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174 of the streets through which we passed. A town entirely abandoned by its inhabitants, must be, at all times, a strange, and a mournful sight; but when to this unnatural solitude are added the marks of recent warfare, houses riddled with shot, churches half in ruins, and flights of vultures, congregating around the carcase of some dead animal in the streets, it is difficult to imagine a more striking picture of desolation.

Nor was there any of the military bustle which usually attends a siege, to enliven the monotony of the scene. The garrison of St. John of Uloa was so small, and the climate of Veracruz so dangerous, that the Mexican force consisted merely of men enough to work the batteries, which had been constructed in the hope of making some impression upon the Castle, the bomb-proof casemates of which would have bid defiance to any such attempt, had not hunger and disease lent their powerful assistance to the besieging force without.

I do not believe that we met with a single living creature from the sea-side to Victoria's house, where, to our great surprise, we found ourselves suddenly in the midst of loud and boisterous rejoicings. It was his Saint's day, (the day of the Virgin of Guădălūpĕ,) and all the officers of the garrison were dining with him, in order to commemorate it. Rather a fine band of music was playing in the Court; a number of dark, muscular-looking men were scattered carelessly around; and