The scenery on the Tampico branch was at its best, as there had been recent rains, and everything was fresh and green.  At Tampico, we resisted the attractions of the hotels “where Americans always stop,” and went to the unpretentious Pan Cardo.  Here we were comfortably located, and early the next morning tried to define our plans.  We were in uncertainty as to what towns we should visit in order to examine the Huaxtecs.  The ancient Huaxtecs were among the most interesting of Mexican tribes.  They are a northern offshoot of that great family, of which the Maya of Yucatan is the type.  The linguistic relationship is evident upon the most careless comparison.  The ancient area occupied by the Huaxtecs was near the Gulf of Mexico, and on both sides of the Panuco River, near the mouth of which some of their important centres were located.  To-day Mexicans divide the Huaxteca into two parts,—­the Huaxteca Veracruzana and the Huaxteca Potosina—­the former in the state of Vera Cruz, the latter in the state of San Luis Potosi.  At first, we thought to visit the latter, but the difficulty of reaching it was presented so forcibly, and the ease of reaching the Huaxteca Veracruzana so emphasized, that we determined upon the latter, and selected the town of Ozuluama for our central point.  We could go by canoes across the river to Pueblo Viejo, where we could secure horses for the further journey.  We were led to believe that it would be easy to make the trip in a single day.  We had arranged for a canoe over night.  It belonged in Pueblo Viejo, and it was to come over early in the morning; we were at the wharf at six, ready to start, but no canoe was in sight.  Not only so, but a norther was blowing, and comforters, lounging on the wharf assured us that no canoe would come from Pueblo Viejo until the storm ceased, which would not be for twenty-four hours.  We were loath to believe this information, and brought all our baggage from the various storing-places, where we had left it, out onto the wharf.  Time passed; the norther continued, and no canoe from Pueblo Viejo came.  Thinking that it might be possible to secure a canoe from here to Pueblo Viejo, we dickered with a boatman at the wharf.  We had agreed to pay for the canoe ordered $1.00 for the journey, which was something more than the regular price.  The man with whom we now were talking declared that he would not take us across for less than $3.50.  We were on the point of yielding to necessity, when a rival appeared and offered to do the work for $2.50.  Such is human perversity that we now insisted that he must go for $2.00, which he finally agreed to do.  Hurrying away to get his canoe, he soon appeared, and our hearts sank.  The man who had demanded $3.50 had a large, well-built boat, which should stand any wind and water.  The man whom we had engaged had a canoe so narrow, low, and small that we doubted his ability to perform his contract; however, he assured us that all would be well, and showed himself so skilful in packing our