COPY 
Santiago Tuxtla, Veracruz 
Deo* 7, 1938 
Dear Dr* Stirling, 
I still haven 1 t reached Tres Zapotes, hut I’m getting 
close* Am taking with me as my man Friday a 19-year old lad 
named Miguel, who was recommended oy a cigar-maker in San 
Andrds Tuxtla* He is very good as conductor of a mule train 
and seems to have so much good sense in general that I decided 
he was worth the t^rse pesos a day (about'#.60) that he asked* 
I am sure he earned' it yesterday. 
It was impossible to get animals in San Andrds for less 
than three pesos a day, which is high, as Miguel said; so we 
decided to come only as far as Santiago and change to other 
animals here. We set out with six, three carrying the baggage 
end equipment, and three ridden by Miguel, myself, and a boy" 
who took the animals back to San Andris* 
It had rained hard the afternoon before, with the result 
that we had to travel thru mud every inch of the way* The 
country is as beautiful as any I have seen, but that any kind 
of automobile ever made the trip in any season is pretty hard 
to believe. It took us about five hours* 
There is no place In this town where one can get a room, 
but there is a widow who serves excellent meals* I got her to 
consent to my setting up my cot on the piazza {if it "can be 
dignified by such a name)and there was s wide burlap cot for 
Miguel. However, when night came, the senora weakened. She 
said "Ho conviene dorrnir afuera" and thereupon the dining room 
was converted into a bedroom for us. That 'was a good thing, as 
the night was certainly cold. I was twice awakened by it, once 
to put on my jacket and once to put on my socks. I was already 
sleeping almost completely dressed and rolled up in a woolen 
blanket. 
In the middle of the day it is hot in the sun, but very 
pleasant in the shade, but the nights are cool and damp. There 
is a heavy dew on the grass every morning. 
Ho animals were available to continue the trip today, but 
we are promised what we need for tomorrow. 1*11 believe it 
when I see them. Meanwhile, I have taken advantage of the delay 
to make an inventory of the local stores with respect to our 
needs. It is surprising what can be bought: blankets (which 
I have ordered), sheets (which I am having made), shovels, 
picks, axes, hammers, saws, padlocks, fine cookies in boxes, 
Holland cheese, and various other items (even Palmolive soap). 
