168 The Isthmus of Tehuantepec. 



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huts, about ten miles apart, all over his land. Once a year 

 he makes a tour of inspection, brands the calves, cuts the 

 bulls, and notes the increase and condition of the whole. 

 When he is at one of the little settlements, he acts as um- 

 pire for all disputes, and presides at marriage ceremonies. 

 At this season his agents are paid, and during the time of 

 his stay there is a succession of feasting and dancing. 



The dance of the Mexicans is called the fandanpo, and 

 is performed by the women, alone. They dance without 

 sandals; the measured beating of their bare feet upon the 

 planks can be heard at a distance of half a mile. 



The cattle are small, with large, wide-spreading horns. 

 After the branding season, they are turned loose, to care 

 for themselves until collected and driven into the inclosure 

 the following year. 



Near the sea coast, the lands which are pasture in summer, 

 are overflowed by the rivers, in the wet season. Then the 

 cattle retreat into the mountains, and make a poor winter, 

 from the leaves, and little grass growing there. In the 

 spring they are driven down by the herdsmen to the plains 

 again, and may often be seen, by thousands, obstructing all 

 . the roads and passes, and filling the air with their deafen- 

 ing roar. 



A Mexican road, after one of these droves has passed 

 over it, looks like the muddy bed of a canal. The mud is 

 knee deep, covered with dung, and filled with little bugs 

 called ticks which have dropped from the cattle. 



These fasten on horse and rider and live as parasites, 

 increasing very rapidly in numbers. To free himself from 

 these ticks, the traveler must search his person dili- 

 gently, and exterminate them daily. I remember that I 

 usually killed five or six each day, and on one day, sixteen. 

 They creep into the shoes, go down the neck and enter 

 every opening, rent, and seam of the clothing, where they 

 can hide. 



