From Camotlan we rode steadily for five hours to reach Ixcuintepec.  There were considerable stretches of slippery road to be passed.  The two gorge rides, the bridges of vines, and the houses along the way, were beautiful as ever, but the magnificent mountain forests were left entirely behind us.  The old church at Ixcuintepec is visible on the high crest for a considerable distance.  As we made the final climb, the boys noticed in the trees structures one and a half feet or two feet in diameter, and somewhat dome-shaped.  I should have taken them for wasps’ nests, but the party insisted that they saw parrots come out of them, and that no doubt young parrots were in the nests.  Immediately there was great excitement, for Manuel had all along wanted to capture a parrot to take home with him.  The party stopped, and stones were thrown to drive out the birds, but with no result.  Finally Mariano climbed the tree, creeping out along the branches almost to the nest; just at that moment an unusually well-aimed stone struck the nest, but instead of parrots, out streamed a great cloud of wasps, which flew straight towards the mozo, who lost no time in getting down from his precarious position.

[Illustration:  VIEW IN QUEZALTEPEC]

We found Ixcuintepec almost deserted; hardly any of the town officials were there.  Almost everyone was off, working in the coffee fincas.  We quickly saw that we had made a great mistake in waiting for our remaining subjects until this town.  Not only were men conspicuous by their absence, but the women were extremely hostile.  They objected to our photographing their houses or themselves.  They drove the messenger whom I had sent to measure a house, for the purpose of making a miniature reproduction, off the premises with clubs.  The mozos, who had accompanied us thus far, had no intention of going farther, and the problem of getting carriers—­which had troubled us ever since we had left Mitla—­assumed serious proportions.  It was with great difficulty and much bluster that we secured the food we needed and the mozos.  When the mozos came, three out of the four whom it was necessary for us to employ, were mere boys, the heartiest and best of whom was scarcely ten years old.  In vain we declared that it was impossible for such little fellows to carry the burdens that needed transportation.  It was plain that they were our only resource.  Starting the three boys upon a short cut to San Miguel, the oldest mozo and ourselves went by another road to Coatlan.  It was fortunate for us that the school-teacher at this town was interested in our work.  We took possession of the schoolhouse, showed our orders to the officials, and, after much difficulty, obtained our wishes.  The town was almost as deserted as had been Ixcuintepec, but after infinite difficulty, we succeeded in getting sufficient subjects to complete our work.