140 SPOKTING ADVENTURES 



reached the ship the same night, none the 

 worse for our expedition. 



On returning on board, I found a letter from 

 Mr. Heaven, to say that he was going to make 

 the attempt to reach San Bias with his wife 

 and family on the following day, and that in all 

 probability several other families would follow 

 his example. On receipt of this news several 

 of us decided to ride part of the way to meet 

 them. 



The next morning on landing we found the 

 custom-house deserted by the employes, who, 

 one and all took refuge on board the " Rein- 

 deer." The captain of the port had disappeared, 

 and his place was filled by one of Lozada's 

 officials. Almost all the horses and mules had 

 been either stolen by Lozada's soldiers or 

 hidden away to avoid being taken, and we 

 found it impossible to procure any conveyance. 

 A good-natured Frenchman, however, lent me 

 his mule, and, taking a young Mexican as guide, 

 I started on the road leading to Tepic. After 

 riding twenty-one miles, we halted at a village 



