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    tliese dan «« rs , and' determined to proceed alone with hia own small party , sftftotftfii & deputation , consisting of a native lawyer , waited on him at his meson on fce&W of some twenty or thirty Mexicans wlro were about to take the same route , entreating the reciprocal protection of himself and friends . The shrewd German declined , however ; tor three potent reasons : firstly , because afer * e party seldom escapes the notice of the Indians ; secondly , because he had little faith in the courage of his petitioners ; and thirdly , because if the company were allowed to go ahead they would either be victorious or defeated , and in either case the Indians would retire for a time iron * the theatre of action , and by starting a day or two later he and his comrades , \* ouki find the road clear . This reasoning , which he kept to him . self proved to be prophetic , as the fate of the unfortunate Mexican band subsequently testified . " After M . Tempsky had quitted Martian and passed beyond Ei Coyote , oa a suspicious part of the way , just as the grey twilight ot evening was deepening the natural gloom of the defile they had to thread , he-wasltoppedby hi * fellow-traveller , who pointed to an object half in shade ivmst crouehed on the road . Both cocked their rifles and advanced stealthily fconi tree to tree * Opposite the object they halted to reconnoitre , and awaited some movement . Theform was human and naked * consequently an Indian ; the attitude * so much as was discernible , crouching like some one -with his ear 4 o the ground ,. It was no doubt aa outpost of some larger detachment . To ¦ dispose of him : with a shot would * therefore , have been imprudent . " I unsheathe my knife , " sttysM . Tempsky , " put my rifle down , cautiously measure my distance * and with a spring have his throat in my grasp . My knife is descending , when to my horror I feel by the clamminess of his throat that ih © hand of death has forestalled mine . At that moment the moon , for «© me time shrouded , breaks through the clouds and glitters on the scalpless . skull of a body perforated with lance wounds . The face is contracted and rigidy and I see we have mistaken a Mexican victim for an Indian murderer . " With a shudder we go onward ^ and find another and another in the same state- and so on until we count twenty-nine bodies ! At last , we recognized in one the features of the Mexican lawyer ,, who invited us at Mazatlan to Accompany him 1 " the narrative than

