heir inhabitants the
traditions of the past, if they yet existed, or at least among
their customs some of those of the primitive dwellers of those
lands, begged me to scatter among them the vaccine, to ward off, as
much as possible, the terrible scourge that threatened them. I
accepted the commission, and to the best of my power I have
complied with it, without any remuneration whatever. After
examining the principal cities of the east of the State--Tunkas,
Cenotillo, Espita and Tizimin--gathering notes upon their commerce,
the occupations of their inhabitants, the productions of the
places, etc., etc., remaining in them more or less time, we finally
arrived at Valladolid on the 20th of May, 1875. This city, that
was at one time among the most important of the State, is seen
to-day almost reduced to ruins by the invasions of the Indians of
Chan-Santa-Cruz. It is situated on the frontier of the enemy's
country, some twelve leagues from the celebrated ruins of
Chichen-Itza--the objective point of my journey to these regions.
During my perigrinations through the east, I had, more than once,
opportunity to observe the profound terror that the inhabitants, as
well _meztizos_ and Indians as the whites, have, not without
reason, of their fierce neighbors.

In view of the dangers that awaited us, I thought proper to write
to my good friend, General Don Guillermo Palomino, sub-inspector of
the military posts of Yucatan; so that, without prejudice to the
service, he should give orders to the commander of the post of
Piste, distant one league from the ruins of Chichen, to succor us
in case we should need his aid.

General Palomino, understanding the importance of my undertaking,
interested himself in the result. He wrote to Don Filipe Diaz,
chief of the military line of the east, so that he should give
orders to his subaltern, the commander of the advance-post of
Piste, that in case of necessity he should furnish my wife and
myself the protection we might need while in Chichen.

After many delays, owing now to one thing, now to another, but more
particularly to the alarming reports that the Indians, or at least
their emissaries and spies, prowled about the neighborhood, we at
last started on the march in the direction of Piste on the 21st of
Sept