A crowd of pure indians had gathered at the landing, by the time we were unloaded.  Forty or fifty men and women of medium stature, dark-brown skin and broad, expressionless faces, watched our every movement with curiosity, but none was ready to assist us in carrying our luggage to the curato.  Taking it ourselves, as best we could, we found a boy to direct us and made our way to the house.  The cura, had gone to Quiroga and his suspicious household would not receive us until his return, although permitting us to leave our goods.  Going to the plaza, we succeeded in getting bread and cheese at a tienda, and after eating loitered until, at half-past-two, the Padre Ponce made his appearance.  We showed him our letters and asked his interest and aid.  He at once made us at home in his house, summoned the officials, read the governor’s letter aloud to them, and told them it was their duty to assist us in every way.  We at once began our work, and before nightfall had measured and photographed a number of cases.

The next morning, Saturday, all started merrily.  After breakfast, however, Padre Ponce left us, going to Quiroga for celebrating Christmas.  The moment he was gone, work slackened, and it was with difficulty that we could procure subjects.  Early the next morning the padre appeared to say mass, after which he stirred up the people and we were again at work.  But as soon as he left for Quiroga, once more, the interest diminished.  Finally, as no one came and the officials had disappeared, we started out upon a tour of investigation.  We found the whole town drunk; the juez, the chief of police, the mayores, all were too drunk for measurement.  We experimented upon two or three subjects, but soon gave up in despair.

[Illustration:  LOS VIEJOS; SANTA FE DE LA LAGUNA]

Padre Ponce need not have gone to Quiroga for Christmas celebrations; we had them also.  For example, we had Los Viejos.  One afternoon, we saw a band of half-a-dozen persons singing in the street.  All but one of them were men or boys dressed in long robes of brilliant red, purple or green, which were buttoned down the front; their heads were covered with white cloth, over which were fitted little masks of clay.  The last one in the company was a woman, dressed quite in the usual fashion, but barefoot and with her rebozo covering her face and a man’s sombrero on her head.  Two of the party had guitars of local manufacture.  This company strolled through the streets, singing and dancing; some of the dancing was clog-dance, some the jarabe, a man and woman taking part.  Having noticed this group, we saw that the whole town seemed in movement toward the corral connected with the shrine behind the church.  Following with the crowd, we found the corral already filled with people.  The men were seated on benches or squatting against the walls; women and children were sitting on the