CHAPTER XL 



April 30th we again left the capital to explore the lit- 

 tle known regions in the neighborhood of Patzcuaro, and 

 the volcano of JoruUo. Our journey was by the same road 

 which we took for Toluca. After leaving the latter place 

 the road crossed the Toluca Valley, and passed through the 

 Ixtlahuaca Tunnel. At Flor de Maria we secured a good 

 dinner, costing seventy-five cents. From Flor de Maria 

 we passed over a flat country, passed the gold workings of 

 El Oro, at Tultenango, the silver district of Tlalpujahua, 

 and entered Zopilote canon, along the precipitous sides of 

 which a space had been blasted just large enough for the 

 track. Above us hung great masses of granite, rising up 

 hundreds of feet; below dashed a beautiful stream, which 

 in one spot formed a waterfall of great beauty. The down 

 grade was very steep, and we entered the valley of Solis at 

 good speed. This valley was covered with brilliantly 

 colored flowers, presenting a very attractive scene. Mar- 

 avatio, a town of five thousand inhabitants, was soon 

 reached, after which we passed over a rather flat region, 

 following the windings of the Lerma River. Toward 

 Acambaro the scenery was very beautiful, the river being 

 lined with graceful cypress trees, festooned with Spanish 

 moss. From Acambaro we skirted the south shore of lake 

 Cuitzeo for twenty miles. The scene here was very 

 picturesque; the wall of rugged mountains in the distance, 

 the broad sheet of water, dotted here and there with 

 islands, green with a semi-tropical verdure, and the quaint 

 costumes of the people, made a very pleasing picture. 

 Darkness settled over us as we reached Morelia, 

 capital of the State of Michoacan, called by its Spanish 



