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516 they consider its future prosperity as intimately connected with that of the Company, by which they hope to see the Veta Madre restored to its pristine splendour, and they imagine, not without some reason, that the recent discouragement of European Capitalists has proceeded more from a doubt as to the producing powers of the country, than from any other cause.

I have seldom witnessed more hospitality, or a more friendly feeling towards foreigners, than was evinced at Catorce. Nor was this a display elicited by my visit, for I was assured by the agents of both the companies that they had uniformly met with the most kind and liberal treatment, and that the good understanding which prevailed in 1826, had not upon any occasion been interrupted. With regard to ourselves, nothing could exceed the politeness with which we were treated. On the 3rd of December, the day before our departure, we dined with a very large party at the Obregones, whose table might certainly have induced a belief that the Concepcion was in Bonanza, for a more magnificent display of dishes I have seldom seen, and many of them were brought from a distance of fifty and sixty leagues. In the evening we went to a ball, at which all the belles of the place were assembled. We found the same scarcity of gloves and corsets amongst the ladies, as at Guănăjūātŏ, but segars were countless; and though the old Mexican mackaw dress of 1823, (scarlet and yellow,