The morning was spent in making pictures.  While still in Yucatan, we heard about the music of Cancuc, and among our views was one of the musicians.  These are three in number, and they head processions at fiestas; the drum, like that we saw at Tuxtla, is cylindrical, with two heads; the pito is the usual reed whistle; the tortuga, a large turtle-shell, was brought from Palenque; it is hung by a belt to the player, and is beaten on the lower side with two leg-bones of a deer.  The Cancuc dress is simple.  Men wear the breech-clout, and, when they carry burdens, little else; at other times, they wear short, cotton trousers which hardly reach the knees.  The chief garment is a camisa, of native cotton, with a colored stitching at the neck and along the seam where the two edges join; this camisa is of such length that, when girded, it hangs just to, or a little below, the lower edge of the trouser leg.  The belts are home-woven, but are made of cotton which is bought already dyed a brilliant red or yellow.  Women wear woolen belts made by Chamulas; their enaguas are plain, dull blue in color; their huipils are a dirty white, with a minimum of colored stitching.  The chief industry at Cancuc is raising pigs for market.

At 1:15 we started from the town, and rode down the crest of long, gently-sloping ridges, which seemed interminable.  The rock over which we passed was red sandstone, mottled and streaked with green, red shale, and occasional patches of conglomerate.  Crossing a little stream by a pretty bridge, we made an abrupt ascent, and soon saw the little town, Cuaquitepec, at the base of the opposite hill.

We met many indians carrying great ovoidal jars which were made at Tenango, and which are chiefly used for carrying chicha.  This is a fermented drink, made from the sap of sugar-cane, and is much used throughout this state and the adjoining parts of Central America.  We inquired of a girl who carried such a vessel, what she had, and asked to try it.  She gave us a sip in a wee gourd-vessel, holding less than a wine-glass.  Knowing nothing of the price of chicha, we gave her six centavos, with which she seemed well satisfied.  A little later, deciding to test the drink again, we stopped a man, who had a vessel of it, and again were given the little cup.  On stating that we wished a centavo’s worth, we were much surprised to have him fill a great jicara for the price mentioned.  It seems the little vessel is carried only for sampling, and that a sale is made only after the purchaser has approved the quality.