ADVENTURES OF A YOUNG NATURALIST. 



old man introduced us to his eldest son, named Torribio, a man 

 aliout forty years of age. His clothing was not quite so primitive 

 as that of his father, but consisted of slashed trousers orna- 

 mented with silver buttons, a cotton shirt, and a felt hat covered 

 ■\vith varnished leather. The little colony employed themselves 

 iu collecting cochineal, which Torribio carried to Puebla for 

 sale, and this fact accounted for his more civilised costume. 

 At length the old man asked us to come into his hut, round 

 which a large part of his family were assembling. He called his 

 wife, who was a little old woman, dressed in a long cotton gown ; 

 then he addressed us, pointing to his children and grandchildren, 

 and said — 



"You are my guests ; my house is at your disposal, and all 

 my relatives are your servants." 



