Sketches of the campaign in northern Mexico : in eighteen hundred forty-six and seven / by an officer of the First Regiment of Ohio volunteers.

66 VISIT OF A MEXICAN.
closely followed by a timid female slave, who carried in her
arms a neatly dressed child. Pleased with the superior air
and bearing of this family group, and gratified by the confidence they exhibited, we invited them to the cabin, where we
passed a pleasant half hour in conversation with them. The
old gentleman was well informed on the topics of the times;
and far better acquainted than most of his countrymen with
the power and resources of the hostile republics. He confessed that he saw but little prospect of success for Mexico in
the pending struggle; acknowledged that his country was
badly governed; and that he did not care much how the war
terminated. These remarks were received with some gracins
of scat. His wife-a handsome woman, with pleasing manners, and quitefair as well as fat and forty-seemed pleased
with the visit, and gracefully acknowledged the respectful
attentions of our people and their kindly notices of her child.
As our boat-captain was anxious to clean out the boilers,
in which much mud had accumulated, we determined to remain
all night at the place; and informed Senor I, when he
arose to depart, that we would take pleasure in returning his
visit after supper. We did so at the time appointed. On
arriving at the house, or Aontses, (for there were several small
tenements clustered around the principal building,-the former occupied by thepeons,) we were politely received by our
host, and offered cigaritas and seats in the open air. The
Mexicans generally are skillful fabricators of cigcritas; little
cigars made of fine cut tobacco, with wrappers of thin cornhusk or paper. These materials they always carry about
their persons,-the tobacco frequently tied up in the corner