Early in the morning, he opened the door, and, looking out, crossed himself, and repeated his morning prayer.  He then came to Tatita (little father) to receive his morning’s blessing, and hoped that I had passed a good night in slumber.  He then brought me a jicara of cool, fresh water, after which he urged me to take a sip from his dear bottle.  Going outside a little time, he returned with two roses, heavy with dew and very fragrant, and gave them to me as if they were a gift for kings.  Very soon, however, his potations got the better of him, and bidding us a fond farewell, he started for Hidalgo.

It was my day of fever, and I spent the greater portion of the morning on my hard bed, getting up from time to time to try to move the agente to procure an animal, on which I might make the journey to El Triunfo.  Finally, in despair, after difficulty in securing a foot-messenger, I sent a letter to Don Enrique, asking him to send an animal for my use.  During the afternoon, a fine mule and a letter came from El Triunfo.  “Sir:  The boy brought me your letter, and I send you a good mule for yourself, so we shall talk all the rest when you shall get here.  If you need more pack-mules I will send them afterwards, as soon as you tell me how many you need.  Hoping to see you this afternoon, I remain, Yours very truly, Henry Rau.”  The road was down hill, and there were but two or three bad spots.  I rode through tropical forests, the whole distance, with high trees, bound together with a mass of vines, and loaded with parasitic or aerial plants.  Here and there, rose the largest tree-ferns I have ever seen.  I was not in the best mood, however, for enjoying the journey, and the hour-and-a-quarter seemed like much more.  The great coffee finca of El Triunfo occupied an irregular valley, the slopes of which were covered with thousands of coffee-trees, with their magnificent dark green leaves and sweet-scented, white flowers.  Three hundred and fifty thousand trees made up the plantation, which was one of two owned and managed by Senor Rau.  The house was large, and rather pretentious, two stories in height, with buildings for cleaning, packing and storing coffee on the same terrace, and with a veritable village of houses for the indian workmen down below.  I received a warm reception from the Senor and his household, who have established here a veritable bit of Germany in tropical America.  Not only was I myself cared for, but I was urged to make no haste in going further, as no steamer would go from La Cruzada before the 4th, and it would be easy to reach that place in twenty-four hours.  So, for several days the hospitable plantation-house was my home.  Great lines of mules were constantly going from here, through to El Salto and La Cruzada, with loads of coffee, and coming back with provisions, and the many supplies necessary for an establishment of this importance.  When the next mulada should appear, animals would be sent to Tumbala for