ne with dice and cards. The national game, "monte," there
finds fullest illustration, grand marquees being erected for its play--
real temples erected to the goddess Fortuna. Inside these may be seen
crowds of the strangest composition, in every sense heterogeneous;
military officers, generals and colonels, down to the lowest grade, even
sergeants and corporals, sitting at the same table and staking on the
same cards; members of Congress, Senators, Cabinet Ministers, and, upon
occasions, the Chief of the State, jostling the ragged _lepero_, and not
unfrequently standing elbow to elbow with the footpad and salteador!--
Something stranger still, ladies compose part of this miscellaneous
assemblage; dames of high birth and proud bearing, but in this carnival
of cupidity not disdaining to "punt" on the _sota_ or _cavallo_, while
brushing skirts with bare-armed, barefooted rustic damsels, and
_poblanas_, more elaborately robed, but with scantier reputation.

After all, it is only Baden on the other side of the Atlantic; and it
may be said in favour of San Augustin, the fury lasts for only a few
days, instead of a whole season. Then the _monte_ banks disappear, with
their dealers and croupiers; the great tents are taken down; the
gamesters, gentle and simple, scatter off, most going back to the city;
and the little _pueblo_ Tlalpam, resuming its wonted tranquillity, is
scarce thought of till Carnival comes again.

In its normal condition, though some might deem it rather dull, it is
nevertheless one of the pleasantest residential villages in the Valley.
Picturesquely situated at the foot of the southern Sierras, which form a
bold mountain background, it has on the other side water scenery in the
curious Laguna de Xochimilco, while the grim Pedregal also approaches
it, giving variety to its surroundings.

Besides its fixed population there is one that may be termed floating or
intermittent; people who come and go. These are certain "ricos," who
chiefly affect its suburbs, where they have handsome houses--_casas de
campo_. Not in hundreds, as at San Anjel and Tacubaya, Tlalpam being at
a greater and more inconvenient distance from the capital. Still there
are several around it of first-class, belonging to _familias
principales_, though occupied by them only at intervals, and for a few
days or weeks at a time.

One of these, owned by Don Ignacio Valverde, was a favourite place of
residence with him; a tranquil retreat o