158 SIX MONTHS IN MEXICO. 



I went to take formal possession of the silver 

 mine of Milan or Del Bada, We slept the 

 first night at Lerma, where we were joined 

 by Mr. Goulde and his servant, and on the 

 second reached St. Miguel de las Ranchos, 

 drenched with heavy rain, but my Indian 

 friends supplied us with every comfort in 

 their power. The next morning brought us 

 to Themascaltepec, where the judge, or 

 governor, received me with the greatest 

 politeness, assured me he rejoiced in the 

 prospect of foreigners, and particularly of 

 the English, settling among them, as he was 

 convinced, that by means of their capital 

 and improved machinery, the mineral wealth 

 of the country would be again brought into 

 circulation, and the people be fully em- 

 ployed. We spent the evening with him, in 

 the course of which he intimated that, under- 

 standing I had paid much attention to the 

 flowers and fruits of the country, he would 



