Identifier: oldmexicoherlost1883bish (find matches)
Title: Old Mexico and her lost provinces; a journey in Mexico, southern California, and Arizona, by way of Cuba
Year: 1883 (1880s)
Authors: Bishop, William Henry, 1847-1928
Subjects: Mexico -- Description and travel California -- Description and travel Arizona -- Description and travel
Publisher: New York, Harper & brothers
Contributing Library: Brown University Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Brown University

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her similar points in thevicinity of the capital, there was formerly an extensivevilla life. It has curiously decayed, even while the secur-ity of living in such a way has increased. There are nofierce heats, however, to drive people to the country. Itis always comfortable in town. No watering-places norsummer resorts in our sense of the word exist. Peoplewho go to their haciendas visit them more to look aftertheir business interests than in need or love of countrylife. Bills are up in the grated windows of the long,low, one-storied villas at San Angel, and the fruits falluntasted in the orange and myrtle gardens. The vil-lagers endeavor to atone for this neglect of them byfeasts of flowers, and little fairs, which last a week ata time. On these occasions, among other attractions,existing ordinances against gambling are set aside, andtheir small plazas are filled with games of hazard. The Viga Canal, as far as Santa Anita, is a livelier and CUATITLAN—LAKES XOCHIMILCO AND CHALCO. 153
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7^ 154 OLD m:^xico and her lost provinces. more unique resort. Santa Anita is tlie St. Cloud orBougival of Mexico. Thither go, especially on Sundays,lively persons to disport themselves on the water andpass a day of the picnic order, taking lunch with them,or depending on such cheap viands as the place offers.The wide yellow canal is more Venetian than French atfirst. A mouldering red villa or two on its banks, wuthprivate water-gates, might belong to the Brenta. Af-terward lines of willows and poplars are reflected in thewater, and then it is French again. Flat-boats coming on, piled up with bales of hay andwood, echo each other peacefully from distance to dis-tance. Swift, small chalujpas (dug-outs) follow, managedby the Indian master in poses for a sculptor, while hiswife—or it is as often an Indian woman alone—is en-sconced among flowers and vegetables, w^ith which itoverflows. This is the region of the chinampas, thegardens from vv^hich the markets of Mexico are mostliberally

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