TO LA MAGDALENA. 417 
try and beyond the dreaded cafion, our Mexican 
friends showed themselves less desirous of keeping 
as close to us as they had done. Soon after they 
told us they wished to reach Imuriz before night, 
when we took leave of them; and having already 
come thirty miles, we thought best to stop near the 
little town of Babasaqui. Our general course during 
the day had been south south-west. We passed many 
deserted ranchos with fine orchards near them; but 
hot a living being had been seen until we reached 
this settlement. In the orchards we found more fruit 
than we had seen before—from the fact, probably, that 
there were but few travellers this way, and people did 
not dare venture so far from their homes for the luxury. 
We gathered a supply of delicious peaches, with which 
we filled our haversacks and pockets. Many wild cat- 
tle were seen to-day, some of which crossed our path 
quite near us. A bull gave chase to Mr. Thurber, and 
pursued him until he regained our camp. 
After the tents were pitched, we strolled up to the 
village, where we found an uncle of Inez. He had not 
before heard of the restoration of his niece, and express- 
ed a thousand thanks to us all. In the evening, he, 
with several others, came to our camp, bringing milk, 
cheese, tortillas, and peaches, which they begged us to 
accept. It was all they had to give except their 
thanks, and they seemed much pleased at our accept- 
ing them. The people here seemed very quiet and 
well disposed, with well cultivated fields, which showed: 
that they devoted a portion of their time, at least, to 
labor. A man living here who had a contract to furnish 
the government with five hundred head of cattle, told 
VOL. 1.—27 
