480 
URES TO 
and vegetables are brought from San Antonio and San- 
ta Rosa, about ten leagues distant ; while from the 
Yaqui River are procured sheep, fowls, and some grains. 
Shut in as Guaymas is from the sea, and on every side 
encompassed by hills or mountains, the heat is intense. 
In the summer the mercury often rises to 104° Fahren- 
heit in the shade, and from June to September it is sel- 
dom below 96°. During this season, when the wind 
blows from the desert plains of the north, it is so dry 
and parched as to be almost intolerable, destroying 
furniture and every thing else of wood. Scarcely a 
soul is then seen in the streets, every one remaining 
quietly within doors, and passing his time with as little 
exertion as possible. The place was formerly consid- 
ered healthy ; but of late, it has suffered terribly from 
epidemics, one following the other, until the town, 
in the brief space of two years immediately preceding 
my visit, lost one third of its population. Cholera and 
bilious fevers have been the chief epidemics. 
In order to ensure the arrival of my baggage, which 
had not yet made its appearance, and about which I 
began to feel much uneasiness, Mr. Robinson kindly 
sent his most trusty servant on a fast horse back to meet 
the arrieros, and hurry them forward. I was desirous, 
while the man was absent, to go back to the hills and 
take a sketch of the place, but was afraid to expose 
myself to the sun, besides not wishing to delay the 
vessel any longer, should my baggage happen to ar- 
rive. At half-past three o’clock, Mr. Robinson’s mes- 
senger returned. He' had actually ridden back nearly 
to Noche Buena, where my mule gave out, when he 
met the lazy arrieros smoking their cigarritos and 
