CHAPTEE XXII. 



MEXICAN OAK-APPLES — A STREAM LOST IN AN ABYSS — THE WILD NAS- 

 TUETIITM — SPOETSMEN DECEIVED BY CHILDREN — THE GRAVE- 

 DIGGING BEETLES— THE COCHINEAL INSECT — MEXICAN WINE- 

 GOOD-BYE TO OUR INDIAN HOSTS. 



' S soon as it was light, 1 awoke Sumiclirast and Lucien. 

 L'Encuerado was sleeping so soundly after Ms exploits 

 of the night before, that we hesitated to disturb him. 

 I intended to hunt for insects ail day, so as to fill up the vacant 

 spaces in the specimen-boxes that Torribio was to take to Puebla ; 

 so we bent our steps towards the bottom of the valley. As the 

 inhabitants were still asleep in their huts, Gringalet passed safely 

 all his sleeping brother-dogs with his tail boldly cocked. 



The winding path brought us out into an extensive hollow 



