SIX MONTHS IN MEXICO. 179 



calla, distant about eighteen miles, the inha- 

 bitants of which are wholly of the original 

 unmixed race, and are said to retain the an- 

 cient privilege, granted to them by the con- 

 querors, of enjoying all the customs of their 

 forefathers without innovation, always except- 

 ing such as regard religion, the Spaniards hav- 

 ing reduced the whole people, throughout their 

 immense colonies in America, to the profession 

 of the Catholic faith. Unfortunately, the 

 anxiety of my companions to reach the end of 

 their journey prevented me the gratification 

 of seeing this interesting people, and we set 

 off early the following morning. Soon after 

 leaving the city our drivers (the same, father 

 and son, who had taken us to Mexico) left the 

 high road by a smaller one to the left, which 

 led us over a rich and populous country, 

 through several villages surrounded by plan- 

 tations and finely cultivated lands ; but having 

 regained the highway, and passing many deep 



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