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JLUXAN. 



the horses of our friend Don Melchior, her 

 brother, in order to sleep the first night at his 

 country house, which is on the road to our place 

 of destination, and about seven miles from Men- 

 doza. For several days La Senora Villa Nueva 

 had been diligently making bread, and buying 

 chickens, beef, and mutton, for our provisions 

 on the journey ; to which we added a small cask 

 of Mendoza wine. We had enough for a fort- 

 night in case we should be snowed up, or lose 

 our way in the mountains. All the shop- 

 keepers in the street were peeping out of their 

 doors, with cigarros de papel in their mouths, 

 watching our preparations, and the commence- 

 ment of our journey; it being an event of some 

 interest to them, in the monotonous history of 

 their lives. At last, booted, spurred, and loaded, 

 we sallied forth from the town. We were accom- 

 panied by two unmarried sisters of the family, 



