r and on the trees, were curious and striking. The boys kept
busy shooting and skinning birds all the afternoon. In the evening, the
men built a fire with charcoal in a tin-lined box in the end of the
canoe, and toasted _tortillas_ and made coffee. The awning was scarcely
large enough to cover the whole party comfortably, when we lay down
to sleep, but we wrapped up in blankets and spread mats for beds. We
suffered intensely with the cold, sleeping little. At five o'clock our
boat came to a stop along the bank, and at six it was light enough to
disembark and explore. Climbing up a little bank of clay, we found
ourselves on a flat meadow, covered with grass and weeds, through which
narrow trails ran to a few scattered palm-thatched huts. With a letter
from the _jefe_, we called at Senora Mora's house. This lady was a
widow, whose husband had but lately died; she was well to do, and
promised to supply us with animals after we should have had our
breakfast. This was long preparing, but at last good coffee, fine
_enchiladas_ and cheese were served, and, after eating heartily, we
found six animals ready for us. When we asked for our account, the good
lady replied that the bill was $2.00. It was plain that she had made no
charge for either breakfast or animals, but only something for the
boys whom she sent along to bring back the beasts. At about eleven, we
started on what was called seven leagues, but what was certainly the
longest nine leagues we had travelled for a long time. We had excellent
horses that kept up a steady jog. Still, it was after five when we
reached Ozuluama. The journey was for the most part over a _llano_,
thicket-covered and sprinkled, here and there, with groves of palm;
the soil was dark clay, which in spots, wet by recent rains, was hard
travelling for the animals. We caught sight of the town, prettily
located upon a hill-slope, about an hour before we reached it. From it,
we looked out over an extensive stretch of dark green plains, broken,
here and there, by little wooded hillocks, none of them so large as that
upon which Ozuluama itself is situated. Riding to the town-house,
the _secretario_ was at once sent for. He ordered supper, and put a
comfortable room, behind the office, at our disposal. On the back porch,
just at our door, was chained a tiger-cat. It belonged to the _jefe_,
and was a favorite with his little children, but since they had been
gone, it had been teased until it had developed an