TO PARRAS. 471 
well, whence it is conducted into a long trough built 
of stone. Here the mules and cattle drank, the wo- 
men did their washing, the people in general per- 
formed their ablutions, and got their supply of water 
to drink. By tapping the fountain near its source, we 
got pure water.* 
November 18th. On leaving El Gallo (as it is often 
called for shortness) we entered some low hills, and 
soon after crossed a plain about twelve miles wide, 
when we reached a range of rocky hills with fantastic 
summits. Through defiles in these we passed, and 
entered a broad valley beyond, such as we had not 
* Much as the people of the United States have been ridiculed on 
account of the singular names applied by them to places, those of Mexi- 
Co are at least equally guilty in this respect. Every State has all the 
saints in the calendar applied to something ; either a village, hacienda, 
ora rancho; and the Guadalupes and Concepcions are as common as 
our Washingtons and Franklins, The aboriginal names are, many of 
them, very pretty and sonorous, and these are often retained, but not 
Without some holy prefix, generally the name of a saint, as though we 
were to say, Saint Nicholas of Manhattan, Saint Peter of Passama- 
quoddy, ete. In looking over a geographical dictionary I find the fol- 
lowing, some of which occur as often as our Adamses and Jeffersons. 
Nombre de Dios, The name of God. 
Madre de Dios, po Mother of God. 
Todos 0s, li Saints. 
Corpus Christi, te s Body. 
Trinidad, Trinity. 
Valgame Dios, oe save ME. 
Sacramento, jacrament. 
La Purissima Concepcion, Phe noe pers Coueiptiet 
Dolores, The pb ay 
Lvs Cinco Sefiores, ve 
San Pedr del Boos Leones, Saint Peter of the Lion's mouth. 
Santa pag del Rosaria, Holy Cross of the — 
Cieneguita de Jesus Maria, iss oad sd te 
La Santa Magdalena, The Holy Me 
