6 MEXICO. 
to our lot to share the common fate of humanity, we shall, at least, re- 
pose near our kindred and friends, in some beautiful spot, where those we 
have loved shall moulder beside us, until the dust we cherished in life 
shall be as blent as were the spirits that animated it. We love to think 
that our graves will not be solitary or unvisited. But, on this dismal 
shore, where the Shadow of Death for ever hangs over the prospect, the 
grave is not a resting-place, even for tired spirits, and the soul seexns to 
perish as well as the body I 
I came home with as capital a " fit of the hlues" as ever was born in 
London of a gloomy November day and a melancholy temper ; and I 
must confess that I passed the night somewhat nervously. What with 
the heat and exercise, our bodies were rather tired ; but what with the 
vomito, the sad walk, and a little excitability, I do not remember to 
have slept a wink. In addition to these annoyances, there was a con- 
tinual hubbub in the square under our windows all night long. First 
of all, the guard was to be set, and that produced drumming, fifing, 
braying of trumpets, and bustle of troops ; next, my bed was too short 
for me ; then, just as I was coaxing myself into a doze, I discovered that 
the servant had neglected to put down the net, and consequently, came 
the onset of a colony of thirsty mosquitos, ravenous for the fresh blood 
of a foreigner, after having dulled their beaks a whole season on Mexi- 
can skins ; next, the clock on the opposite tower struck every quarter, 
and that was backed, with equal regularity, by the watchman under the 
portales, who prefaced his song with an " Ave Maria Purissima" that 
would have waked the dead. And thus from hour to hour I tossed and 
tumbled, while the clock struck, the watchmen howled, and the mosqui- 
tos sucked — occasionally amusing myself by trying to feel some of the 
symptoms of the vomito ! But day at length broke, and a cold bath and 
a hearty breakfast perfectly reestablished me. 
One of my fellow-travellers who was anxious to avoid the risk of wait- 
ing in Vera Cruz for the diligence, informed me about ten o'clock, that 
he had made arrangements for a " Zztera" to carry him to Xalapa, there 
to await the stage and rejoin our party. He was so good as to offer me 
a part of his couch, which I eagerly accepted, and immediately set to 
work packing my extra luggage for the Arrieros, as the diligence, and 
the niuleteei-s who accompany literas, will carry but a limited burden. 
At four the litera arrived, but the muleteers would, allow but one pas- 
senger ! There was nothing but submission. Pancho had his bundles 
strapped on, stepped into his vehicle, or rather stretched, out on its bed, 
lighted his cigar, tied on a Guayaquil sombrero, and waved us farewell. 
A litera is an article of rather curious conveyance. Here is a draw, 
ing of it. The pencil sperks better to the mind t^an any description J 
