Page:Pictures of life in Mexico Vol 1.djvu/72

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Population.—Different classes.—Characteristics of the Mexicans.—The two dominant powers.—Mode of recruiting-the army.—System of education.—Roman Catholic clergy.—Mexican women.—Pursuits of fine gentlemen.—Smugglers and Inspectors.—Aguadores, or water-carriers.—Postilions.—The Lasso.—Market people and store-keepers-—Watchmen.—Léperos and other classes of people.—Insecurity of life and property.

population of the Republic of Mexico may be estimated, in round numbers, at about seven millions of inhabitants, of different races; one million are supposed to be of pure European descent, upwards of four millions are native Indians, five thousand of the rest are Zamboes, or negroes, and the remainder, nearly two millions more, are Mestizoes, or people of mixed descent—allied, in a greater or less degree, both to the white and native races. Considerable uncertainty must always exist in forming an estimate of the last-mentioned portion of the population, as they are