ted from our efforts to secure him. It was
the only subject among 3,000 Indians, with whom we failed to carry out
our work.

A story which the old judge had told us had its influence in my
permitting this subject to escape. These Mayas often die for spite, or
because they have made up their mind to do so. Don Manuel at one time
was summoned by a rich indian with whom he was well acquainted. The man
was not old, and had land, good houses, many head of cattle, much maize,
and many fowls. He had three children, and owned the houses near his own
in which they lived. Everything was prospering with him. Yet the message
to the judge was that he should come at once to hear this indian's last
words. With a companion he hastened to the house, and found the man in
his hammock, dressed in his best clothes, waiting for them. He seemed
in perfect health. When they accosted him, he told them he was about
to make his will, and say his last words. They told him that a man in
health had a perfect right to make his will, but remonstrated with him
for saying that he was about to speak his last words. He insisted,
however, that he was about to die. In vain they argued with him; he had
had his dream. He gave to one child, house, animals, corn, poultry; to
the second, similar gifts; to the third, the same. Then, having bidden
them all farewell, he lay down in his hammock, took no food or drink,
spoke to no one, and in six days was dead. Such cases are not uncommon
among Maya indians of pure blood.

When we reached home that night we found Ramon unwell. Next day, the
last of our stay at Tekax he was suffering with fever. He had done
no work while we were absent the day before, and all the packing and
doing-up of plaster fell upon the others of the party. As for him, he
collapsed so completely that it scared me. The ordinary _mestizo_ has
no power of resistance; no matter how trifling the disease, he suffers
frightfully and looks for momentary dissolution. It was plain from the
first moment that Ramon believed that he had the yellow fever; instead
of trying to keep at work or occupying himself with something which
would distract his attention, he withdrew into the least-aired corner of
a hot room and threw himself onto heap of rugs and blankets, in which
he almost smothered himself, cut off from every breath of fresh air. In
vain we urged him to exert himself; in the middle of the afternoon we
took him to the doctor, who assured us that the ca