186 



SIX MONTHS IN MEXICO. 



covered his retreat, and with the greatest dif- 

 ficulty recognised his person, which was des- 

 titute of clothes, and so altered in appearance, 

 that he retained scarcely any resemblance of a 

 human being. 



A few days after our arrival we were in- 

 formed that a rural fete and bull-fight would 

 be given on the following Sunday, in honour 

 of the general, at a village about three 

 leagues from hence, to which Messrs. Snyders 

 and Bates offered to accompany me. 



After a hearty breakfast on a broiled arma- 

 dillo, I set off on horseback, with my friends, 

 to Quatlepec. The morning was unclouded, 

 and our road lay over a most lovely and 

 variegated country. All travellers speak of 

 the neighbourhood of Xalapa with delight, 

 and with great reason ; an eternal, never- 

 interrupted spring reigns here ; the fields are 

 always covered with verdure, and the woods 

 abound with flowers, blossoms, and fruits. 



