The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 71, July 1967 - April, 1968 Page: 568
686 p. : ill. (some col.), maps, ports. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Southwestern Historical Quarterly
lives, and the dresses of the numerous young women ". .. seemed
lazily reluctant to cover their plump person, and their attitudes were
always expressive of the influence of a Southern sun upon national
manners.""1
Even though visitors sometimes disapproved of the apparent in-
dolence and lack of puritanical propriety in the lower classes, the
gushing waters of San Pedro Springs, the attraction of the Spanish
ruins, and the color and gaiety of the streets exerted their fascina-
tion. The ranchero dressed in a "broadbrimmed hat of a reddish
colour, or white, the band ornamented with silver ornaments or col-
oured beads, calico shirt, wide trousers, with a fancy coloured sash
or girdle about the waist and a jacket thrown carelessly over the
shoulder."" The streets in the mornings teemed. High-wheeled carts
rumbled and squeaked through the streets hauling all manner of
goods [Plate 6]. Wagon trains collected to begin the long haul to
Chihuahua. Indians wandered through the town watching the activity,
bartering, or just lounging. Animals of all sorts from Mexican hair-
less dogs to an occasional terrified buffalo added to the noise and
disorder.
Following lunch there was a period of relative quiet during siesta.
Afterwards the river attracted families and men and women of all
classes for bathing. Then came the time for coffee. Late in the after-
noon the women visited or shopped.
At night there were no lights in the streets and anyone going out
carried a lantern or a tallow candle. Life and activity centered around
numerous fandango places [Plate 7], where the women wore ". ..
dresses of light colored printed calico, with some ribbons,"" or can-
tinas [Plate 8], where ". .. at the other end of the room close to
the entrance, there stood some tables where gambling was going on.""
On Sunday after Mass there were horse races [Plate g] and cock-
fights. Saints' Days always called for a celebration. St. John's Day,
June 24, until St. Peter's and St. Paul's Day, June 29, signaled the
opening of the fruit and vegetable season when melons, sweet corn,
and other seasonal crops appeared. The festivities began with re-
ligious services. In the afternoon there were the inevitable horse
"'Frederick Law Olmstead, Journey Through Texas (New York, 1857), 152*
19Hollon and Butler (eds.), William Bollaert's Texas, 218.
"Julia Nott Waugh, Castro-Ville and Henry Castro (San Antonio, 1934), 93. Mrs.
Waugh's book is a modern romantic view of Mexican-Americans of San Antonio.
"2Robert Stermberg (comp.), History of San Antonio and the Early Days in Texas
(San Antonio, g92o), xo8.568
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 71, July 1967 - April, 1968, periodical, 1968; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth117145/m1/634/: accessed April 27, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.