196 MEXICO. 
that we had made a night-march over the mountain, was, " Thank God, 
there were no accidents!" 
A smoking supper was soon on the table, and although our worthy 
hosts (who had not made a journey that day of near two thousand varas 
into the bowels of the earth,) were exceedingly anxious to proloDg the chat 
after our cheerful meal, we slipped off, one by one, to our cots and sofas. 
We have travelled seven leagues to-day, besides our pedestrian excursion . 
in the cave. 
HACIENDA OF SAN NICOLAS. 
2Srd Septemler. We left Tetecala this morning at eight o'clock, with 
the intention of passing to-night at the hacienda of St. Nicolas, which 
belongs to the Messrs. J . For the present at least we seem to have 
done with the mountains, as our road to-day lay entirely over the plain. 
During the three last days, we have been wandering among gigantic 
mountains and over wild moors, where the solitude of nature reigns in 
all its majesty ; but the picture varies in the direction of Cuatttla. The 
mountains sink into the plain which is extremely fertile, and cultivated 
with the nicest economy. 
About twelve o'clock we saw the hacienda lying in the distance, in the 
lap of the plain, with a small hill or two hard by, just large enough to 
vary the scenery. As we approached the white walled buildings we 
could not help remarking the uncommonly neat appearance of everything 
about the estate. The sugar-fields were in capital order, the roads smooth, 
the fences had been put up, the cattle were under the care of men. The 
Indian village, inhabited by many of the laborers on the estate, was tidy 
and comfortable, and there was a cleanness and decency in the appear- 
ance of the people, that I had not seen elsewhere. Indeed, the whole view 
of this plain, hemmed in by the distant summits of the mountains, reminded 
me strongly of some of the pictures of rural beauty constantly presented 
to the traveller in New England, and I was the more forcibly struck with 
this, when I looked from the corridor of the hacienda over the whole ex- 
panse of country, and saw it dotted here and there with villages and 
haciendas, the white towers of whose chapels rose up beautifully from an 
unbroken mass of verdure. 
We were received at this plantation by the administrador, or steward, 
who had been expecting us for an hour or more ; and though he had already 
partaken of his dinner, (believing that we did not intend visiting St. Nicolas 
to-day,) he immediately ordered another, in the meantime showing us to 
a large and cool apartment, containing a number of beds, where we made 
a hasty toilet. 
We took a siesta after dinner, and then walked with Don A. over the 
estate. The whole of the fields are planted with cane for a great dis- 
