egretted that we could
not wait until her husband came, as she had sent him word of our
arrival, and was expecting him. We assured her that she had done
everything which he could possibly have done, had he been present, and
that we should, with pleasure, report our satisfaction to the _jefe_.

[Illustration: INDIAN CARRIERS RESTING]

[Illustration: DRIVING PIGS, NEAR CANCUC]

The _cargador_ whom she supplied, was a comfort, after the wretched
sluggards whom we had lately had. With our instruments upon his
shoulders, he trotted, like a faithful dog, directly at our side, from
start to finish, never showing the least weariness or sense of burden.
Both foot _mozos_ and _arrieros_ through this district carry a mass of
_posole_ with them on a journey. Unlike that which Eustasio and his
Zapotec companions carried, the mass here is pure corn, white and moist,
being kept wrapped in fresh banana leaves; at every brook-side, a
_jicara_ of fresh water is dipped, and a handful of _posole_ is squeezed
up in it till thoroughly mixed, when it is drunk. It tastes a little
sour, and is refreshing. At 11:15, we passed the bridge over the stream
on which Chilon is built, and a moment later drew up at the town-house.
Here we regretted that our serious work with the Tzendals was done.
We were received royally, and told that our house was ready. This was
really so, a pretty little house of three good rooms having been cleaned
and prepared for our use. We lay down and napped until the good dinner,
which had been started when we had first been seen upon the road, and
some time before we reached the village, was ready. Sitting on the porch
of our little house, and looking out over bushes, full of roses, in the
garden before us, we rested until the greatest heat of the day was past,
when we started, and pushed on over the three leagues that lay between
us and Yajalon, where we arrived at near sunset. The town is large, and,
in great part, indian. The women dressed more gaily than in any other
Tzendal town which we have seen; their _huipils_ were decorated with a
mass of bright designs, worked in colored wools or silk. Here we saw our
first Chol, a carrier, passing through the village with his load; in
order to make a start upon our final tribe, we had him halted, to take
his measurements and picture. At this town, we stopped at a sort of
boarding-house, or traveller's-rest, close by the town-house, kept by
a widow with several children. We imp