away $150,000. According to another view, they
were connected with an important band of forgers and robbers, who had
been carrying on extensive operations. The most minutely detailed story,
however, was that she had been the mistress and favorite of Francisco
Canton, Governor of the State of Yucatan; that, pleased with a younger
and handsomer man, she had stolen $7,000 from His Excellency, and
attempted an elopement; that, captured, they were being sent as
prisoners, nominally to Mexico. Whether any of these stories had a basis
of fact, we cannot say, but from remarks the prisoners themselves made
to us, we feel sure that the centre of their trouble was Merida, and
that, in some way, they had offended the pompous governor. At all
events, it is likely that, long before these words are written, both
have met their death upon the road. It is a common thing for prisoners,
passing along the Cordillera, to be shot "while attempting to escape
from their guard."

The _jefe politico_ of this district is a man of education, and
professional ability; he is a physician, trained in the City of Mexico;
he is ingenious in mechanics, and has devised a number of instruments
and inventions of a scientific kind. He had been but a short time in
this district, having come from Tonala, where he has a _finca_. He
entertained us at his house, while we were there, and showed us every
assistance. It is plain, however, that he found us a white elephant upon
his hands. Not that his willingness was lacking, but where should
he find one hundred indian men? We pestered him almost to death for
subjects, when at last his _secretario_ suggested the district jail.
This was a veritable inspiration. There they were sure we would have no
difficulty in finding the remainder of our hundred. To the jail we went,
but out of seventy-five prisoners fully half were Tzotzils from Chamula
and not Zoques. More than half of the remainder were not indian, but
_mestizos_. In fact, out of the total number, only a baker's dozen
served our purpose. When we again presented ourselves, the following
morning, for subjects, the poor man was in genuine desperation. But
again his assistant made a shrewd suggestion. Yesterday we were at the
jail; to-day we should go to the _cuartel_, and measure the soldiers.
There were two hundred there, and this would more than see us through.
The _jefe_ himself accompanied us to the barracks and introduced us to
the colonel, leaving orders that