ll Monday night; but hardly had we rested a little,
and eaten dinner, when Eustasio announced that we should spend the night
here, and not leave until the following afternoon. He said the animals
were hot and tired from travelling in the daytime, and that to push on
would defeat our plans. He swore that, unless God decreed otherwise, we
should reach Tuxtla Gutierrez by the promised date. There was nothing
for it but submission, though we would gladly have chosen a more
interesting town than Union Hidalgo for a stay of almost two days. When
evening came, I took my bed of poles out into the open air, into the
space between two houses; Ramon lay down upon a loaded _carreta_, also
out of doors, while Louis and Manuel took possession of hammocks in one
of the houses. It was a cloudless night, with brilliant moon. The air
soon grew cool. After midnight, I was aroused by the most frightful
yelling, and opening my eyes, I saw a barefooted, bareheaded Indian
yelling out the most frightful imprecations and oaths. At first I
thought that he was insulting some one in the house, but both the houses
were fast closed. Ramon, completely wrapped in his blanket, could
attract no notice, and I did not believe that I had been observed, nor
that I was addressed. For quite ten minutes the crazy drunkard stood
there in the moonlight, bawling out a frightful torrent of abuse,
invective, and profanity, with an occasional "_Viva Mexico! Muere
Guatemala_!" patriotically thrown in.

[Illustration: THE DRUNKARD'S EXCHANGE; UNION HIDALGO]

[Illustration: BEFORE REACHING UNION HIDALGO]

At last he disappeared, but for a long time could be heard howling,
as he went from house to house. Believing that it might be well to be
prepared for intruders, I arose and pulled a stake from one of the
carts, and laid it at my side, upon the bed. But I was soon fast asleep
again. Awaking at five, I found myself so cold, and the dew so heavy,
that I dressed, and wrapped my blanket around me, and sat up, waiting
for daylight. At 5:30 our drunken friend passed again, somewhat less
voluble, but still vociferous. He was absolutely crazed with drink, and
through the day several times made his appearance, and always with a
torrent of abuse and profanity which made one's blood run cold. Before
the day was well begun, a second person, almost as drunk, but far more
quiet, a nice-looking old man, began making similar visits about the
village. The two drunkards, differing in