Page:Mexico, picturesque, political, progressive.djvu/37

Rh patriot Hidalgo was perched, ghastly and gory, on the scene of his first triumph, a most exquisite view of the city was to be had. The celebrated reduction works of the fifty mines, which have made the place rich as well as beautiful, — great massive, fortress-like structures of gray stone, perched here and there, far up the mountain-sides, with masses of buttresses and arches and loop-holed, stern walls, — filled the background of each picture, look which way one would. Underneath, and around, and above, — for, high as it was, the climbing city climbed higher still, — the fine network of paved streets ran between softly colored masses of buildings, some like pale green malachite, some of delicate pink, some of deep red sandstone, some of creamy white. The amphitheatre of the bull-ring was just beneath us; a large pottery, where immense piles of red glazed ware caught the sun's rays like so many mounds of rubies, was next; the small flower - decked plazas shone like emeralds. It was a collection of precious things.

Down in the busy streets, for it was market-day, a surging crowd of men, women, burros, and mules jostled each other in ceaseless motion.