completed; the railroad station had been improved;
the old shack, where we slept in 1896, had been torn down, and a
construction track occupied its place; on the little rise behind, a
pretty and large hotel had been erected; on the higher land, to
the right, a line of well-built houses, making some pretension to
architectural effect, had been constructed. It was only after landing,
and walking through the older portions of the town, that any familiar
scenes were recognized. Though we were ready to land at five, and wished
to catch the train at seven, we were forced to wait for the official
inspection, and saw the longed-for train--and there would be no other
for two days--pull out before our eyes. Finally, at nine o'clock, we
were permitted to land. To my surprise, my shipping document was called
for, but, being produced, we were subjected to no difficulty. The
balance of the day was spent in wandering about the village, meeting
former acquaintances, attending to odds and ends of shipment, and
strolling on the familiar beach, which was still covered with scurrying
crabs and sprinkled with white "sand dollars." During the night, a
terrific norther blew, and the next day, cold, dull gray, rainy, kept us
in-doors. By this time, the purser of the "Hidalgo," who had himself had
yellow fever, and said he was familiar with it, had convinced us that
Ramon really had had a slight touch of that dread disease, but having
passed his tenth day of sickness, was destined to recover, and would be
no serious menace to other people.

CHAPTER XXIII

OX-CART EXPERIENCES

(1901)

On the following morning, at seven, we took the railroad train, and at
five at night had reached Tehuantepec, and were pleasantly located in
our old hotel, the Europa. On February 28, we visited the market, called
at the house of the _jefe politico_ for a letter to the town authorities
of Huilotepec, and visited Dr. Castle, whom we found much the same as
ever. We failed to find the _jefe_ at his office, though we went there
several times, but found him sitting in a _tienda_ much the worse for
drinking. He was charmed to see us, embraced us warmly, and told us that
his thoughts had frequently been with us since our former sojourn in
his district. New supplies of wine, and, on the appearance of certain
ladies, of champagne, were ordered in witness of his satisfaction. In
regard to our desires, he was delighted to learn that Louis was shooting
birds, decl