tered the
_patio_, when the rest suddenly balked, and started to run out onto the
street. Hearing the confusion, I started down and caught one of the
women as she neared the doorway, while Louis held another, and each of
the police officers, and Don Murcio, seized a prisoner. So violent,
however, were the struggles, and so loud the outcries of the woman whom
I held, that I released her, which was the unintended signal for each of
the other guards to do the same, and our group vanished and all thought
of gathering a second was given up in desperation.

[Illustration: TZOTZIL BROTHERS; CHAMULA]

[Illustration: TZENDAL FATHER AND SON; TENEJAPA]

The morning had thus passed; animals for the further journey had been
ordered for ten o'clock, and were really ready a little before three.
For once, however, _we_ were not prepared. It was our custom to pack the
busts in petroleum boxes; these boxes, each holding a five-gallon can of
oil, are of just the size to take a single bust, and they are so thin
and light, yet at the same time, so well constructed, that they served
our purpose admirably. In small indian towns, they are frequently
unobtainable, but in the places where _mestizos_ live, it had been
always easy to procure them, at prices varying from ten to twenty-five
cents each. In a town the size of San Cristobal, it should be easy to
get them; to our surprise, we found that they had been in such demand,
for carrying purposes by public workmen, that the supply was small and
the price outrageous. We had left the securing of the boxes and the
packing of the busts to our plaster-worker, and, though we knew he had
had difficulty, imagined that he had secured all needed, and that the
busts would be all ready. Diligent search, however, had secured but two
boxes, and ridiculous prices had been demanded for those. All of us took
to the streets, visiting stores and private houses, and at last five
boxes were secured, though they were a dilapidated lot, with bad covers.
For these we paid an average of sixty-two cents each. Realizing the time
and labor necessary for securing boxes, stuff for packing, and for the
work of putting up the busts, we dismissed our horsemen, and arranged
for leaving the next morning. In fact, night had fallen before our work
was done. Leaving a little before eight, we had a magnificent mountain
ride. For a league or more, we rose steadily over a cart-road; keeping
at a high altitude, and, with but little of