Page:Mexico in 1827 Vol 1.djvu/596

566, and many of the luxuries of life. The vine thrives well, and the inhabitants make from it a white wine little inferior to Sherry in flavour, and which would be equally good with age. The brandy which they distil from the grape is excellent. In Petic you begin to meet with that fine beef, for which Sonora is so justly celebrated; it is so cheap that a full-grown fat bull is sold for from four to six dollars; they seldom kill cows for food, but leave them to breed, and when they are old feed them for the fat, to make soap and candles, and the hide. The wheat of Sonora is excellent, and affords the best bread in the Republic; the people here do not, as in the neighbourhood of Mexico, eat tortillas of maize, but make them of wheat, prepared in a similar manner. Vegetables of every kind are plentiful, and there is a good supply of fish, so that a family of five or six persons may live comfortably in Petic on about six dollars per week. The character of the natives is very lively, and assimilates to that of all the Internal provinces, whose inhabitants are generally descended from Biscayans and Catalonians. Their diversions are music, dancing, and singing; cock-fighting and bull-baiting; the latter is falling into disuse. The favourite dances are the jarave, boleros, and the waltz, in which they introduce very fantastical figures, and pretty simple songs. All classes are passionately fond of cards, and will play at Monte, Lottery, Vingt et un, and other similar games, for six or eight hours at a time. These amusements are general throughout the state, and the subject of their conversations. Every man has his favourite riding horse, which he takes as much care of as of any member of the family, and is always speaking of their good qualities and exploits.

From Petic our road lay westward, a little inclining to the north. We left it on the 17th February, and arrived early at a fine Hacienda, or estate called La Labor, the owner of which was an old Spaniard, but married to the daughter of the former proprietor. This was the neatest place that I met with in Sonora. While dinner was preparing, the owner took us to view the grounds and gardens, which were very extensive, and laid out in the English style. The house was new, of red-brick, and