along the coast to the latter port, on the following night, and
accordingly called on General Aristi, who endorsed my passport, and I
then took a post license. I was sorry to discharge my faithful old
guide, Cypriano, but a liberal donation, and present of the _pinto_
served to lessen our mutual grief. He still hung about the court-yard,
jealous of the attentions shown me by others, and buckling on my spurs,
affectionately pressed my legs at parting.

I rode about Tepic, with a young Englishman, who was handsome enough to
drive all the women in town distracted. The city has not the air of stir
and bustle, like other places of note in the interior, nor is it so well
built; it has charms, however, in quietude, in verdant fields, the
fertility of its lovely plain, its swift streams, long lines of gardens,
all looking as if calmly cradled in the arms of the giant sierras that
encircle it.

The rainy season was approaching, and whilst we were bathing in the
little rush and mat-built cabins by the river, the first shower
fell--there were numbers of ladies and children beneath the leafy
frames, which only served for shelter a moment, and at last, in
desperation, groups of them sallied out for a run to the town; the
effort was ineffectual, the gusts of wind and rain drove them back, with
light dresses completely saturated, and clinging to round pretty limbs
only more exposed in efforts to conceal them. Our gallant offers of
assistance were all in vain, they only screamed and laughed the louder
the nearer we advanced; thus on the wet grass they reclined, and
remained in the heavy rains until servants returned with shawls and
wrappers, when, with many a light laugh and flashing glance, they ran
across the plain.

Although prepared to leave Tepic at midnight, the rain was violent and
darkness too black to begin the journey. Towards daylight, with guide
and postboy, and closely buttoned _armas_, of skin leggings, with faces
turned from the tempest, we made the attempt. We had not proceeded much
beyond the city, when the roads became so exceedingly slippery over a
clayey soil, and our progress so tedious and dangerous, that we
dismounted at a rancho, and were compelled to remain until near noon. By
this time the heaviest clouds had apparently squeezed themselves dry,
and under light droppings we again pushed on and commenced descending
very gradually from the grand plateau towards the Tierra Caliente below.
This I did not accomp