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Show St, — ii a Sn pa mlnmcct maennicil = crn ala LEADING FACTS OF NEW MEXICAN HISTORY MANNERS lt wees. et I re 156 ment and also served as sofas. This custom was also undoubtedly borrowed from the Moors. At night these colchones were spread out and used for beds. Bedsteads 1°° were almost entirely unknown, The only one seen by Lieutenant Pike in 1806 was at La Cafiada and was a great curiosity. Sometimes the mattresses were placed upon a small platform raised off the floor a few inches. Bureaus and chiffoniers were unknown; their places were supplied by chests and trunks. These chests and the locks thereon were marvelous affairs. Sometimes the trunks were made of rawhide and quite curiously ornamented. In the house of the wealthier classes chairs and settees were to be found, always made out of pine and homemade. This economy in furniture in early times was made necessary for the reason that there were no mechani cs in the province. Even after the American occupation many years passed before American furniture came into use. The women in particular Seemed to prefer the colchon to the ordinary chair. Of kitchen utensils they had very few. The cooking was almost entirely done in earthen vessels, and a Stove was a great rarity. The sala was the largest room in the establishment, and in the colder portions of New Mexico, was only used during warm weather, when, for the time being, the family fairly lived there, lounging among the colchones during the day, receiving visitors, and using it as a sleeping apartment at night. The family room was adorned with a number of engravings of Saints, among which that of the Virgin of Guadalupe was always conspicuous. These engravings or paintings were familiarly called “‘ Santos.’ A principal article of diet wi cake made of corn. MEXICAN CUISINE th the people was the tortilla, a thin The making of these was always in the hands of the women, who prided themselves upon the skill and rapidity with which they were able to prepare them. The method was crude and simple. The corn was boiled in water containing a little lime, 80 that the skin woul d easily peel off, whereupon it was ground into a4 sort of paste u pon an oblong hollowed stone, called a metate. 105 It is said that Don. Pedro Sane Mexico, and a resi a very prominent citizen of New dent of T 408, Once hez, purchased a bedstead in St. Louis and ins to his home in Taos. It was among the first and was of such dimensions that after its artear out one of the walls of his residence 10 ed in his bedroom. AND CUSTOMS OF THE PEOPLE 157 The operator knelt down behind the metate, taking in both another round stone and the metate the like corn an ordinary rolling-pin, was carefully mashed. between es whic When chy baking the substance thus prepared was spread upon a thin edwih of iron, tin, or copper, and in a few minutes was ready for nihie The tortilla, when hot, is quite palatable. came the other principal article of diet, bean, Prominent dishes of the Mexican huevos, chilli con carne, and tamales. along with a delicious kind Chocolate was always it a of sponge were accustomed to use wine, made Along ills = ca the frigole, or Mexican cuisine were chills a cake. from grapes S The better ¢ Ri Aibaia met b: Abajo. After the trade with New Mexico ae lished the Missourians brought in large quantitiespaths miei the ee wines and other liquors, all of which found a readyof mnie: mous profit, partment. among the ricos, or very wealthy citizens They also used a domestic brandy, made which was commonly The New Mexicans known as ‘‘pass whiskey. are affectionate an 2 n- people; they aril uine regard for their friends, and in the early ee MANNERS, HABITS AND CUSTOMS advent of American customs, 7 a “ 1t was : ae 1 we a og customary for them to enters ne ] orn whenever they met; this was mest ] when friendships were intimate sae si Standing. In suavity of manners the Mexican bodes vy a Superior; this characteristic was not confined to the ee the humblest beggars often exhibited an address ae zi ; treatment ment that a prince of the blood might envy. In this on the privof friends, acquaintances, or strangers was identical. s brothers acy of their firesides, among members of the same oe y ‘ : csi, Sisters, relatives, compadres, and primos, there was @ iy liteness "sy equal to the demands of the most refined code < 5 uel and further, there was nothing assumed ; it was altogether pigs Smoking was a habit of both sexes; drunkenness a amongst high or low. indulged in the cigarrito; The American cigar was rare re ae all wrapper this was made ek reThese were rolled by each sere indivi - ] aspst quired, ag he always had on hand for that purpose his ce ek and fineeut tobacco. With tobacco, and his package of hojas, also a flint and ste, |