s carried after those invited in had
eaten. Through all this lengthy feasting the bands of music alternated
with each other. When all had eaten, the women quickly cleared the
house, the tables were moved, and all the chairs of the neighborhood
were set stiffly around the walls, after which dancing began, continuing
through the night.

[Illustration]

After having eaten, we stepped outside to visit with the crowd. Among
them, several drunken men showed special friendliness. One of these
insisted upon showing us an idol, which, from his description, should
have been a rather beautiful piece. It turned out to be a very
crudely-made head, wrought in coarse, cellular lava. Considering the
material, the work was really fine; nor was it a fragment broken from
the body, as there had never been more than what we saw. From here, a
yet more drunken _dulcero_ insisted on our going to his _dulceria_ and
bake-shop, where he told us that he had a much finer piece. We found
he really had an enormous head, made of coarse, but rather bright, red
stone; it was another example of the same type of separate head, a type
which must be characteristic of the district.

Notwithstanding the fine promises, we found no beds or other furniture
when we returned to our room. This was not, perhaps, surprising, in view
of the excitement over the wedding, which might drive lesser matters out
of the mind of the great official. With difficulty, we secured some mats
from the chief of police, and made our beds with these upon the desks
and benches of the school room. But, though we remained in Coixtlahuaca
several days, no beds were forthcoming, though we referred to them often
enough; nor did the private boarding-house materialize. We, however,
found a little place in the village where we got plenty of good food
cheaply. Nor did the ride on horseback through the neighboring villages,
which had been so pleasantly suggested by the _jefe_, materialize.
However, each day of our stay we were assured that all arrangements had
been made for it to take place on the morrow.

We have already mentioned the _plaza_ as large in proportion to the size
of the town. On Sunday it was crowded, and while many things were bought
and sold, the trade in _sombreros_ surpassed all others. This is a
specialty of all the district; throughout the Chocho towns, they make an
excellent grade of palm-hats and everyone engages in the making. Both
men and women braid palm, and in every