Huauhtla, the view of the town was most impressive.  Before us opened a narrow valley, the depth of which we only realized after we had traversed it.  An hour and a half was necessary for making the descent and the up-climb.  From the point whence we were looking, the church, town-house, and clustered houses of the village were above us.  Below stretched a line of nublina, and beneath it the whole great mountain flank was checkered with the irregular brown and green fields belonging to the villagers.  It was already five o’clock when we began the descent from this fine view-point, and, on our way down the slope and up the opposite slope to the village, we met great numbers of drunken indians,—­as it was Sunday,—­usually a man and woman together.  Two of the men we met had been fighting, and were covered with blood; the face of one of them was livid with the blows which he had received.  Many of the parties were noisy and quarrelsome, and some of them showed a tendency to meddle with us, as we passed.

[Illustration]

The greater portion of the journey had been over fine, dry roads; after we reached the knife-edge ridge, however, whenever there was a descent or ascent, we found the road of clay, moist and slippery; in the rainy season these bits would be bad enough.  At this time of year they are due to the nublina, great masses of which we saw from the time we reached the crest-road, and, at times, we passed through great sheets of it which cut off all view and which soaked our clothing.  Upon our last descent and ascent, we were almost discouraged, and the last half-hour of our journey was made by the light of the moon, struggling through nublina.  Though it was dark, when we reached the village, we were impressed with the fineness of the municipal-house, the best constructed we have seen in an indian town.  Its location, near the edge of the mountain slope, giving a magnificent outlook over the great valley, is very fine.  The houses of the Mazatecs are picturesque.  The walls are built of mud, or slabs or posts daubed with mud, while the roofs are thatched with palm.  The ridge pole extends, at both ends, in projections which themselves are thatched, forming curious and striking horns.  This same mode of thatch, picturesque in the extreme, is also used above the little granaries which are raised, on poles, several feet above the ground, in order to keep the contents from the attacks of animals.  Huauhtla is a large town.  The village and its immediate dependencies have a population of 7000.  Until lately the town was jealous of visits from outside, and little inclined to hospitality towards travellers.  If this were formerly true, it has ceased to be so.  We were received most heartily; the large and enthusiastic town government, after learning our errand, expressed their willingness to aid us in every way.  They at once cleared a fine large room in the town-house for our occupancy, prepared four beds of boards covered with petates,