nted
by the people here, who maintain communication only toward the east,
principally with the city of Durango, where they market their garden
crops of chile and tomatoes. Nevertheless, some of the Tepehuane
pueblos belong to the Cura's parish, and he seemed to be the only
one Who could give definite information about the country southward.

The track leading down to the San Diego River runs through an idyllic
valley where picturesque brooks trickle down the slopes between groves
of semi-tropical vegetation. In one of the limpid streams a couple of
pretty girls were bathing and washing their clothes, as is the custom
among the poorer classes of Mexico, who rarely possess more than the
clothing they wear. As we appeared on the scene, they gracefully
slipped into a deep pool, leaving nothing but their pretty faces,
like water-lilies, floating above the crystal-clear water, and thus
nodded a friendly greeting toward us.

Not more than ten miles' travel brought us to the San Diego River. Its
source is said to be in the sierra, apparently toward the north, and
it flows in a southerly direction. It was not very difficult to cross,
but in flood-time it must be large. Its elevation at this point was
about 3,300 feet.

Here began the ascent into the sierra again. Although the road on the
first day was very good, it required rather hard climbing to get to
the top. I was anxious to reach my destination that day, which was
Saturday, in order to be in time for the gathering of the Indians
in the pueblo on Sunday. I therefore travelled on after nightfall,
though the road was much longer than I expected, leading through
extensive pine forests, the monotony of which was interrupted only
once by the appearance of a couple of beautiful macaos.

Just as the moon rose, we entered on the "spine of the coyote," as
the Tepehuanes call a narrow ridge, six to eight yards broad, with
yawning abysses on both sides. Then we came on grassy slopes covered
with trees. What a magnificent view there must be here, by daylight,
of this wild country! To the southeast could clearly be seen a sloping
table-land among hills; I even could distinguish some small houses
on it. That was Lajas. It appeared to be but a league off, but in
reality it was still three times as far away.

We descended among oak-trees, when suddenly the track ran down
a precipitous volcanic rock, utterly impracticable for the mules
to follow. Evidently we had strayed on a side tra