SIX MONTHS !,N MEXICO. 35 



being devoured by the surrounding dogs. 

 Day-light at length brought us relief, and, 

 clearing our persons from the deposits of the 

 poultry that had roosted over our heads, we 

 reloaded our carriage, and proceeded on a 

 better road than heretofore, it having in some 

 parts been carried at considerable labour and 

 expense, over morasses which would otherwise 

 have been impassable. This was the dry 

 season, so that the ground and man^of the 

 trees were quite bare ; but where the waters re- 

 mained (and we travelled over such a tract 

 for some miles) the most luxuriant and mag- 

 nificent plants appeared in full vegetation, 

 and formed the strongest contrast to the 

 sterility we had passed. In several beautiful 

 situations, at short distances from the road, 

 we observed Indian huts neatly built, covered 

 with the leaves of the palm, and lined with 

 mats, making a very different appearance 

 from those on the way side where aguardiente 



d 2 



