s dogmas," says Humboldt,
significantly.

CHAPTER XIII.

Puebla, the Sacred City.--General Forey.--Battle-Ground.--View of the
City.--Priestly Miracles.--The Cathedral.--Snow-Crowned Mountains.
--A Cleanly Capital.--The Plaza Mayor.--A Typical Picture.--The Old
Seller of Rosaries.--Mexican Ladies.--Palm Sunday.--Church Gala Day.
--Education.--Confiscation of Church Property.--A Curious Arch.--A
Doll Image.--Use of Glazed Tiles.--Onyx a Staple Production.--Fine
Work of Native Indian Women.--State of Puebla full of Rich Resources.
--A Dynamite Bomb.--The Key of the Capital.

Our next objective point is Puebla, situated seventy-five miles, more or
less, southeast of the city of Mexico. It is the capital of the state of
the same name, and in a military point of view is the key to the
national capital. It has often changed hands with the fortunes of war,
both civil and foreign, which have so long distracted this land of the
sun. One of the most desperate fights which took place between the
Mexicans and the French forces occurred here, the event being celebrated
by the people of the republic annually as a national festival. Puebla
cost the intruders a three months' siege and the loss of many lives in
their ranks before it yielded. General Forey, the commander of the
besieging force, increased as far as possible the difficulties of the
conflict, in order to send, with the customary French bombast, brilliant
bulletins to Paris, and thus bind a victor's wreath about his own brow,
and enable him to obtain a much-coveted marshalship. In this he was
successful, as he was promoted to that dignity upon his return to
France. The fact was that an ordinary fighting column of American or
English troops would have taken the place in twenty-four hours, the
defense being totally inadequate, and the Mexican soldiers comparatively
insignificant. The defenders of the place were raw and undisciplined,
and composed of the worst possible material. Many of them were peons who
had been impressed at the point of the bayonet; others were taken from
the prisons and put at once into the ranks. As we have already stated,
this is a common practice in Mexico.

In the environs of the town is what is called the hill of Guadalupe,
famous in the annals of Mexican history, this being the principal
battle-ground of the 5th of May. The Mexican forces were four thousand
strong, defended by earthworks improvised by cutting d