most uninteresting.  For long distances we descended, passing a ranch and emerging finally into a deep, hot gorge.  By the time we reached Pichones we were tired, hot and thirsty.  There, however, we could get no water, for man or beast, for love or money; suffering with thirst, the road seemed long to the river near Totolapa, where we refreshed ourselves with water, but a heavier road than ever had to be traversed.  Much of the way we followed the stream-bed, fording repeatedly; the remainder was through deep sand and over rolling pebbles.  Passing Juanico, on a high bank overlooking the river, at noonday, we were delighted to strike upon a rock road, high on the river bank.  Keeping to this trail, passing from plantations of bananas lying at the river level below us and catching many pretty views of valley and of mountain, we at last reached Totolapa, completely worn out with the journey and the heat.  Here we rested until the heat of the day should be past.

[Illustration:  OUR PARTY LEAVING TEHUANTEPEC]

[Illustration:  ZAPOTEC WOMEN AND GIRLS, TLACOLULA]

We had expected at this town to secure a muleteer, as the one we hired from San Carlos had agreed to come only to this town.  Here, too, we had expected to rent a new horse for Mr. Lang.  Our muleteer, however, was much taken with the party, and declared that he should hire himself to continue with us to Tlacolula.  We quickly arranged with him, and at four o’clock prepared to leave.  The sick horse was then at its worst; it had lain down, and for a time we believed it was really dead; it was out of the question for it to go further; so, calling one of the villagers, I told him that he might have the horse, and if there was any possibility of curing, it, he should do what might be necessary.

From four to seven it was a tiresome climb, largely through stream-beds to Carvajal.  It is a large rancho, but we stopped at the first house we came to, a miserable place, where, however, we got coffee, bread, beans and eggs, and some mats for beds, which we laid out upon the ground, under the open sky.  Taking early coffee and tortillas, we were again mounted at four and on our way.  It was the last ascent.  The moon was shining brightly, and we could see that the road followed the edge of a fine gorge.  When we once reached the summit, there was no further descent to make.  We were on the high, flat, table-land of Oaxaca, and from here to the capital city of the state, the road is level, and passes through a rich agricultural district.  Passing San Dionisio at seven, we pressed on as rapidly as possible to Tlacolula, where we arrived before noon, ready for the good meals and comfortable quarters which we well knew awaited us there.