OTHER ASPECTS OF THE MEXICAN 135 



' Este camino, senor ?' 



4 Si, si, senora ' 



The rest became hopelessly involved in a 

 repetition of circular demonstrations, in- 

 terrupted somewhat rudely and excitedly by 

 my horse, who has a habit of protesting 

 against lengthy native discourses. But I 

 discovered later that what that ancient sage 

 meant to convey was the fact that two roads 

 pointing in diametrically opposite directions 

 arrived in due course at one and the same 

 goal. 



Finally, after scaling one of the lofty, un- 

 protected bridges which clamber awkwardly, 

 and in the case of a spirited team somewhat 

 perilously, over the large acequias, I found 

 myself surveying a wide level expanse, 

 sprinkled here and there with brown dabs. 

 Which of these dabs was the home of my 

 trading friend ? I looked around, and on the 

 hither side of the acequia my eyes lighted on 

 a family party seated at breakfast beneath the 

 shed of the country four bigas, or posts, 

 upholding a roof of brush. The fire for per- 

 forming the simple culinary duties of the 

 Mexican smoked on the hard-trodden ground 



