tained a level, barren uncultivated region, and
shortly drew bridles at the great Meson of _Muchatilta_. From an outside
view of the spacious inn--its fanciful frescos, and highly brilliant
exterior--we reasonably inferred that something even more delectable
might be found within. Yet although the patrona was neither ill-looking
nor ill-natured, she _siento 'd muchissimo_, and still declared there
was naught more palatable than _frijoles_. However, our appetites were
keen, and we made a good deal go a little way, for we had ridden
nineteen leagues since midnight. Bidding adieu to my _vivo_ mule, by
patting his sleek neck--not the least the worse for his work, while the
horses were well nigh done up,--I gave him a loaf of bread, in gratitude
for bearing me safely. With a fresh relay of horses, and the sun on the
meridian, we left the brightly-painted meson, and continued our journey.
Ever since mounting up to the _tierra templada_, near Tepic, the climate
had been delightful--neither uncomfortably warm during the day, nor too
cool to travel with a serapa at night. By urging our cattle we made ten
leagues, and reached the town of Madalena at twilight, where a stubborn
old administrador refused to give me a change of horses. The fact was I
deceived myself, in supposing the journey could be made as quickly by
taking a cavallada from one city to another, as by the government post;
and through ignorance of the formalities, I had omitted to take out a
license. It is a very simple process, and consists in merely paying
exorbitantly, at about the rate of a third of a dollar per league for
the privilege of demanding beasts from agents on the roads--that is
supposing they are to be had, and generally they are not; but if there
chance to be found any beasts in the corral, they are such horrid
brutes, as not to be worth, even to a cunning cabman, the rial you are
to pay per league. These are the animals pertaining to the Republic.
After a mournful inspection of their raw hides and protruding ribs, the
administrador may possibly hint that if the traveller requires a good
horse there are two or three belonging to a neighbor that might be
procured by paying over and over the legal charge. This system of
corruption is the chief cause of the heavy expense of travelling in
Mexico: honesty in its lightest sense is unknown, and the principle
throughout nearly all classes is one of fraud and extortion. Indeed if
the rage for foreign travel eve