RIVER LAGARTOS. 



379 



light was manufactured by filling a broken clay vessel 

 with grease, and coiling in it some twisted cotton, with 

 one end sticking out about an inch. The workmen on 

 the hacienda took advantage of the light, and brought 

 out a pack of cards. The wife of the major-domo 

 joined them, and seeing no chance of a speedy termina- 

 tion of the game, I undressed myself and went to bed. 

 When they finished the woman got into a bed directly 

 opposite mine, and before lying down lighted another 

 cigar. The men did the same on the floor, and till the 

 cigars went out continued discussing the game. The 

 major-domo was already asleep in the hammock. All 

 night the wife of the major-domo smoked, and the men 

 snuffled and snored. At two o'clock I rose and went 

 out of doors. The moon was shining, and the fresh- 

 ness of the morning air was grateful. I woke Nicolas, 

 and paying the major-domo as he lay in his hammock, 

 at three o'clock we resumed our journey. I was charm- 

 ed with this, place when we reached it, and disgusted 

 when we left. The people were kind and of as good 

 disposition as the expectation of pay could make them, 

 but their habits were intolerable. 



The freshness of the morning air restored my equa- 

 nimity ; the moon shed a glorious light over the clear- 

 ing, and lighted up the darkness of the forest. We 

 heard only the surge of monkeys, as, disturbed by our 

 noise, they moved on the tops of the trees. 



At eight o'clock we reached the River Lagartos, 

 breaking rapidly over a bed of white sand and gravel, 

 clear as crystal, and shaded by trees, the branches of 

 which met at the for ding-place, and formed a complete 

 arbour. We dismounted, took off the saddles from our 

 mules and tied them to a tree, kindled a fire on the 

 bank, and breakfasted. Wild scenes had long lost the 



