ISTHMUS OF TEHUANTEPEC 121 



district. They were hustling about, seeing things in a jolly, breezy 

 fashion that made them most welcome, and they helped me exceed- 

 ingly by giving me excellent photographs of nearby estates that I did 

 not have an opportunity to visit. 



When first I struck La Buena Ventura I must confess that the 

 languor of the climate, or else my own innate laziness, led me to take 

 things very easy. The hammock in the family room was most inviting, 

 and in spite of the fact that "Loro," the green parrot, watched until I 

 napped, and then climbed down from the rafters and gave me a friendly 

 bite, I luxuriated but only for a couple of days, and they were far 

 from wasted, as I drank in lots of information from my host. 



RUBIO. INTERIOR OF TEMPORARY OFFICE. 



The second day we started out to visit the neighbors. I wanted 

 to walk but that was out of the question, so I had my second experience 

 as a horseman. I was devoutly thankful that my little mare was lazy 

 nor did I mind it that she always managed to step on my toes just as I 

 prepared to mount. But she did take advantage of me when she chose 

 to stop on a log bridge not more than two feet wide and standing on three 

 legs tried to bite a fly that she pretended was on the fourth. I did 

 not fall off, but had I started her with voice or whip I think I should 

 have. She had a habit, too, of imagining she saw a snake ahead in 



