n of verdant
foliage. During my visit the river coursed in two separate channels,
divided by a narrow strip of pebbly sand, whereon were hundreds of
little nude boys and girls, and women nearly so, bathing and washing in
the pools along the shores.

Returning from the walk, we had hardly entered the inn, which looked
into the Plaza, when some fifty ragamuffins, armed with many varieties
of weapons, but principally broken muskets and naked sabres, passed by;
they had music, too, an undeniable drum, which never for a moment ceased
being thumped and pounded, during all the proceedings that afterwards
transpired. There was to be a Mexican Pronunciamento! The band marched
straight to the Quartel near the upper end of the square by the church,
where, after much shouting, expostulation, bluster, and reading of
proclamations, they induced about five and twenty meagre soldiers, who
composed the garrison, to declare in favor of the rebellion; then a
number of bottles of strong waters circulated briskly, the mob mingled
with the fraternised soldiery, possessed themselves of their muskets,
broke up into groups, and filled the air with cries of "_Abajo los
Yankees! Viva Paredes! Viva la Guerra! Viva El Padre Jarauta!_"

The Pronunciamento was completed.

My friends prepared me for this ebullition by stating it to be part of a
combined movement, fomented by Paredes, who was at Aguas Calientes,
seven leagues beyond, awaiting the action of Guadalajara and the western
provinces.

It had been my intention to take the route to Mazatlan by way of
Zacatecas and Durango, but I was earnestly urged not to attempt it in
the present unsettled state of that district, and as the advice was
based on sensible grounds--not without a deal of regret--I at once
ordered horses for Guadalajara. Whilst dinner was preparing I took a
stroll with the innkeeper, around the Plaza to get a glimpse, if
possible, of the sanctified assassin Padre Jarauta. I had heard much of
the villain's atrocities, both from the papers and individuals. The
young adjutant whom I met in Guanajuato related of him, that he boasted
of having killed fifty-three Americans with his own cuchillo, and though
styling himself priest was nothing but a student who had taken to arms
"con amore." To say the least of this good padre, he possessed
unparalleled courage and audacity, had done immense mischief to small
corps and trains of our army, and he was, in fact, the boldest,
bloodiest Gue