Arrival at Vera Cruz.--Its appearance from the Steamer.--Getting Ashore.--Within the City.--Throwing Stones at an Image.--Antiquity of Vera Cruz.--Its Commerce.--The great Norther of 1852.--A little Steamer rides out the Tempest.--The Vomito, or Yellow Fever.--Ravages of the Vomito.--The Vomito brought from Africa in Slave-ships.--A curious old Book.--Our Monk arrives at Vera Cruz, and what befalls him there.--Life in a Convent.--A nice young Prior.--Our Monk finds himself in another World 15 CHAPTER II. An historical Sketch.--Truth seldom spoken of Santa Anna.--Santa Anna's early Life.--Causes of the Revolution.--The Virgin Mary's Approval of King Ferdinand.--The Inquisition imprisons the Vice-King.--Santa Anna enters the King's Army.--The plan of Iguala.--The War of the two Virgins.--Santa Anna pronounces for Independence 30 CHAPTER III. Incidents of Travel.--The Great Road to the Interior.--Mexican Diligences.--The Priest was the first Passenger robbed.--The National Bridge.--A Conducta of Silver.--Our Monk visits Old Vera Cruz.--They grant to the Indians forty Years of Indulgence in return for their Hospitality.--The Artist among Robbers.--Mexican Scholars in the United States.--Encerro 39 CHAPTER IV. Jalapa.--The extraordinary Beauty and Fertility of this Spot.--Jalap, Sarsaparilla, Myrtle, Vanilla, Cochineal, and Wood of Tobasco.--The charming Situation of Jalapa.--Its Flowers and its Fruits.--Magnificent Views.--The tradition that Jalapa was Paradise.--A speck of War.--The Marriage of a Heretic.--A gambling Scene in a Convent 52 CHAPTER V. The War of the Secret Political Societies of Mexico.--The Scotch and the York Free-Masons.--Anti-Masons.--Rival Classes compose Scotch Lodges.--The Yorkinos.--Men desert from the Scotch to the York Lodges.--Law to suppress Secret Societies.--The Escoces, or Scotch Masons, take up arms.--The Battle.--Their total Defeat 68 CHAPTER VI. Mexico becomes an Empire.--Santa Anna deposes the Emperor.--He proclaims a Republic.--He pronounces against the Election of Pedraza, the second President.--His Situation in the Convent at Oajaca.--He captures the Spanish Armada.--And is made General of Division 73 CHAPTER VII. In the Stage and out of the Stage.--Still climbing.--A moment's View of all the Kingdoms of the World.--Again in Obscurity.--The Maguey, or Century Plant.--The many uses of the Maguey.--The intoxicating juice of the Maguey.--Pulque.--Immense Consumption of Pulque.--City of Perote.--Castle of San Carlos de Perote.--Starlight upon the Table-land.--Tequisquita.--"The Bad Land."--A very old Beggar.--Arrive at Puebla 79 CHAPTER VIII.