MESSING AROUND IN MEXICO 



Now, I hate brilliant ideas; I detest people 

 who have them. Having been on other trips 

 with Ed, I know him for what he is a wind- 

 lass hunter. He wears out an anchor hoisting 

 it before it has hit bottom; so, therefore, I 

 declared I was cut to measure for the spot I 

 was then in, and Wilson took the same stand. 



When we voiced our intention of taking 

 Eddie along as interpreter, Ed fought as a 

 lioness fights for her cub, but we prevailed. 

 We threw some grub together, went ashore, 

 and the yacht sailed north. 



Up at Macario's house were two somnolent 

 burros, also some native-made aparejos, raw- 

 hide rope, and the like. Upon one animal we 

 lashed our food and bedding; upon the other 

 we loaded a cylindrical steel tank containing 

 enough water for several days. 



It sounds easy to tie one hundred and fifty 

 pounds of water upon the spine of a docile 

 burro, even without the aid of a pack saddle. 

 So it is. But to tie it there without even 

 driving a nail into the animal or screwing in 

 a few clothes hooks, and have it remain tied 

 after the burro moves that is another matter. 

 There are probably half a dozen simple, easy 

 cowboy "hitches" that will do the trick; 

 17 251 



