Travels in the United States, etc.,: during 1849 and 1850./ By the Lady Emmeline Stuart Wortley.

ROBBERIES FREQUENT IN MEXICO.
large black eyes flashing out like lamps designed to dispel the
gathering dusk.
The environs of the city, too, are said to be generally gay and
crowded in the evening, especially on fete days, and to present a
joyous scene of bustle and animation. Hundreds of light canoes,
of diflbrent sizes, mostly with awnings, and crowded with Mestizoes and native Indians, are to be seen gliding along in all directions on the shining canals, generally with an indefatigable guitarplayer among the company, and some of the festive party singing
or perhaps dancing.
Mr. D says, however, from defective police arrangements,
or other causes, it is dangerous to go out of the city after dusk
without arms. Some persons incautiously doing so, have been
lassoed and plundered, and every body who is compelled to go
should go well armed-more penalties for living in such a paradise! They say these gentry who are so free with their lassos are
mostly of the mongrel sort, part native (Indian), part Spanish, and
part Negro; and that the gangs of guerillas and robbers, which
annoyed the American armies during the war, were chiefly formed
of such tricolor individuals.
Last night we found it a little too cool in our skylighted windowless apartment, and I asked for a brasero, or braser'ico (a kind
of chafing-dish). After a little delay, one was brought, but the
warmth it aflbrded was barely sufficient to warm the tips of our
fingers-however, fortunately, but little more is needed. I find
the air here very delightful, and none of us have experienced, during our very short sejour here, the remotest inconvenience from
the ratification of the atmosphere in this elevated region; but
Lord Mark told us, the other, day, he found occasional]y an unaccustomed oppression and shortness of breathing on running up
stairs, or ascending a hill, since his arrival in Mexico.
I wish the reader could have a glimpse of the damsel who especially waits on us. She is named Victoriana. Her long jetblack hair flows and "wanders at its own sweet will," sometimes
waving overshadowingly above our chocolate cups in a rather
alarming manner; but she usually contrives with a little twist
and toss of her head to prevent its sweeping away the deep foam
from that richest of beverages.
And here I must quit Victoriana for a while, to rave a little
about Mexican chocolate. It is nectar aAd ambrosia at once, and
I think would spoil us for every thing every where: tea in China
with the ethereal flower in it, which will not bear keeping or car
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