Chap. XII. MAKCH, AND CAMP SCENES. 395 
Still, in spite of all the difficulties of the march, our 
camp was always a scene of merriment and good humour. 
Three bands assisted in keeping up cheerfulness ; and we 
cooked, and ate, and drank amid talk, and joke, and 
laughter. The conversation of the Mexicans is witty, and 
their range of ideas is far from being coarse or low. Two 
of our teamsters, one of New Mexico the other of Chi- 
huahua, had a conversation full of sarcasm. " In New 
Mexico," I heard the former say, " the people make good 
verses — componen buenos versos — and you can't do that." 
" True," said the one from Chihuahua, " the people of 
Chihuahua are not so poetical, but they have more know- 
ledge of the world" — " No es tan poeta la gente de Chi- 
huahua, pero sabe mas del mundo." I should like to 
know on what high road of Germany a couple of wag- 
goners would have chosen such subjects of conversation ? 
One day, going round the camp, I saw a soldier reading 
a book about the French Revolution. He entered into 
conversation with me about it, and then passed on to the 
circumstances in which Mexico was placed, of which he 
took a gloomy view. 
We halted for noon at the Eancho del Sacramento, 
the scene of a battle little calculated to inspire our 
soldiers with hopeful feelings. Dinner was spread on the 
ground near the buildings for me and the mayor domo 
of our train, and we had just seated ourselves in Turkish 
fashion, when a pig ran grunting among our dishes. 
Their contents were scattered about, a cock, quickly per- 
ceiving his opportunity, called his dames around him, 
and before we could turn ourselves about, every trace of 
our meal had vanished. The next day, however, made 
amends for this misfortune. The general, with the most 
precise attention to etiquette, sent an officer to invite me 
