ZACUALTIPAN. 



63 



gallant bearing of a warrior which he had assumed was 

 no longer to be a sinecure, but that there was a possi- 

 bility of his having actually to fight — all urgent reasons 

 for breaking his chain. And break it he did — no doubt 

 finding his health wonderfully restored, as soon as our 

 diminished train disappeared ; and I could almost sym- 

 pathize with the laugh which he must have indulged in, 

 as he saw the three dons in the distance, reduced to the 

 necessity of turning muleteers — the more so, as our 

 hyper-charity had left him a bonus for his ill conduct. 



Abobo and his fellows were all mad that morning — 

 whether from the intoxicating effects of mountain air, 

 or from their feeling that Espindola was absent, and that 

 we were in a dilemma, I know not. However you 

 might be tempted, you cannot follow Juliano's example 

 and go back ; but nolens volens must keep us company 

 over one swelling height after another, up and down — but 

 always attaining a greater and greater altitude, till after 

 about three hours' march through an elevated line of coun- 

 try, partly under cultivation, the view suddenly opened to 

 the south, and we saw the main chain of the Sierra Madre, 

 heaped over the horizon in that direction, the wide 

 stretch of varied table land at its feet, and the pretty 

 town of Zacualtipan before us. 



It was certainly a pity that Juliano did not keep up 

 his courage so far as to advance to Zacualtipan, for he 

 would have gloried in the eclat with which our party en- 

 tered it ; wheeling round by the great church, and across 

 the Plaza, with ringing spurs and jingling arms, at a hard 

 trot after our intoxicated mules, which, led by old Abobo, 

 as soon as they recollected the locality and the near 

 proximity of their own stable, set off at a canter to the 

 great risk of the various piles of which their lading was 

 composed. Great was the astonishment of the peaceful 

 inhabitants ; and even a sleepy corps de garde of half-clad 

 soldiery, lounging under the piazza of the municipal 

 palace in the square, were evidently taken by sur- 

 prise. However, they had no time to collect their 

 forces ; for following hard in the wake of our baggage, 

 we descended a narrow street, on the opposite side of 



