sed sending to-morrow to those towns, and
assured us that, at the end of a week's time, we would have all the
subjects we needed. So, when we suggested that this, too, was loss of
time, he had other brilliant plans, all quite as useless. With the
utmost difficulty we finally succeeded in getting him to arrange for
animals to go to Papalo. From the very start, the road was up-hill.
Passing first through a section covered with a magnificent growth of
tree cactuses of two species, in fine fruit and flower, we found the
vegetation varied as we mounted, and at last came up among the pines.
There was a great variety of landscape and geological formation.
Purple-red conglomerate, with horizontal layers weathered into massive
forms; granitic schistose rocks, over which we later passed, gave their
peculiar scenic outlines. We climbed steadily for fully four hours,
and then looked down, along a gently sloping hill trail, to our town,
perched upon a slightly lower hill. Just at the edge of the town, we
passed a gang of men and boys at work, making a level platform for the
new _plaza_ and town-house. We congratulated ourselves that we should
have no difficulty, here, in finding subjects. The town claimed three
thousand population. Many of them were certainly away upon their fields
and ranches, scattered through the mountains, and working _fincas_ for
wealthy landowners. The town itself is picturesque in the extreme.
Notable among its features is the ruined church, the roof of which has
fallen in; the walls still stand, bare and broken, but the decorations,
some richly carved and gilded, are still unmoved within the
demolished edifice. The damage was recent, and represented a double
catastrophe--lightning and earthquake.

[Illustration: CACTUS; CUICATLAN]

We could not begin work until the _mozo_ came with the instruments.
Finally, at four o'clock in the afternoon, we began measuring with no
great difficulty. Before night, fifteen subjects had passed through our
hands and one bust had been made. Even when we arrived, at midday, it
was too cold for us to stay with comfort in the town-house, though it
was hot enough outside in the sunshine. When night came, it was bitter
cold, and we went to bed early in hope of keeping warm, a hope without
foundation. Early the next morning, we were ready for our work. Every
one had disappeared, except those whom we had measured the night before.
We requested the town authorities to bring in subject