    Although these Indians appear in the course of more -once , and always in this terrible character , the book is full of cheerful -and interesting matter , the pictures of Mexican life both in town and country befell vividly sketched a » d artistically descriptive . Whatever was picturesque in the manners , practices , and costumes of a Cavallero or a -Sefiora 'Whatever wa » strik * ng iw the construction of a Hacienda , the architecture : off a cathedra * , or the style of a street—whatever was lovely or grand m > nature , evidently had strong and peculiar charms for his appreciating eye . The various incident * that occurred upon the road whilst remote from human habitation , the lonely , deserted pathways he had to track , * he rapid streams to croBSj the gulleys to penetrate , the precipices to climb , . are described with a faithfulness that brings home the subjects of description , « nd places them before the reader as in a panoramic view . M . Jempsky also prides himself upon being a connoisseur of female beauty . He dilates upon the witchery of a woman ' s eye—especially a Mexican lady ' s—and professes-to understand all its little plays when brought out by the exciting Scenes of the promenade or the opera . He is at a bull fight , and speaks of the deep ,, black , expressive glance peculiar to the Spanish-Mexican race . All the while ,, when seemingly tongues are monopolizing the attention of listeners * other edmmunicationSj questions , and answers are , he says ,, crowing the air silently . The electro-magnetism of the eye is in full operation , and fans assist with all their power these telegraphic dialogues . To the uninitiated , he adds , a fan by its agitation , conveys only coolness to its- owner ; he does , not see the heartburn it transmits to one who is ¦ watching the capricious movement , until at last it is pressed to the bosom , . as indicative of emotions in his favour going on there . But other eyes are frequently as vigilant ^ and the n the festa or de \\ ghtf \ i \ fandango is terminated by a tragedy , so- hot is . the temper of jealousy in this sultry clime—as many an anecdote told in these pages will testify . Whilst M . Tempsky remains at a distance from the city of Mexico , the cround is comparatively his own , and his pictures are novel and striking . His account of the Rancheros and their habits- is hi g hly interesting ; the manner of rearing and training horses , and the methods of defence tliey use . against thelndians , no less so j but as he approaches the seat of government , he enters an arena occupied before him by numerous writers . He has , therefore , wisely refrained' from- giving an elaborate description * of this and Other capitals of the- central provinces , and passes , © n his way along the mighty ridge- of which the cloud-capped Popocatepetl' and < Istacci-hwatl are * h e crowning : peaks , to the towns- on the western aide of this grand watershed , visiting : Mitlay a village lying somewhat off the main road , where 4 he ruin » off some palaces of JNdontezuma still exist . The group * consists of four buildings , fronting towards em . open square in the midab © f them , of which ; two are in a perfectly dilapidated condi ^ tion , whifetr two preserve their original completenessj save that they have become roofless . The walls off all these buildtngu , according to M . Tempsky , have two distinct parta—the inner , which consists of round , unhewn boulders * cemented together , and the outer , formed of tesseree about TOTen inches in > length , one in- depth , and one-eighth in breadth , composing . » beautiful mosaic . The doors and windows me square , wide , and low , ttndtthe lintels- constructed of very Iwrge solid states 1 ot stone . The principal xstawrartteriBCies of the groups i » OlVnt each represents four buildings , of which three are of similar size T md the fourth much larger than the rest , containing one large limit . I * one- of these stand six solid stone pillwrs , erected at ^• 'ScpffirHftSfv ^^ ammQ to have been to supporti the roof ; they are of granite , each of one massive piece , and have neither pedestal , capital , nov Hpchiteetura ; their height is about twelve feet , and' theie diameter about foar at the base , &om wfcwh it diminishes gradually in a augmr < lo » f form . Tfrfchis h « H adjoins a ¦ wwecliinrpwrtrof the building , looking townrda the- mouwflttins in anoppo * to * dnroetfcm from tho central ! court-yard . In ft Rio four apartments , t * BP «* tamer ones ; and a , large one in the centre ; a flat roof of stone still ewer * < meo £ the- smaller chambers . The * pillar of death , ' so-called becauso

    the Indians believe that whoever embraces it will perish shortly after , stands in one of the minor compartments of the building . As a descriptive writer , M . Tempsky has shown considerable ability , and produced a work of original interest . We learn from his narrative' miserably disorganized state of Mexico , the ruin into which cities once nourishing are falling , and the comparative stagnation of trade , commerce and manufactures , but he is evidently unable to investigate the cauaeB which have led to them , or ex p lain the sources of this decay . The few hints he throws out betray gross ignorance of the principles which operate in producing a flourishing empire , and the frequent reference lie makes to the brighter state of things before the ' Independencia' proves that he utterly mistakes the causes of the present corrupt and pitiable condition of the country . Plaving warned the reader against casual errors , we do not hesitate to recommend this instructive narrative of travel .

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    INDIAN COMMERCE . The Commerce of ftidia . By B . A . Irving , M .. A . London : Smith , Elder , and Co . A certain general familiarity with Eastern topics gained by Mr . fryinw through his special study of India in its religious and social aspects " stimulated him , we may infer , to extend his Oriental researches , varying them by directing his inquiries to the condition of the Indian territory itself , its material resources , and the improvement of these by adaptation to commercial purposes . The practical tendency of Mr . Irvine ' s views renders his information rcully available , and qualifies him to deal effectively withhis subject , which be does not approach merely to sport with irreconcilable theories and fanciful schemes , but to treat earnestly by suggesting sound measures of substantial utility . Yet , with this sobriety , he manifests no want of enthusiasm , as is evident , not only from his advocacy of active enterprise and more strenuous endeavour , but from his censure of the apathy which in the Legislature , no less than among the public , has too long obtained with respect to the affairs of India . Commerce , with the accompanying quickening of international communication , Mr . Irving regards as a primary agent in the work of civilization , and , as such , he insists upon its development , as indispensable to the welfare of India and to a full realization of the advantages to be derived from it as a British possession . To demonstrate the fine capacities of the country , the first chapters of * Mr . Irving ' s history detail the ancient commercial intercourse of India with the various regions of the East through the several channels of the Persian Gulf , the Red Sea , and the Cape , of Good Hope . Through these the rich land multifarious merchandize of India , gold and precious stones , exquisite fabrics of silk and cotton , ebony , and ivory , fragrant spices , indigo and cochineal , were wafted to swell the opulent marts of the cities on the Tigris and Euphrates , enriched by the diverse products of regions fur and near . The comely damsels of Circnssia , the classically-fumed snow-white steeds of Nyssa , the wool and wine of H el bore , with the fine linen of Egyptian looms , timber from the forests of Bashan , the scented wood of Hermon , cassia , cinnamon , honey , oil , and bulm , were among the possessions of Assyrian affluence .

