ressed upon this good woman the
necessity of having breakfast without fail at five o'clock, as we wished
to make an early start, stopping at Hidalgo for work during the hotter
portion of the day, and pressing on to Tumbala at night. The poor
creature kept me awake all night, making her preparations for the meal,
which was to be a masterpiece of culinary art, and at four o'clock
routed us all out with the report that breakfast was waiting on the
table. It was a turkey-breakfast, too.

CHAPTER XXVI

CHOLS

(1901)

Of course, after such a start, we were delayed in getting the animals
ready for the journey, and the sun had been up full half an hour when we
left. It was a short ride to Hidalgo, which lies prettily in a small,
flat valley, on a good-sized stream. We were doubtful about our
reception, for Yajalon was the last town in Valencia's district, and we
had no documents to present to the town officials, until we should reach
El Salto, the _cabecera_, except our general letter from Governor
Lopez. It is true that the _presidente_ of Yajalon, at our request, had
telephoned Hidalgo that we came highly recommended, and that everything
possible must be done for our assistance. The _agente_ was an old man,
suffering from headache, who showed but listless interest in our work.
In a general way, he gave us his endorsement, and we, therefore, took
the management into our own hands. He had kept the people in town,
so that we had subjects, though fewer than we had hoped. We measured
twenty-seven men, and there were really no more in the town, the rest
being away on _fincas_. The men gave us no trouble, but the women were
another matter. Several times we issued orders that they be brought to
the town-house for measurement, and each time, after an effort to obey
our orders, we were told that they would not come. "Very good," said I,
"if they will not come, it is plain that we must go and measure them in
their houses." Accompanied by the town government, we started on our
rounds. The first house was tightly closed, and no reply was made to our
demands for entrance. The second was the same; one might imagine that
it had been deserted for weeks. At the third, the door was opened, and
within, an aged woman, ugly, bent, decrepit. Here we measured. The next
house, and the next, and the next, were shut. And then another open
house contained another veritable hag. Passing several other houses,
tightly closed, we found a third