Report of the Naval committee to the House of representatives, August, 1850, in favor of the establishment of a line of mail steamships to the western coast of Africa, and thence via the Mediterranean to London; . the center of the plaza is an object which seems out of place amongthe old buildings, viz., an elec-tric light, placed at the top of avery high, ladder-like this electric light poleis a beautiful fountain. Seatsare placed in convenient placesGATE IN MEEiDA. for the comfort of those visiting the plaza. The whole is surrounded by an iron fence. This plaza was the scene
Report of the Naval committee to the House of representatives, August, 1850, in favor of the establishment of a line of mail steamships to the western coast of Africa, and thence via the Mediterranean to London; . the center of the plaza is an object which seems out of place amongthe old buildings, viz., an elec-tric light, placed at the top of avery high, ladder-like this electric light poleis a beautiful fountain. Seatsare placed in convenient placesGATE IN MEEiDA. for the comfort of those visiting the plaza. The whole is surrounded by an iron fence. This plaza was the scene of a great battle, in 1540, be-tween the Spaniards and natives,. the latter numbering70,000, while the former numbered but 200; so says thehistorian. The natives, however, were defeated, but notuntil they had killed or wounded nearly all the large mound once stood on the ground now occupied bythe plaza; it was razed to the ground by the Spaniards, andfrom it, and numerous ancient buildings, the present cityof Merida was built. The great distinguishing feature of Merida, asof al! thecities of the Spanish-American countries, is in its great cathedral, the Church of the Jesuits, the. 12 A NATURALIST IN MEXICO. Church of San Cristoval, the Chapel of San Juan Bautista,and the convent of Mejorada, are all interesting. Many ofthem are of good style of architecture, and rich in orna-ments. Of the many churches of the city, the cathedral,situated, as before said, on the east side of the plaza, is thelargest and most interesting. While the service was yet inprogress we entered and stood near the door, the better tostudy the interior. At the extreme end stood the altar,upon a raised platform about thirty feet in height, elabor-ately carved and ornamented. Upon either side, in largecases, were life-size wax figures of biblical characters. Theorgan was situated on the right-hand side. The center ofthe church rose in a spacious dome of great height. Sev_eral priests
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