Mexico in 1827 - 1829 Author:Henry George Ward Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: SECTION II. ROAD FROM GUANAJUATO TO SAN LUIS POTOSI. — HACIENDA DEL JARAL.—STATE OF SAN LUIS.—ROAD TO CATORCE, AND MINES OF THAT DISTRICT. We took leave of... more » Guanajuato and its hospitable inhabitants on the 20th of November, and continued our journey towards San Luis PotosT, which both Mr. Martin and myself were desirous to visit, on account of its growing importance as a commercial town. We were likewise anxious to see the celebrated mining District of Catorce, which is very little known in Mexico ; and notwithstanding the assurances of the natives, that it would be impossible for us, with children and a lady of the party, to attempt to cross the country between Catorce and Durango, where we should find neither houses, nor accommodations of any kind, we were not without hopes of discovering some direct road to the North, that would exempt us from that worst of all evils—the necessity of passing twice over the same tract of desolate and monotonous country. This we must have done, had we proceeded from Guanajuato to Durango by the usual route through Zaca- tecas and Sombrerete, by which alone we could hope to reach Aguas Calientes on our return, where it was our intention to branch off towards Guadalajara and Valladolid. The appearance of the map was not indeed encouraging, for there isnot a single Rancho laid down in the district which we were about to traverse; but Mrs. Ward having resolved rather to take her chance of bivouacs, and a little starvation, than to be left behind until we could meet her again at Aguas Cali- entes, we determined to take our own line, and to trust to Providence to carry us through. Our horses and mules were quite refreshed by a weeks rest, and, with the exception of my little girl, who was still far from strong, we were all in admirable travelling ...« less