RUINS OF MACOBA. 



215 



the doorways, and all around were the confusion and 

 filthiness of Indian housekeeping. As we rode up 

 the Indians stared at us in astonishment, and the 

 scared women snatched up their screaming children 

 and ran away. 



Amons: these ruins a rancho had been erected for- 

 the major domo, and as everything we had hereto- 

 fore seen belonging to the cura of Xul w^as in fine 

 order, we had no fears about our accommodations ; 

 but we found that nothing in this world must be ta- 

 ken for granted. The rancho was thatched, and 

 had a dirty earthen floor, occupied by heaps of corn, 

 beans, eggs, boxes, baskets, fowls, dogs, and pigs. 

 There were two small, dirty hammocks, in one of 

 which was swinging an Indian lad, and from the 

 other had just been taken a dead man, whose new 

 grave we had seen at the campo santo. 



The major domo w^as a short, stupid, well-mean- 

 ing old man, who apologized for the confusion on 

 account of the death and burial that had just taken 

 place. He was expecting us, had his master's or- 

 ders to treat us with all due consideration, and we 

 directed the rancho to be swept out. As night 

 approached, we began to feel that our discomforts 

 might be increased, for our carriers did not make 

 their appearance. We had no apprehensions of 

 robbery. Bernaldo was with them, and, knowing 

 his propensities, we supposed that he had stopped 

 at some rancho, where, in waiting to have some tor- 

 tillas made, he had got belated, and was unable to 



