I5 6 CAVE AND CLIFF DWELLERS. 
his sleeves to pitch into the crowd and 
vindicate the prowess of his fowl; for¬ 
tunately our timely arrival prevented any 
further strife by diverting attention to us, 
while the host was dragged from the midst 
of the fray to hunt up a key to unlock 
one of the narrow pens—called rooms— 
that overlooked the mule corral. Here, 
on a dirty brick floor, my bedding was 
spread, and I slept to a chorus of squeal¬ 
ing mules, which came in through the 
grated, wooden-shuttered window. And 
right here I may say that I know of no 
better opening for Americans of small 
means than starting and keeping hotels in 
Mexican towns, where decent accommo¬ 
dations of the kind are wanting, and 
where a great many Americans, as well 
as English and other foreigners, pass 
through, I could mention fifty such 
