At a certain season of the year, however, paler complexions show in the ascendant. This during carnival time--"_Las Pascuas_." Then the streets of San Augustin are crowded with gay promenaders; while carriages and men on horseback may be seen in continuous stream passing to and fro between it and the capital. In Las Pascuas week, one day with another, half Mexico is there engaged in a gambling orgie, as Londoners at Epsom during the Derby. More like Homburg and Monaco, though; since the betting at Tlalpam is not upon the swiftness of horses, but done with dice and cards. The national game, "monte," there finds fullest illustration, grand marquees being erected for its play-- real temples erected to the goddess Fortuna. Inside these may be seen crowds of the strangest composition, in every sense heterogeneous; military officers, generals and colonels, down to the lowest grade, even sergeants and corporals, sitting at the same table and staking on the same cards; members of Congress, Senators, Cabinet Ministers, and, upon occasions, the Chief of the State, jostling the ragged _lepero_, and not unfrequently standing elbow to elbow with the footpad and salteador!-- Something stranger still, ladies compose part of this miscellaneous assemblage; dames of high birth and proud bearing, but in this carnival of cupidity not disdaining to "punt" on the _sota_ or _cavallo_, while brushing skirts with bare-armed, barefooted rustic damsels, and _poblanas_, more elaborately robed, but with scantier reputation. After all, it is only Baden on the other side of the Atlantic; and it may be said in favour of San Augustin, the fury lasts for only a few days, instead of a whole season. Then the _monte_ banks disappear, with their dealers and croupiers; the great tents are taken down; the gamesters, gentle and simple, scatter off, most going back to the city; and the little _pueblo_ Tlalpam, resuming its wonted tranquillity, is scarce thought of till Carnival comes again. In its normal condition, though some might deem it rather dull, it is nevertheless one of the pleasantest residential villages in the Valley. Picturesquely situated at the foot of the southern Sierras, which form a bold mountain background, it has on the other side water scenery in the curious Laguna de Xochimilco, while the grim Pedregal also approaches it, giving variety to its surroundings. Besides its fixed population there is one that may be termed floating or intermittent; people who come and go. These are certain "ricos," who chiefly affect its suburbs, where they have handsome houses--_casas de campo_. Not in hundreds, as at San Anjel and Tacubaya, Tlalpam being at a greater and more inconvenient distance from the capital. Still there are several around it of first-class, belonging to _familias principales_, though occupied by them only at intervals, and for a few days or weeks at a time.