TOWN OF PURIFICATION. 313 



1 determined on following him thither. Ac- 

 cordingly, having first requested the Al- 

 calde to take my baggage into his care, I 

 procured a guide and fresh horses, and set 

 out for the hacienda of my friend, which is 

 about three or four leagues distance from 

 Purification ; and, on reaching his residence, 

 v/as most hospitably received. He con- 

 ducted me over his estate, which is very 

 extensive, and chiefly adapted for rearing 

 cattle. I declined the proffer of a bed at 

 his house, but appointed the following morn- 

 ing for going with him to inspect the neigh- 

 bouring mines. At seven, p. m., I returned 

 to Purification, and found my baggage ar- 

 rived, under the charge of a peon, the Ca- 

 poral himself not appearing, and the peon 

 told me he did not know what had become 

 of him. Now the fact was, I had a very 

 fine dog, of an excellent breed for hunting, 

 to which this fellow had evidently taken 

 a great liking, caressing him much on the 



