Rambles of an Ornithologist [pp. 316-321]

1874.] RAMBLES OF AN ORNJTHOLOCJST. 319
nation of our day's journey. After pass- centre, and is ornamented with fine
ing the large but neglected coffee - plan- shade - trees of mountain ash and the
tation of La Fortuna, which is but a orange. A beautiful river (the Tepic) e
short distance from the city, we soon a tributary of the Santiago, flows near
found ourselves rolling through the the city. There are also many springs in
rough paved streets of Tepic to the Po- the vicinity. A short distance from the
seda B~o1a de Oro, where we arrived at city is the large cotton factory of Bar10 A. M., a little tired but invigorated by ron & Forbes, where brown or unbleachour morning's ride. ed cotton cloth is manufactured, and
Tepic is a larger city than Mazatlan, sold readily at the establishment for a
though the population is less, as well as good price. But, notwithstanding that
its commerce. Some of the houses, ex- this is decidedly a cotton-growing counteriorly, are palaces; for, like all Span- try, these enterprising gentlemen, in
ish American cities, the old Moorish consequence of its scarcity, are compelstyle of architecture is still adhered to. led to import t~e raw material from
The outside presents a very plain, cold Payta and other foreign ports. The
front to the street; but the inside, in factory is a large, two - story building,
which there is always a capacious~court- inclosing a square court-yard. Inside
yard ornamented with flowers, has beau- this massive building are the workshops,
tiful arches, pillars, and immense corri- besides the looms and spindles, all of
dors, giving to it an air of comfort as which are managed with admirable diswell as elegance. Some of these court- cipline. The principal directors and
yards are really handsome gardens, managers of this establishment are
adorned with many varieties of rare Americans. Everything is kept in the
plants and flowers peculiar to the coun- neatest order-no confusion; all work
try, as well as exotics, among which in their place, and the vast establishroses and japonicas are conspicuous. ment moves like a clock. The taste
Orange - trees, with their golden fruit, and management exhibited here have
shade the corridors. In the centre of made Jauga a little paradise, and the
the court-yard is generally a handsome admiration of strangers as well as Tefountain, which throws up a jet of pure, picanos. The garden attached is the
clear water, the very sight of which is principal attraction to visitors. It conrefreshing. tains a number of acres, bordering the
The climate of Tepic is everything bank of the Tepic River. A high wall
one could desire. At this season of the incloses the land side, while upon the
year (December), the nights are cool, river the wall is just high enough to
and frost is not uncommon, but is never make a pleasant seat, where one can
severe enough to injure vegetation, which watch the swift - flowing current of the
seems to remain green the year round. stream. The garden is tastefully laid
Sugar-cane is grown successfully all off in walks, ornamented with a great
about Tepic, and there is a large sugar variety of shrubbery, and darkly shaded
factory in the vicinity, which not only with tropical fruit - trees. Here we see
supplies Tepic, but a considerable quan- the apple and peach growing side by
tity is exported to other parts of Mexico. side with the orange, the citron, the
Rice is also successfully cultivated, as mango, the aguacate, the plantain, and
well as barley, tobacco, coffee, cotton, other tropical trees. The pine - apple
and all kinds of tropical fruits, in the and northern strawberry flourish upon
greatest abundance. The Plaza, which the same ground. Flowers of innumeris very handsome, has a fountain in the able varieties, both native and foreign,