rlos, back to Oaxaca. Our first duty in the city of Oaxaca was to
procure letters and orders from the governor. No governor in Mexico more
completely realizes his importance and dignity than Governor Gonzales of
Oaxaca. It is ever difficult to secure an audience with him; appointment
after appointment is made, only to be broken when the inquiring visitor
presents himself, and has been kept waiting an undue length of time. We
had been through the experience before, and therefore were not surprised
that it required four visits, each of them appointed by the governor
himself, before we really had our interview. Governor Gonzales, is,
however, an excellent officer. While we were waiting for our letters,
after having explained to him our errand and plan of procedure, we had
the opportunity to see a somewhat unusual and interesting sight. Like
all public buildings and better-grade houses in Mexican cities, the
governor's palace is built about _patios_, or inner courts. A wide
balcony surrounds the court at the level of the second story and upon
it the rooms of that story open. Having given orders that our letters
should be prepared, the governor excused himself for a few moments, as
he said that certain of his local authorities were ordered to meet him.
We were seated where we could watch the reception. As we had entered the
palace we had been impressed by the great number of indians, carrying
official staves, who were waiting near the door. We now found that they
were official delegates from the different towns, and that they had been
sent from their homes to give the governor New Year's greetings. Having
carefully arrayed himself for the meeting, the governor took his
position in the wide balcony already referred to, with two officials of
the palace stationed near, one on either side. The Indians represented
perhaps twenty-five different towns, the delegation from each town
varying from three or four to fifteen or twenty persons. All were
dressed in their cleanest garments, and all carried their long staves of
office, most of which had ribbons of bright colors streaming from them.
The secretary of the governor arranged these delegations in their order,
and they were presented one by one to the chief executive. As each
delegation was presented, its members scraped and bowed, and the
_presidente_ and _secretario_ kissed the governor's hand. A word or two
of greeting having been exchanged, the spokesman from the village made a
s