orning, April 2d, having completed all our
work, we started from El Triunfo for our last ride of the season. We
could easily have gone, starting in the early morning, to El Salto
before night; as it was, Don Enrique planned a different method. We had
good animals, which he had loaned us, or for which he had arranged for
us with the muleteers. At two o'clock we reached La Trinidad, where he
had promised that we should eat the finest meal in the State of Chiapas.
We found a complete surprise. Trinidad is little more than a _finca_,
or _rancho_, but it has an _agente_, and quite a population of Chol
indians. The _agente_ was a decent-looking fellow, active and ambitious;
he talks a little English, and is something of an amateur photographer.
His house of poles and mud presented no notable external features, but
within, it was supplied with furniture so varied and abundant as is rare
in any part of Mexico. Chairs, rockers, tables, cupboards, washstands,
all were there; and beds, real beds, which for cleanness were marvels.
As soon as we entered the house, fresh water and clean towels were
brought. On the tables were vases of fresh-gathered flowers, in
quantities, and beautifully arranged. The visible service for all this
elegance, and for the meals, were two little indian girls not more than
six or eight years old, neatly dressed, and an indian boy of the same
size and cleanness. The invisible helpers were buxom indian girls,
well-dressed and clean, but who never came into the room where we were,
leaving all carrying, setting of tables, and serving, in the hands of
these three little servants. There was, indeed, one other person in the
household--a beautiful girl, slender and refined, whose relation to
the master I do not know, but who was treated by him as if she were
a veritable queen, or some lovely flower in the wilderness. Here we
rested, ate and slept in comfort, and here, when morning came, we paid
a bill which ordinarily would have seemed large; however, if one finds
beautiful flowers in the wilderness, he must expect to pay. It was worth
while paying to enjoy the best sleep, in the best bed, that one had had
for months.

[Illustration: A CHOL FAMILY; LA TRINIDAD]

[Illustration: CHOLS; LA TRINIDAD]

The _agente_ rode with us in the morning quite a league upon our road,
to a place which he was clearing for a _milpa_. We had heard so much
of the horrors of the road to El Salto, that we were prepared for the
worst.