2l6 THE ADVENTURES OF 



The voice of the old man woke me next morning, and I got up 

 at the same time as Sumichrast, who was still in a semi-torpid 

 state from having slept so well. Lucien and rEncuerado, who 

 had risen earlier, had already explored the ravine, led by the 

 youngest of the children ; for the elder ones worked, according 

 to their several abilities, at collecting wood or cultivating the 

 fields. 



Our first care was to unpack the insects and bird-skins we had 

 collected, and the whole colony now surrounded us and asked us 

 innumerable questions. To our great disappointment, we found 

 we could only retain the most remarkable of our " treasures.'' 

 Hitherto, the bird-skins had taken the place in the basket- of the 

 provisions we had eaten ; but, after making an inventory, I came 

 to the conclusion that, when our provisions were renewed, it 

 would be perfectly impossible for I'Encuerado to travel with such 

 an increased load. So we were compelled to reject many of the 

 specimens, though not without regret. Suddenly the idea struck 

 me of questioning Coyotepec about his son's annual journey to 

 Puebla. 



" He will start in fifteen days," answered the old man. 



"Will he go alone?" 



" No ; he takes with him three of our biggest lads and six 

 donkeys." 



" And are the donkeys laden ?" 



" Yes ; but the boys start without any burden." 



In an hour's time (an Indian never decides anything without 

 much consideration) I arranged with my host that he should 

 transport to Puebla two cases, in which I could pack my 

 valuables. 



Such a piece of good luck made us feel quite jolly; for by this 

 means we were enabled to preserve the whole of our collections . 

 instead of throwing many of them away, as had often before hap- 

 pened. 



We were now in want of cases, and Coyotepec had neither 

 saw, hammer, nor nails ; but he gave me some rough boards, on 

 which we all set to work. 



L'Encuerado and Sumichrast smoothed the planks with the 



