THUNDER STORM. 219 
lake margins. The gunners erect a sort of infernal machine, with three 
tiers of barrels — one, level with the marsh or water, another slightly ele- 
vated, and the third at a still greater angle. The lower tier is discharged 
at the birds while they are sitting, and this of course destroys a multitude ; 
but as some must necessarily escape the first discharge, the second and 
third tiers are fired in quick succession, and it is rare indeed that a duck 
avoids the wholesale slaughter. From 125,000 to 200,000 annually load 
the markets of Mexico, and form the cheapest food of the multitude ; but 
it is rare that you can procure one delicate enough to bring to your table. 
It was near four o'clock, when, under the slow impulse of our polers, 
we approached the eastern border of the lake. The shores were dotted 
with white-walled haciendas and lines of beautiful groves, while at the 
distance of a few miles, in the interior, rose the lofty sierra, in the midst 
of which, the mountain of Tlaloc, '• the god of Storms," was brewing a 
neavy thunder-storm. The clouds were thickly gathered around the top 
of the mountain, and as we disembarked on the v\'aste-like quay, among 
sands and marshes, the first premonitory drops began to patter on our hats. 
Here we had expected to find a carriage, or at least horses, waiting to 
convey us the remaining league to the town of Tezcoco. But as we did 
not ai-rive by the early boats of the morning, our friends had returned 
home, presuming that we had relinquished our proposed expedition. 
While our baggage was landing from the boat, the rain increased rap- 
idly. There was no place for shelter, except an open shed occupied by 
the boatmen during the day. Thunder and lightning were soon added to 
the storm ; and yet, in the midst of these accumulated discomforts, we took 
up our line of march, as the prospect of remaining was worse than the 
danger of a drenching. None of the Indians could be bought or bribed to 
leave their boats and carry our luggage, nor were there any idlers about, 
willing to earn an honest penny as porters. I therefore put on my serape, 
and the oil-skin cover of my hat ; and fastening my valise by a handker- 
chief on my back, balanced it (aguador fashion, in front,) by my gun and 
sword, — and thus set forth for a dreary tramp over the lonely waste. 
As we advanced, the rain and tempest of wind, thunder and lightning, 
increased, and I have no recolleciion, in the course of my travels, of a 
more disagreeable pilgrimage than the one we made to Tezcoco. Our 
anxiety was greatly increased by the loss of one of our party in the dark- 
ness among some morasses, and by the rise of a considerable stream that 
crossed the road near the town. We however waded the brook, and, 
about eight o'clock, arrived at the hospitable dwelling of an American, 
who, after wandering about the world in various capacities, has settled 
down in the city of Tezcoco, where (from his connection with an exten- 
sive menagerie, that once astonished the Mexicans with its lions and 
monkeys,) he passes by the significant cognomen of " El de lasjieras." 
