at one end, under which a mule
was going round continually with a beam, drawing water into a large
oblong basin cemented, from which the women of the village were filling
their water-jars.

In our stroll out of doors our Indian carriers espied us, and came
staggering toward us in a body, giving us to understand that they were
overjoyed at seeing us, and congratulating us upon our recovery. They
had not had a fair start with the Indians of the village, but they had
been expeditious, and, by making good use of their time and the money
we paid them, were as thoroughly intoxicated as the best in Nohcacab.
Still they were good-natured as children, and, as usual, each one
concluded his little speech with begging a medio.

The North American Indian is by drinking made insolent, ferocious, and
brutal, and with a knife in his hand he is always a dangerous
character; but the Indians of Yucatan when intoxicated are only more
docile and submissive. All wear machetes, but they never use them to do
harm.

We endeavoured to persuade our bearers to return to the hacienda before
their money was all spent, and at length, giving us to understand that
it was in obedience to us, they went away. We watched them as they
reeled down the road, which they seemed to find hardly wide enough for
one abreast, turning to look back and make us another reverence, and at
length, when out of our reach, they all stopped, sat down in the road,
and again took to their bottles.

We had arrived at Nohcacab at an interesting and exciting moment. The
village had just gone through the agony of a contested election. During
the administration of the last alcalde, various important causes, among
which were the improvements in the plaza, had roused the feelings of
the whole community, and a strong notion prevailed, particularly among
the aspirants to office, that the republic was in danger unless the
alcaldes were changed. This feeling extended through all classes, and,
through the interposition of Providence, as it was considered by the
successful party, the alcaldes were changed, and the republic saved.

[Engraving 30: A Noria, or Well]

The municipal elections of Nohcacab are, perhaps, more important than
those of any other village in the state. The reader is aware of the
great scarcity of water in Yucatan; that there are no rivers, streams,
or fountains, and, except in the neighbourhood of aguadas, no water but
what is obtained from wells. Nohcacab has t