k to the cart-road. A little before eight we
came upon a ranch, the Ranchito del Boca del Rio. Here we asked our way,
and found that we were still as far from San Mateo, as when we left
Huilotepec the night before. Eating a light breakfast, we secured a
guide who took us, by the shortest way across the river, back to the
main trail for San Mateo, where he left us. The road was long and hot
and sandy. Our horses could hardly keep up a decent walk. It seemed that
we would never reach the town. More than an hour before we arrived at
the town, we encountered little ranches belonging to it. Everywhere we
saw flocks of sheep, cows and horses. Curiously, the Juaves have always
had herds, since our first records of them, but they eat no meat. The
country was more tropical than any through which we had passed. Clumps
of palm trees were to be seen here and there. Pools of standing water,
where horses and cattle stood cooling themselves, were frequent. The
people whom we met wore little clothing. Men frequently had nothing but
the breech-clout and hat. Women wore a skirt, but no upper garment.
Children up to ten and twelve years of age ran naked. Reaching San Mateo
at twelve o'clock, we found the village excited at our non-appearance.
Our _carretero_ had arrived long before with our luggage. He had told
the _presidente_ of our intended coming, and men from the town had been
sent through the by-roads to seek for us. The town lies on a level
stretch of sand, and the houses are built of canes and thatched with
palm. Most of the trees in the village are palms; some, cocoa palms. The
_plaza_ is a large open space. On one side of it is the church, of stone
and brick; on another side is the town-building made of brick, covered
with plaster, and consisting of three portions,--the _presidencia,
curato_, and jail. A brick-paved corridor, roofed above, runs before
the whole building. We were given the jail and _presidencia_ with the
corridor. Here hammocks and a bed of palm stalks were prepared for us,
and orders issued that eggs and _tortillas_ should be brought us. The
Juaves raise no crops. They are fishermen, and their food and living
come from the sea. Their dried fish and shrimps, and the salt, which
they make from the brine-soaked bottoms of dried lagoons, go far and
wide through the country, and for these they get in trade the corn,
coffee, chocolate, and raw cotton which they need. We have already
spoken of their cattle, which is a so