766 FINAL JOURNEYS AND WORK. [1885, 



over a near mountain, from the windows of our 

 room ; but by going half a mile east the whole comes 

 out splendidly. 



Sunday morning we were comparatively quiet, but 

 at 3.50 p. M. we were off for Cordoba, less than 

 an hour distant by rail, and 2,000 feet lower. A 

 queer little town, with only a poor, truly Mexican inn, 

 a set of rooms in the single story, all round a patio, 

 into which the country diligence drives, and on rear 

 side the stables back against the rooms, as Farlow 

 found to his discomfort, only a thin wall between his 

 room and the horse's mangers. Tile floors, cot-beds, 

 but clean, and the food certainly better than was to be 

 expected. 



Fine view of Orizaba. An American, Dr. Russell, 

 here, whom I looked up. And he took us to an 

 American German, Mr. Fink, who collects Orchids, 

 etc., commercially. He took us to a garden, and we 

 were going to the river bank and ravine, but, though 

 out of season, rain set in, and we came home rather 

 wet. 



I fear our afternoon excursion may be lost, but it 

 now looks like clearing. The way from Orizaba here 

 is magnificent, for mountains, railroad - engineering, 

 and culture vegetation. I hope we can get into some 

 wild tropical vegetation, but uncertain ; can stay here 

 only to-morrow at most. We are cut off from news of 

 all the world ; little could we get in Mexico city, less 

 since. . . . 



You would be amused, as I have laiown you to be 

 in Italy, at my knack of explaining myself by gesture, 

 and so getting on. . . . 



