hy,
his native place, but, being in delicate health, removed to Valladolid,
which, in the absence of all other recommendations, was celebrated for
the salubrity of its climate. He had held the highest offices of honour
and trust in the state, and, although his party was now down and his
political influence lost, he had fallen with the respect of all, and,
what was a rare thing among the political animosities of that country,
the actual government, his successful opponents, gave us letters of
introduction to him.

Retired from office, and unable to endure idleness, the spontaneous
growth of cotton around Valladolid induced him to undertake the
establishment of a cotton factory. He had great difficulties to contend
with, and these began with the erection of the building. He had no
architect to consult, and planned and constructed it himself. Twice the
arches gave way, and the whole building came down. The machinery was
imported from the United States, accompanied by four engineers, two of
whom died in the country. In 1835, when Mr. Burke arrived, the factory
had yielded but seventy pieces of cotton, and eighteen yards had cost
eight thousand dollars. At this time the office of acting governor of
the state devolved upon him, but by a political revolution he was
deposed; and while his workmen were celebrating the grito de Dolores,
which announced the outbreak of the Mexican revolution, they were
arrested and thrown in prison, and the factory was stopped for six
months. It was afterward stopped twice by a failure of the cotton crop,
and once by famine; and all the time he had to struggle against the
introduction of smuggled goods from Belize; but, in spite of all
impediments, it had gone on, and was then in successful operation.

In walking about the yard, Don Pedro led us to the wood-pile, and
showed us that the logs were all split into four pieces. This wood is
brought by the Indians in back-loads at a medio per load, and Don Pedro
told us that at first he had requested the Indians not to split the
logs, as he would rather have them entire, but they had been used to
doing so, and could not alter their habits; yet these same Indians, by
discipline and instruction, had become adequate to all the business of
the factory.

The city of Valladolid had some notoriety, as being the place at which
the first blow was struck in the revolution now in progress against the
dominion of Mexico, and also as being the residence of Genera