176 SIX MONTHS IN MEXICO. 



shot here also a curious variety of the golden- 

 winged woodpecker, a fine blue species of 

 motacilla, and two kinds of blue jays, all un- 

 described. We had some difficulty in pro- 

 curing shelter for the night, as every part of 

 the house was occupied by a party of mi- 

 litary, who were, like ourselves, proceeding to 

 Puebla. Several of the officers joined us in 

 the evening, and partook very willingly of 

 some excellent corned boiled beef, which was 

 a rarity they had not tasted before ; it had 

 been furnished us for our journey by the 

 kindness of the celebrated American General 

 Wilkinson. Neither had they any objection 

 to a share of the small stock of sherry we had 

 brought with us. One of them had been in 

 the Peninsular war, had seen a British army, 

 and spoke with rapture of the Duke of Wel- 

 lington ; we conversed till a late hour, and 

 parted good friends. The next morning 

 brought us to our old quarters, St. Martin's, 



