38 



TAMPICO ALTA. 



LETTER III. 



The norte continued to blow strongly the following 

 morning ; and contented with having effected our es- 

 cape, and an advance of two whole leagues into the 

 country, we resolved, by common consent, to remain 

 tranquilly at Tampico Alta till we saw what another 

 day might bring forth. 



We were luxuriously lodged in one of the mud cot- 

 tages, in a windowless apartment, without a stick of 

 furniture but what we brought into it. That, however, 

 was more than sufficient to fill it, as our camp beds, with 

 which we had been fortunately furnished from Europe 

 for this tour, completely occupied three fourths of the 

 floor. 



So here we abode, leaving our retainers, whose num- 

 ber had now increased to five in all, to make the most 

 of the halt with the horses and mules under their care. 

 We breakfasted and supped upon tortillas or maize 

 cakes, fowls, Chili pepper, rice, coffee, and frijoles or 

 black beans ; with the addition of an agreeable liquor, 

 made of the fermented juice of the sugarcane. We 

 looked to our accoutrements, cleaned guns and pistols, 

 strolled in the forest, and at night enjoyed the most lux- 

 urious rest, in our clean and well-appointed beds ; and 

 blessed our stars, that we had turned our backs for ever 

 upon the Halcyon, the Fonda de la Bolza — the heat, the 

 impurities, and the nuisances of Tampico. Dull as it 

 was without doors, I could not help strolling about, for 

 a few hours, among the low woods, and did not fail, in 

 spite of all my care, to gather a plentiful harvest of ga- 

 rapatoes, to rid myself from which gave me an hour's 

 employment in the evening. 



The following day, however, we were up betimes, and 

 set seriously forward. 



