it would be well for Yucatan if
many of her dead-and-alive villages had more such rabble.

The city stands at the foot of the sierra. Riding up the street, we had
in full view the church of La Hermita, with a broad flight of stone
steps scaling the side of the mountain. The streets were wide, the
houses large and in fine order, and one had three stories, with
balconies overhanging the street; and there was an appearance of life
and business which, coming as we did from Indian ranches, and so long
away from anything that looked like a city and the comforts and
elegances of living, was really exciting.

As we rode along a gay calesa approached us, occupied by a gentleman
and lady, well dressed and handsome, and, to our surprise, in the lady
we recognised the fair subject upon whom we had begun business as
Daguerreotype portrait takers, and whose gift of a cake had penetrated
the very leather of my saddle-bags. A few short weeks had made a great
change in her condition; she was now riding by the side of her lawful
proprietor. We attempted, by the courtesy of our salute, to withdraw
attention from our wearing apparel. Unluckily, Doctor Cabot's sombrero
was tied under his chin, so that he could not get it off. Mine, with
one of the strings carried away, described a circle in the air, and, as
the doctor maliciously said, disappeared under my horse. The gentleman
nodded condescendingly, but it was flattering ourselves to believe that
the lady took any notice of us whatever.

But though old friends forgot us, we were not unnoticed by the citizens
of Tekax. As we rode along all eyes were turned upon us. We stopped in
the plaza, which, with its great church and the buildings around it,
was the finest we had seen in the country, and all the people ran out
to the corridors to gaze at us. It was an unprecedented thing for
strangers to pass through this place. European saddles, holsters, and
arms were strange, and, including Albino, we made the cabalistic number
of three which got up the late revolution. Knowing the curiosity we
excited, and that all were anxious to speak to us, without dismounting
or exchanging a word with an inhabitant, we passed through the plaza
and continued our journey. The people were bewildered, as if the ragged
tail of a comet had passed over their heads; and afterward, at a
distant village, we heard the report that we had passed through Tekax
_vestidos como Moros_, or dressed like Moors. The good people,