    From a review of Indian trade with distant nations , the narrative proceeds to consider the internal commerce of the peninsula , and evidence is adduced , by the way , sufficing to prove that active commercial intercourse was kept up in ancient days between the different territories of India . The fact , indeed , is verified by the importance attached to commerce in the vanerable code of Menu , where a third and important class among Hindoos is set apnrt fov its pursuit . Among the Sudras , even , nre enumerated ' ship-builders and sailors , as many as navigate rivers . ' At a later period we see the riches of Oriental commerce aggrandising the republics of Italy , forming , indeed , the central source of that prosperity which gave wealth to her cities and splendour to the palaces of her merchant princes . Attempts at settlement and trading were made successively by the Portuguese , the Dutch , and the French , but were speedily surpassed witli unprecedented success by the English . Passing by the History of tho Charter a-nd the development of enterprise under the East India Company as matters of record universally known , we glance at Mr . Irving ' B suggestive passages . Though acquiescing in the generally beneficial influence of tho British rule ^ he regarda as the great obstacle to its prosperity , and to the progress of India , the absence of facilities for commerce . The chief cause of national indigence he finds to consist in the entire want of accessible markets for tho productions of the country , arising from the nation-al poverty in tho means of conveyance , the inordinate cost of enrringe , tho impossibility , consequently , of transporting goods , and as result , their comparative worthlessness . Owing to the difficulty of the nienns of transit , sixteen times ns many men , it is calculated , in proportion to load and distance , are employed as in England-Articles the most easily and cheaply produced , such as wheat , linseed , hemp , rice , sugar , indigo , silk , and , above a l l , cotton , the native plant ot India , are umi / viiiling as moans of prosperity , from the inability of tho people to export them . The exquisite muslin fabrics of Dacca and Cnunderee tire thus superseded by those of Manchester or Paisley , for it is estimated ' that ft piece of the finest Clmndoreo muslin , ot only five yards long and hulf a yard wide , costs a 3 much ns ten pieces of muslin seven yarda long and a yard wide , carried to the vicinity of Chunderee itself . ' To the increase of railways and other routes of transit , Mr . IrvirTg looka as the process indispensable , not only to further material prosperity , but to develop those moral and mental influonces-which i nvilI' -best-promot © -tho ^ estnbli 8 hmeiitrof-OTir'civiliz ! ation-iu--tno . empire . Centuries of missionary toil , ho considers , might bo necessary to generate that gradual enlightenment of nntiomil opinion which can alone uproot the tiine-abrengtheued idolatries of the East i but closer contact with Christendom ' would cuuse " the systems of Brahma and Buddha to molt away before Christianity like snow before n summer ' s sun . " Had tho Hindoo been . ' disciplined to the arts of peace as to those of war , it is probable indeed 1 that his culture would have been far more humanising , and productive of more benefit to himself and to his European » con < iuerora .

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    ^ XL T H B LEADE R . [ Nov 4 * 18 , March 27 , 1858 .

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), March 27, 1858, page 306, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2236/page/18/