of the sierra a certain number of men who make a living by dealing with the Indians, and who, having been born and bred in the country, speak the difficult language of the Tarahumares as well as the Indians themselves.  But as each man operates in a certain district and has a monopoly of the trade with the Indians within its confines, the temptation to cheat the unsophisticated natives out of their little property is naturally very great, and by far the greater number of the dealers succumb to it.  As soon, however, as one of them is found out, he loses his influence with the Indians, and to go with a man of that stamp would have been disastrous to my purpose.  The duty of the lenguaraz, as the interpreter is called, is to smooth the traveller’s way among the distrustful Indians with skilful words, to get provisions, make bargains, and explain to the Indians the purpose of his visit.  Last but not least, he must obtain all possible information from them.  This may mean one day’s hard work, and the trying of his patience with many apparently futile questions which are made to get at the Indian’s real meaning.  Thus it may be understood how one is completely at the mercy of one’s lenguaraz, and how important it is for the success of an expedition to find the right man.  There is nothing else to do but to try and try again, one after another.

The Indians near Guachochic seemed all to be depressed, poor, and hungry.  Most of their animals had died from lack of food, and the few that had not succumbed to starvation had to be sold in exchange for corn.  A couple of Indians who were on their way to Parral to buy wheat died of starvation before they reached their destination.  The Indians ascribed the hard times to the presence of the whites, who had deprived them of their lands as well as of their liberty.  The gods, as they put it, were angry with the whites and refused to send rain.

In the summer, especially in July, a false truffle is found on the highlands of Guachochic, which serves as a food to the Indians.  It grows abundantly a couple of inches below the ground, raising the earth a little; and is found also under the limb of a fallen tree.  The dogs help in finding this fungus, and they are so fond of it that they go of their own accord to look for it.  Pigs grow fat on this food, and coyotes, bears, and grey foxes also eat it.  It is considered by Professor W. G. Farlow as a variety of Melanogaster variegatus, which he calls Mexicanus.  It tastes like an over-ripe pear, with a flavour of onion when one first bites into it.  The ordinary Melanogaster variegatus is eaten in Europe, and esteemed for its pleasant taste.