From the Charleston Courier.
PUEBLA-ITS CHURCHES.
{"character_count": 2863, "word_count": 507, "ccnet_language_score": [0.9580000042915344], "ccnet_perplexity": [993.7000122070312], "fasttext_language": ["en"]}
Puebla is beautiful city, containing about
10, 200 inhabitants. The houses are two and
three stories high. Porcelain is inlaid in The
brick walls, and, in most cases, II forms some
Catholic figure, or erblem-such as Christ on
the Cross--the different Saints, Sc.


il may we'll be styled the city of domes and
spires. There are, it is asserted, some seventy
| churches, or cafhedrals, in the place, and each
place Of religious ceremony is designated by a
dome or steeple. The principal cathedral
however, is situated in the public "Plaza. ;"
and is most stupendous piece OF workmanS
ship-il appears to have been the work OF ages
In the way oil ornament and decoration, il far
surpasses the conception OF the most vivid i'm.
agina,ion, and words lose their powers in the
attempt to describe il.


This huge structure is built Of beautiful gra-
mite, as is also the pavement around il. which
is elevated about three feet above the ground,
and covers il is said, an area OF toar acres
Il has two square steepes or turrets OF great
Architectural beauty and elegance, about two
hundred feet high. In one of them there are 6
bills, which keep up an almost incessant chin
ing. The exterior is most beautiful and al
traclive but The interior, with IT'S three rows
Of immense arches, supported by massive col
! nmns, eIaborateIy carved and gorseously dec
GRATED with ornaments, is al once imposing and
magnificent. The stranger is utterly cenfound-
al ~, oh, n,h, AZ, al. Il
Ienge his observation. on entering the door.
AT The upper end of the church is mos
| magnificent altar, which is of itself master
piece Of art. The altar alone, exclusive of The
golden Virgin, which, previous TO our arrival
constituted part of its ornaments, cost the
sweet sum Of $3.OOO.OO0.


The golden Virgin, now removed, Che Pc
Iestal however, on which the sacred image
stood, still remains), cost between eight anc
nine millions OF dollars regret much tla
The Pueblans were so much afraid Of us as L
remove it,


| Around the altar are four cruclixes-,he i'm
ages OF Christ are Of solid gold. about one foo
in length. The candle-sticks. about two and ;
half feet in length, are 0! gold and silver. Thes'
last are removed after every ceremony.


The Priests, in their rich robes Of gold am
silver embroidery, officate around the alta
daily; and the ceremony OF High Mass is Ger
'ainly very imposing. The people either stand
or sit down, on the stone floor during their do
vouons and, from what saw, the first Sun
day after our arrival, we should have beel
compelled TO knecl. had the fact not been tha
we had an armed force in the place-or had w
come as visiers, instead OF conquerors.
The Host, which is carried around til,
Church, during the ceremony of High Mass
is small crucifx, in the cenue OF circle
representing the rays OF the sun. It's Of gol'
and completely studded with diamonds.