“Sombrero.”—Page 11. The black glaze hat with low crown and broad leaf is a universal favourite throughout Mexico. It is often worn several pounds in weight, and that, too, under a hot tropic sun. Some sort of gold or silver lace-band is common, but frequently this is of heavy bullion, and costly.
“Pueblos.”—Page 11. There are many towns in New Mexico inhabited exclusively by “Pueblos,” a name given to a large tribe of civilised Indians,—Indios mansos (tame Indians) such tribes are called, to distinguish them from the Indios bravos, or savages, who never acknowledged the sway of the Spanish conquerors.
“Peons.”—Page 12. The labouring serfs of the country are peons. They are not slaves by the wording of the political law, but most of them are in reality slaves by the law of debtor and creditor.
“Petates,” etcetera—Page 12. A “petate” is a small mat about the size of a blanket, woven out of palm-strips, or bulrushes, according to the district; it is the universal bed of the Mexican peasant.
Tunas and pitahayas are fruits of different species of cactus.
Sandias are water-melons.
Dulces are preserves.
Agua-miel and limonada, refreshing drinks peculiar to Mexico.
Piloncillos, loaves of coarse brown sugar, met with in all parts of Mexico, and very much like the maple-sugar of the States.
Tortillas, the often-described daily bread of the Mexican people.