128 THE ADVENTURES OF 



The nutmeg is not cultivated in Mexico, and the tree that pro- 

 duces it is rather rare. The Indians, however, use an enormous 

 quantity of the Molucca nutmegs, either as a remedy or as a con- 

 diment, — nutmegs, camphor, and asafoetida being the principal 

 Indian remedies. I next pointed out to my young companion a 

 plant named the hlue, herb, the leaves of which stain the water in 

 which they are soaked with a lovely azure tinge. In Mexico a 

 variety of this vegetable is cultivated, in order to extract from 

 it the colouring matter commonly known under the nam6 of 

 indigo. 



" But how do they manage," asked Lucien, " to obtain from a 

 plant those dark-blue stones that I have seen sold in the 

 market?" 



" About the month of March," I answered, " are gathered the 

 fresh leaves of the indigo-plant, which is one of the leguminous 

 family, and pound them in mortars made out of the trunks of 

 trees. The sap which results from these leaves, when subjected 

 to a heavy pressure, is of a greenish tinge, and sometimes even 

 colourless ; it does not become blue until after fermentation in 

 the open air. The Indians then boil it in an immense copper, 

 and, the water evaporating, the indigo is left in the form of a 

 soft and gelatinous paste, which is subsequently dried in the 

 sun. 



On approaching the foot of the mountain, I found that it 

 would be impossible for us to climb it the next day, the slope 

 being too steep. I sat down on the trunk of a fallen tree, when 

 I detected a very decided smell of roses. Under the bark of a log 

 esquina Lucien had discovered five or six beautiful insects, of an 

 azure-blue colour, with red feet ; these insects are very common 

 in the sandy soUs of Tehuacan, and are used by the ladies of 

 that district to perfume their linen. Delighted at his discovery, 

 Lucien continued his search, hoping to find some more specimens 

 which he intended to take to his mother. He was kneeling 

 down and working energetically, when he pointed out to me an 

 enormous caterpillar. 



It was of an emerald-green colour, and had on its back a row 

 of little projections like small trees, symmetrically arranged. 



