o many of their
English sisterhood in Hyde Park, the afternoon drive is everything--to
some, as report says, even more than meat or drink; since they deny
themselves these for the keeping of the carriage.

It may be imagined that the scouring-out of the zancas is a job for
which labourers are not readily obtained.

Even the _pelado_ turns up his nose at it, and the poorest proletarian
will only undertake the task when starvation is staring him in the face.
For it is not only dirty, but deemed degrading. It is, therefore, one
of the travaux-forces which, as a matter of necessity, falls to the lot
of the "gaol-bird." Convicts are the scavengers; criminals sentenced to
long periods of imprisonment, of whom there are often enough in the
_carceles_ of Mexico to clean out all the sewers in the country. Even
by these it is a task looked upon with repugnance, and usually assigned
to them as a punishment for prison derelictions. Not that they so much
regard the dirt or the smells; it is the toil which offends them--the
labour being hard, and often requiring to be done under a hot, broiling
sun.

To see them is a spectacle of a rather curious kind, though repulsive.
Coupled two and two--for the precaution is taken, and not unfrequently
needed--to keep their leg-chains on; up in mud to the middle of their
bodies, and above bespattered with it--such mud too! many of them with
faces that, even when clean, are aught but nice to look at; their eyes
now flashing fierce defiance, now bent down and sullen, they seem either
at enmity or out of sorts with all mankind. Some among them, however,
make light of it, bandy words with the passers-by, jest, laugh, sing,
shout, and swear, which to a sensitive mind but makes the spectacle more
sad.

All this understood, it may well be conceived with what anxiety Florence
Kearney listened to that snatch of dialogue between Santander and the
gaol-governor outside the cell. He did not even then quite comprehend
the nature of what was intended for them. But the sharer of his chain
did, who soon after made it all known to him, he passing the knowledge
on to Cris Rock. So when, on the next morning, the governor again
presented himself at the door of their cell, saying:

"Now, gentlemen, get ready to take a little exercise,"--they knew what
sort of exercise was meant.

He, however, believing them ignorant of it--for he was not aware they
had overheard his out-door speech with Santander, adde