Page:Life in Mexico vol 1.djvu/247

Rh several occasions filled the office of her coachman, by which means he has seen the interior of most of the convents in Mexico. It is true that there came a time, when the famous curate Hidalgo, the prime mover of the Revolution, having taken as his standard an image of the virgin of Guadalupe, a rivalry arose between her and the Spanish virgin; and Hidalgo having been defeated and forced to fly, the image of the Virgin de los Remedies was conducted to Mexico dressed as a General, and invoked as the Patroness of Spain. Later still, the virgin herself was denounced as a Gachupina!I her General's sash boldly torn from her by the valiant General, who also signed her passport, with an order for her to leave the Republic. However, she was again restored to her honors, and still retains her treasurers, her camarista, and sanctum sanctorum.

Being desirous of seeing this celebrated image, we set off, one fine afternoon, in a carriage of 's drawn by six unbroken horses, accompanied by him and his lady, and performed four leagues of bad road in an incredibly short space of time. The horses themselves were in an evident state of astonishment, for after kicking and plunging, and as they imagined running away, they found themselves driven much faster than they had the slightest intention of going: so after a little while they acknowledged in 's capital coachman, une main de maitre.

The mountain is barren and lonely, but the view from its summit is beautiful, commanding the whole plain. The church is old and not very remarkable, yet a picturesque object, as it stands in its gray