The following morning at six o’clock we were again upon the road.  We first descended into the valley, passing the miserable hut from whence the dead woman had been borne.  In all the yards we noticed peach-trees loaded with their pink blossoms.  From the deep and narrow valley, we began to climb steadily upward.  We passed along the side of a gorge, the bed of which had all the appearance of a giant stairway.  Higher and higher we mounted, leaving San Juan Diusi on our right.  Great masses of gray clouds hung upon the summits of the highest mountain, their lower line coming very nearly to our level.  The wind beginning to blow, the gray mass soon was whirled and spread down like a great veil around us.  We were indeed glad when we began to descend and have a little shelter behind us, against the wind, and dry skies instead of damp clouds above us.  Making a sudden descent, we found ourselves in a cleared district, where the only trees left on the high summits were palms, which bore little round dates with round seeds; these were quite sweet and good.  Small ranches were scattered, here and there, along the road.  After another descent and ascent, we found ourselves in an extensive forest of great gnarled oaks, thickly covered with tufts of air-plants and with orchids.  Many of the latter were in full bloom, forming masses of brilliant color.  In making the descent from here, we found the slope composed of slippery limestone, with sharp, rain-channeled surfaces, where our horses with great difficulty kept their footing.  Soon after we were down, we reached San Bartolo.

This purely Mixtec town was a delightful spot.  It is large, and strung along two or three long straight streets.

[Illustration:  THE PEOPLE RECEIVING THEIR PADRE; TILANTONGO]

The houses were in yards completely filled with fruit trees—­chirimoyas, limas, granadas de China, ahuacates and oranges.  Garden-beds of spinach, lettuce, and onions were frequent.  The houses were of poles set upright, with thick thatchings of palms.  Bee-hives in quantity were seen at almost every house.  At Tilantongo we had seen but few women in native dress.  Here almost every woman was clad in native garments, many of which were beautifully decorated.  The men wore brilliant sashes, woven in the town.  When we reached the town-house we found the doorway decorated with flowers,—­stars and rosettes made of palm.  We were well received, and a capital dinner was soon served, after which we were escorted around the town by the authorities, who arranged for photographing everything that seemed to us of interest.  But, at three o’clock, we left this pretty spot.  Again, we climbed much of the way over limestone roads.  Santo Domingo, past which we journeyed, is a mean little town, with houses much like those of Tilantongo, but of a gray color instead of reddish-brown.  From here we plunged downward, and when we ascended again, followed along the side of a rock-walled canon with pretty cascades and magnificent masses of fallen rock.  The last part of our journey was made by moonlight, along a brook-side over a road which seemed quite endless.  With some trouble, we found the dilapidated old church and the municipal house; we took possession of the school, and after a miserable supper, thoroughly tired, lay down to rest upon the benches.