courtesy and everything was done to facilitate our work.  We told him that we planned to visit the Triquis at Chicahuastla.  He at once wrote letters to the town authorities and to Don Guillermo Murcio, living at that village.  The plaster for our bust-making had not yet been received, but Senor Cordova promised, in case it came, to forward it after us promptly, and, in case it did not come, to send twenty miles into the mountains for the raw plaster, which he would have prepared and sent on to Chicahuastla.  It was late in the afternoon, before we started for Cuquila, where we planned to pass the night.  It was a mistake to make so late a start.  For a time, the road was fairly level, but at last we went up a brisk ascent, reaching the summit near sunset.  The road down would have been a bad one, even in the daytime.  As it was, if we had not had a good moon, we could hardly have made the descent.  From the depth of the canon we ascended to Cuquila, thoroughly tired, somewhat before seven.  It was with the greatest difficulty that we could find anyone of whom to ask our way to the town-house.  Our voices were sufficient to plunge any house into instant darkness and silence.  After a long search, we found a man who agreed to seek the presidente.  He and the rest of the town officials finally met us on the road, and, after reading our order, took us to the town-house.  It was with difficulty that we got fodder for our horses.  It was only after persistent and dire threats, that we secured food for ourselves, and firewood to make the room, in which we were to sleep, endurable.  It was long past eleven before we were through our troubles and lay down on mats to sleep.

Though we had warned the town officials that we should leave at seven, and must have breakfast before we left, when we arose, we found no steps whatever taken for our accommodation.  Yet the town officials had been up long enough to be thoroughly affected by their early morning drinks.  Feeling that patience had ceased to be a virtue, we summoned the authorities, and told the presidente that he had paid no attention whatever to his jefe’s order; that we had had far too much difficulty in securing the bad accommodations we had been furnished; that their promise to prepare a suitable breakfast had been completely disregarded.  We told them that our duty was to send immediate complaint to Tlaxiaco; that we would, however, give them one more chance.  We should not stop for breakfast, but would proceed upon our journey hungry; if, however, we sent him further orders regarding our return journey, we should expect them obeyed to the very letter.  With this we mounted.

In vain the presidente and officials begged us to wait, promising that everything should be prepared.  Time was too precious, and away we rode.