in a store-room in the building.  He thawed a little after we had eaten, but spoke discouragingly regarding the possibility of working there.  He said we would do well to go to El Triunfo; that it would take two days to find indians and bring them to the town; that there were no animals, nothing to eat, no conveniences in Tumbala, in all of which he probably was quite correct.  Our arrieros had contracted only to this point from San Cristobal.  We urged them to make the further journey, and offered them a price much above the regular, but they wanted to be back in San Cristobal for Holy Week, and assured us that the roads ahead were the worst that could be imagined, and that they ran the risk of killing all their animals if they went with us.

[Illustration:  THE TORO; FRAME AND BEARER; EL TRIUNFO]

[Illustration:  PLAYING TORO; EL TRIUNFO]

As we were on the road, a little before we reached Tumbala, we found a company of indian boys making camp for the night.  Calling to us, they said that Don Enrique had told them if they saw us on the road, to say that we should keep straight on to El Triunfo, as he had a message for us.  We had never heard of Don Enrique, and thought there was some error, but after supper, the agente handed us a letter which had come that afternoon from the gentleman in question.  In it we read:  “Sir:  Mr. Ellsworth, of the Rio Michol Rubber Co., Salto, asked me by telephone to tell you that he will be waiting for you the 4th of April in La Cruzada, and hopes that you will kindly accompany Mrs. Ellsworth as far as Mexico, and that, in case she would not find a steamer in Frontera, he is going to charter one.  Hoping to see you here in Triunfo, and waiting for an answer to La Cruzada, I remain, Yours truly, H. Rau.”  This was a gleam of light amid our dark affairs.  There we were, with all our baggage and instruments, but without carriers, deserted by our arrieros, and with no opportunity in Tumbala to secure new animals or helpers; it was like the voice of a friend, to receive this English letter from El Triunfo, and we felt that, if worst came to worst, Don Enrique might help us out.

The room in which we slept was filled with stored stuff and two tables.  On one of these I made my bed, while my companions spread a large petate on the floor, and our little indian carrier put down a small one for himself, as he declared he should not leave us until morning.  He had a good supper, and in a fit of generosity, presented Louis with what was left of his package of posole.  With much enthusiasm, he told us of an “animal” which he had seen and tried to catch upon the road.  From his description, it appeared to be an armadillo.  Before he lay down on his petate, he kissed my hand, wished me a good night’s rest, and asked my good-night blessing.  He was happy in possession of a real’s worth of aguardiente, from which, at intervals during the night, he drank.