humid, though the temperature was at
86 deg. Fahr., and told us, what probably is true, that in this heavy, hot
weather, every wound and bruise, however trifling, is likely to become
serious. In illustration of this fact, the _cura_ mentioned that his
Spanish carpenter, who merely bruised his leg against the table, has
suffered frightfully for three months, having now an ugly sore several
inches across, that makes walking difficult. Great care is necessary
with any injury that breaks or bruises the skin. We ourselves had
already experienced the fact that insect-bites became ugly open sores
that showed no signs of healing; as a fact, none of us succeeded in
curing such for several weeks after leaving Yucatan. In the afternoon,
the priest, the judge of _primera instancia_ and myself took a coach
to ride out to a neighboring _hacienda_, where there was a great
sugar-mill, Louis accompanying us on horseback. Our road ran alongside
the ridge and consisted of red limestone-clay. It was fairly good,
though dry and dusty, and closely bordered with the usual Yucatecan
scrub. The ridge, along which we were coursing, is the single elevation
in the peninsula; beginning in northeastern Yucatan, it runs diagonally
toward the southwest, ending near Campeche. It is generally covered with
a dense growth of forest, unless artificial clearings have been made.
Covies of birds, like quail, were seen here and there, along the road,
and at one point a handsome green snake, a yard or more in length,
glided across the way. Snakes are said to be common, and among them
several are venomous--the rattlesnake, the coral-snake, and most dreaded
of all, a little dark serpent a foot or so in length, with an enormous
head, whose bite is said to be immediately fatal. There are also many
tree-snakes, as thick as a man's arm. In the forest, mountain-lions are
rare, but "tigers" are common. We found Santa Maria to be an extensive
_hacienda_, and the sugar-mill was a large structure, well supplied with
modern machinery, and turning out a large amount of product. We saw
a few of the indian hands, went through the factory, and were shown
through the owner's house, which has beautiful running water and baths,
though there is little furniture, and nothing of what we would consider
decoration. It was after dark before we started to town, and when we got
there we found two wedding parties waiting for the padre's services.

The promised crowd filled the market Sund