The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 34, July 1930 - April, 1931 Page: 144
359 p. : ill., maps ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Southwestern Historical Quarterly
less !" Day and night, with unremitting zeal and application they
ply their infamous trade. You may see on the square, no less than
20 tables of a night, surrounded by crowds of infatuated votaries.
Here in this corner the poor private draws a scanty purse, and ven-
tures his hard earned dimes on a turn of the wheel at Rowlette, or
a throw of the dice. In that, the officer, private, and swarthy Mex-
ican are crowded in one dense mass. There, tens, fifties, and hun-
dreds change hands in less time than I'm writing it. That is the
fascinating game of Monte - the Mexican men, women, and chil-
dren are most devotedly attached to this game. Indeed their pas-
sion for gaming is only equaled by that of the Indians. Around
that table yonder, you may observe a group of genteel well dressed
gentlemen (in appearance) and officers. There hundreds and thou-
sands are lost and won with a grave nonchalance that would do
credit to a Turk, - that is the genteel game farro. As a proof of
the important estimate in which this branch of trade is here held,
a gambling house of two rooms, not fifteen feet square each, without
windows, or furniture and part of the roof fallen in, rents for two
hundred dollars per month! I yesterday saw, (and the like may
be seen on any Sabbath) many Mexicans leave chapel even before
mass was concluded, and repair to the gaming table; where they
spent the remainder of the day, and perhaps the whole night. The
Mexicans are very indolent: labour with them, is a dernier ressort.
The few who are industrious and managin [g] soon become wealthy.
Approaching San Antonio from the north, or west, the first ob-
ject that strikes your attention is the ruins of the Castle of Alamo.
It stands at the north-east corner of the town about 200 yds from
the river. It was originally built or rather commenced some time
in the latter part of the 17th century. Since which time, it has
received several additions, but the stile of architecture is much the
same as the original they are only discoverable from their being
in a better state of preservation. It was orriginally built, as a de-
fence against the Indians. More recently, improved and fortified
by the different partys and factions, into whose hands it has from
time to time fallen. During the numberless Revolutions that have
torn and distracted this unhappy country for near half a century.
Since the breaking out of the Texas revolution, it has been the
principal scene of military operations of both governments. It
was twice taken by the Texans, and as often retaken by the Mex-144
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 34, July 1930 - April, 1931, periodical, 1931; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101091/m1/154/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.