SIX MONTHS TN MEXICO. 87 



path lay through corn fields, orchards, and 

 gardens. Apples, pears, and peaches, almost 

 obstructed our way; and fields of potatoes and 

 beans in blossom might, but for the swarthy 

 and thinly clothed inhabitants who gazed with 

 surprise at our advance, and the luxuriance of 

 the nopal or the great American aloe, in full 

 bloom, have made us fancy ourselves in Eng- 

 land. We rode up to the church, and on 

 dismounting presently found ourselves sur- 

 rounded by numbers of men and boys, all 

 eager to render us any assistance in their 

 power, A small room adjoining this edifice, 

 called the comunidad, provided by govern- 

 ment for the reception of strangers, was 

 pointed out to us as our residence for the 

 night; where having spread our mattresses 

 on the floor, and given the Indians directions 

 for the suppers of ourselves and horses, we 

 walked out to examine the church. It was 

 the eve of the feast of St. Mark, or, as the 



