Work being slack, the boys went bird-hunting.  Manuel fetched in a rara avis, a little old man of 95 years, who had an extra thumb on his right hand.  Notwithstanding the small population of the town, there were three cases of extra digits.  In addition to this old man with his extra thumb, two persons in the town each had an extra toe upon one foot.  We have already stated that the presidente of the village was a fool.  He had plenty of companions.  One of the men, who made himself quite useful to us was an imbecile; he crossed himself, kissed our hands, nodded his head, and told us the most surprising things in regard to the subjects whom he brought before us.  In connection with each case he cried and carried on at a great rate, and finally insisted that he was going to bring me a raw egg as an offering of friendship, which he did.  One of his subjects was his cousin, who was both idiotic and a deaf-mute.  My impression was that there were several cases of deaf-mutism in the village.  One man, whenever any of our party spoke to him, or in any way turned our attention to him, piously and vigorously crossed himself, grimaced and gesticulated as if in a fit.  One man, who seemed exceptionally intelligent, after he had seen us make a plaster bust of one of his townfellows, stated with great delight, that it was an idol, representing Jesus Christ, and that we were going to use it in the church.  Unlike any other indian town we have visited, there is not even the pretence of an open school in this place.  Nowhere else have women and children showed so great a fear of us and our work.  From the moment that I showed an interest in the mapaho, the beating of cotton ceased, and the village was quiet.  At no time during our stay did women or children come to the town-house.  Shortly after sending back our horses to Papalo, we found that there were no animals for riding in San Juan Zautla.  Fortunately, our next point, San Pedro, was but two leagues distant, and rather than wait until animals could be brought from Cuicatlan, we decided to walk.  The night before we were to leave, we made arrangements for our carriers.  The secretario had set the price at two reales a man; four were ordered, and an early hour set for the departure.  When the time came, our men were in open rebellion.  They refused to go upon the journey.  We told the town officials that, if these men failed us, they themselves must do the work.  The men were really scared, and stated that the people of San Pedro had threatened to kill us all, if we came to their town.  In vain we argued—­they were sure that the whole party were going to their doom.  For such a paltry sum no man would risk his life.  At last, however, the officials decreed obedience, and our party started.  At first we led the company and the carriers came behind.  The road led straight down the mountain-side to a brook, and then up the opposite side to the summit, just beyond which lay