Page:Mexico in 1827 Vol 1.djvu/568

538 next morning passed the carriages. We had completed three leagues the next day, when our progress was again obstructed by an Arroyo of considerable depth,—at least, fifteen yards. Here a bridge, on account of the width, was out of question, and we consequently set all hands to work in opening passes on each side; and, by twelve o'clock the next day, began to pass the carriages over, and drove on afterwards about a league, on a good road. On the 27th we arrived at Pilon, fourteen leagues from Linares. A superior sort of cultivation was observable in this neighbourhood; the country generally was extremely fertile, and fruit and vegetables of all kinds were plentiful and cheap. We here contracted with a man to take ten tons of castings to Saltillo, which lightened very considerably our carriages. We stopped two days at Pilon, waiting for bullocks, and loading the carts for Saltillo.

On the 30th we started, and went two leagues; and on the 1st of October we reached Callejon, a small Rancho, five leagues from Pilon, where we stopped seven days to rest the bullocks. On the 8th we arrived at Guadalupe, a small village, situated by the side of a river, where we stopped to repair the road and bridge on the other side. On the 10th we crossed the river, drove through the village, and stopped for the night. Early the following morning we drove on to Cadereita, over a tolerably good road. Cadereita is a small town, twelve leagues from Pilon, containing about a thousand inhabitants: it is a pleasant situation, and the inhabitants resort there from Monterey. On the 13th we proceeded, and on the 14th arrived at Pueblo, a large village, nine leagues from Cadereita. The following afternoon we entered the city of Monterey, situated in a large bahia, or plain, surrounded by mountains, (part of the Sierra Madre:) it lies in about twenty-six degrees north latitude. The climate is most delightful; fruit abounds all the year round, and provisions of all kinds are cheap and plentiful. It contains fifteen thousand inhabitants, among whom are a great many old Spaniards, extremely wealthy. We stopped there a day to load four carts with four tons of castings for Saltillo; and left on the 17th, proceeding for three leagues over a most excellent road.

Our route from Altamira to Monterey ran north by west half