LETTER THE THIRTEENTH.

Convent of San Joaquin - Mexico in the morning - Tacuba Carmelite Prior - Convent Garden- Hacienda of Los Morales- El Olivar - A Huacamaya - Humming Birds · Correspondence Expected Consecration - Visit to the Mineria Botanic Garden- Arbol de las Manitas - The Museum Equestrian Statue Academy of Painting and Sculpture Disappointment.

EARLY this morning we rode to the Convent of San Joaquin, belonging to friars of the Carmelite order, passing through Tacuba, the ancient Tlacopan, once the capital of a small kingdom, and whose monarch, Tetlepanquetzaltzin, (short and convenient name) Cortes caused to be hanged on a tree for a supposed or real conspiracy. The number of carts, the innumerable Indians loaded like beasts of burthen, their women with baskets of vegetables in their hands and children on their backs, the long strings of arrièros with their loaded mules, the droves of cattle, the flocks of sheep, the herds of pigs, render it a work of some difficulty to make one's way on horseback out of the gates of Mexico at an early hour of the morning, but it must be confessed, that the whole scene is lively and cheerful enough, to make one forget that there is such a thing as care in the world. There is an indifferent, placid smile on every face, and the bright blue sky smiling over them all; dogs bark,

and asses bray, and the Indian, with near a mule's load on his back, drags his hat off to salute a bevy of his bronze-colored countrymen, nearly equally laden with himself, and they all show their teeth, and talk their liquid Indian, and pass on.

These plains of Tacuba, once the theatre of fierce and bloody conflicts, and where, during the siege of Mexico, Alvarado of the leap fixed his camp, now present a very tranquil scene. Tacuba itself is now a small village of mud huts, with some fine old trees, a few very old ruined houses, a ruined church, and some traces of a building which assured us had been the palace of their last monarch; whilst others declare it to have been the site of the Spanish encampment. San Joaquin, also a poor village, contains the fine convent and immense walled garden and orchard belonging to the rich monks of the Carmelite order. As Cn knows the prior, he sent in our names, and I was admitted as far as the sacristy of the convent church. The prior received us with the utmost kindness. He is a good-looking man, extremely amiable and well-informed, and still young. The gentlemen were admitted into the interior of the convent, which they describe as being a very large, handsome building, clean and airy, with a fine old library, chiefly composed of theological works; to the garden, which is immensely large, and though not much cultivated, full of flowers; and to the great orchard, celebrated for the profusion and excellence of its fruit. There is a mirador in the garden which can be seen from the road, and from which there is a very extensive view. I was very anxious for ad

mittance only to the garden, and pleaded the manly appearance of my riding hat, which would prevent all scandal, were I seen from a distance, but the complaisance of the good prior would not go quite so far as that, so I sat in the sacristy and conversed with a good-natured old monk with a double chin, whilst the others wandered through the grounds. They afterwards gave us a very nice breakfast, simple, but good; fish from the lake, different preparations of eggs, riz-au-lait, coffee and fruit. The monks did not sit down with us, nor would they partake of anything themselves.

We went in the evening to see a pretty Hacienda called Los Morales, (the mulberry trees) belonging to a Spaniard, which has a nice garden with a bath. in it, and where they bestowed a quantity of beautiful flowers on us.

The other day we set off early, together with the Belgian and French Ministers and their families, in carriages, to visit a beautiful deserted Hacienda called el Olivar, belonging to the Marquis of Santiago. The house is perfectly bare, with nothing but the walls; but the grounds are a wilderness of tangled flowers and blossoming trees rose-bushes - sweet pease and all manner of fragrant flowers. We passed an agreeable day, wandering about, breakfasting on the provisions brought with us, arranging large bouquets of flowers, and firing at a mark, which must have startled the birds in this solitary and uncultivated retreat. We had a pleasant family dinner at the E's, and passed the evening at the Baron de's. The gentlemen returned late, it being

the day of a diplomatic dinner at the English Minister's.

The Countess del Ve has just sent me a beautiful bird with the most gorgeous plumage of the brightest scarlet and blue. It is called a huacamaya, and is of the parrot species, but three times as large, being about two feet from the beak to the tip of the tail. It is a superb creature, but very wicked, gnawing not only its own pole, but all the doors, and committing great havoc amongst the plants, besides trying to bite every one who approaches it. It pronounces a few words very hoarsely and indistinctly, and has a most harsh, disagreeable cry. In fact it presumes upon its beauty to be as unamiable as possible.

I prefer some beautiful little humming birds, (chupamirtos as they are called here,) which have been sent me, and which I am trying to preserve alive, but I fear the cold will kill them, for though we see them occasionally here, hanging by their beaks upon the branches of the flowers, like large butterflies, and shaking their brilliant little wings so rapidly that they seem to emit sparkles of colored light, still this is not their home, properly speaking-they belong to the tierra caliente. These little birds are of a golden green and purple, and are so tame, that whilst I am writing, I have two on my shoulder, and one perched on the edge of a glass, diving out its long tongue for sugar and water. Our live-stock is considerable; we have Guinea fowls, who always remind me of old maiden ladies in half-mourning, and whose screaming notes match those of the huacamaya, various lit

CORRESPONDENCE.

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tle green parrots, a scarlet cardenal, one hundred and sixty pigeons in the pigeon-house, and three fierce dogs in conspicuous situations.

I received a very polite letter to-day from the Señora de Santa Anna, and as it was enclosed in a few lines from Santa Anna himself, I send you his autograph, for I doubt much whether we have seen the last of that illustrious personage, or whether his philosophic retirement will endure forever.

I have been endeavoring lately to procure permission from Señor Posada, who is shortly to be consecrated Archbishop, to visit the Convents of Nuns in Mexico. Señor Co, secretary of state, our particular friend, has been kind enough to interest himself in the matter, though with indifferent hopes of success. A few days ago he sent me his correspondence with Señor Posada, who observes that the Vice-Queens alone had the privilege of the entrée, and seems to hesitate a good deal as to the advisableness of granting a permission which might be considered a precedent for others. However I think he is too amiable to resist our united entreaties. I hold out as an argument, that C-n, being the Duplicado of the Queen herself, my visit is equal to that of the Vice-Queen, which argument has at least amused him. His consecration is fixed for the 31st of May.

Don Pedro Fonti, the last Archbishop named in the time of the Spanish dominion, having renounced the mitre, three illustrious churchmen were proposed to fill the vacant place; this Don Manuel Posada, Don Antonio Campos, and Dr. Don José Maria de Santiago. The first was chosen by the Mexican