CHAPTER XXII. 



MEXICAN OAK-APPLES. A STREAM LOST IN AN ABYSS. 



THE WILD NASTURTIUM.— SPORTSMEN DECEIVED BY CHIL- 

 DREN. — THE GRAVE-DIGGING BEETLES. THE COCHINEAL 



INSECT. MEXICAN WINE. GOOD-BYE TO OUR INDIAN 



HOSTS. 



\ S soon as it was lis;ht, I awoke Sumichrast and Lucien. 



L'Encuerado was sleeping so soundly, after his ex- 

 ploits of the night before, that we hesitated to disturb him. 

 I intended to hunt for insects all day, so as to fill up the 

 vacant spaces in the specimen-boxes that Torribio was to 

 take to Puebla; so we bent our steps towards the bottom 

 of the valley. As the inhabitants were still asleep in their 

 huts, Gringalet passed safely all his sleeping brother-dogs 

 with his tail boldly cocked. 



