the world than in the harbor of Mazatlan. The bold El Creston, the “fori” commanding the harbor, and a long row of one-storied houses on the north; the long lines of white surf breaking on an extended sand-bar, (upon which, too, several vessels have been wrecked,) and the islands Pajaros and Venado on the south; and on the east, the picturesque palm and cocoanut trees, growing alike among the huts of the poor as the palacelike houses of the rich, are surpassingly beautiful. Now let us go ashore, as the custom-house officers by this time have made all things right with the captain. After our boat has threaded its way among the small schooners at anchor to the beach, a crowd of men run into the water, and before we are scarcely aware of it they have us on their shoulders, and when they have set us down on dry land, they know what to do with the “plata” that is handed them for their services. Volunteers now muster around us in numbers, vociferously requesting the privilege of showing us to the best hotel, and as one is generally considered sufficient for so great an undertaking, we select that one, and in fifteen minutes find ourselves well provided for at the Hotel Nacional, Mons. F. Maille, proprietor, where an excellent appetite is lost without any regret, seeing that the viands are good and all well cooked. The first impression received by a toreigner, onlanding at Mazatlan, is, that it is a city of prisons, as every window is protected by strong iron bars on the outside. This is necessary no doubt, as but little glass is used, the climate being too hot to allow of it. This is apparent throughout Mexico. Most of the buildings are one-story only in hight, and look very gloomy from the street; but as soon as you enter the court-yard, almost every dwelling resembles a miniature castle— the fragrant flowers and orange blossoms with which they are adorned are no less grateful to the sense of smelling than to that of sight, agreeably surprising us. Mazatlan is the largest and most populous Mexican city upon the Pacific Coast, with a population of nearly fourteen MEXICAN METHOD OF CARRYING WATER. thousand souls, and from her position commands much of the commerce, with all the drawbacks of a but poorly protected harbor (and which could be made one of the best, with but a comparatively small outlay.) Owing to its position to California, since the gold discovery, it has increased its size and population more than ten fold, and her well-built rows of business stores and houses, and well-paved streets, are no doubt in a great measure indebted to California. Money is plentiful ; business is active. Most of her importations, however, are direct from Europe, and a large portion of the heavy business men are foreigners. The Mexican officials are for the most part gentlemanly and liberal-minded men, and none more so than the intelligent Commandante of this port, giving no unnecessary trouble to such foreigners as conduct themselves with propriety. Unfortunately all have not been of the lat-