cut at the edges; a cresting, thin, but evenly placed and firmly pegged down, projects over the ridge, down either slope, and its edges form the only break in the smooth surface.  Many of the houses had temascals, differing considerably from those of Puebla and Tlaxcala.  They are rectangular; the walls are built of poles, set upright, close together, and strengthened by being lashed to a horizontal timber set midway of their height.  The roof is a round vault or arch of poles set lengthwise.  The whole is neatly plastered over with a mixture of mud and chopped straw, and in the front a cross is worked in the clay mixture, to insure good fortune.  The women here wove cotton in the usual indian fashion, but few wore the old dress, and those few were mostly aged.  We noticed quantities of pottery here, and throughout the Huaxteca, but none of it is local in manufacture.  Most of it has come from the two towns, Huejutla, an Aztec town, and Panuco.  We were forced to spend a third night at Tamalin.  The secretario had been at home for two days and had fairly done his duty; still, our animals were late when we were ready to start the following morning, and we were not off until 9:30.  It was a steady climb, over a long series of ascents, until we reached a crest from which Tancoco could be seen.  We made a long descent and then a little upward climb to the town, which is notable for its cleanliness and the industry and cleanness of its inhabitants.  The town is situated upon a little hill, from which one looks out on a sea of green forests, with little rocky hillocks covered with trees rising from it, here and there, like wooded islands.  Between us and Tamalin rose a semi-circle of ridges, sweeping from us off to the left and forward in the distance.  In front, near the top of this curve of ridges, two leagues distant, lay Amatlan, clear and impressive, from this point.  Riding up to the little town-house, which had a portico enclosed by a neat railing and supplied with pine benches, we dismounted, and, with some doubt as to its reception, presented our old letter.  The secretario was an intelligent mestizo from Tuxpan.  He sent at once for the alcalde, who was a good-natured, little Huaxtec, of pure blood, thoroughly dependent upon his subordinate officer.  We were promised everything.  The schoolhouse, remarkably clean, was put at our disposal, and a messenger was sent to notify an old woman named Guadelupe that she was to prepare our meals.  Before four o’clock, work was under way, and during the two days that we remained, there were no difficulties.  The houses of the town are somewhat like those of Tamalin, but less well built.  The single industry is the weaving of hats from palm.  On the house-roofs, and on the ground before the houses, palm was drying.  Some of the work was extremely delicate, and the four grades of hats sell for from four pesos upward.  Men, women and children are all occupied in the manufacture,