I have even seen my companion take out his pocket-book, and improve the occasion by making notes and sketches as he went.
[Illustration: SPANISH-MEXICAN BIT, WITH ITS RING AND CHAINS.

LENGTH 9 INCHES, WIDTH 5-1/2 INCHES.] The distance from Mexico to Vera Cruz is about two hundred and fifty miles, and what the roads are I have in some measure described.

Rafael Beraza, the courier of the English Mission at Mexico, used to ride this with despatches regularly once a month in forty hours, and occasionally in thirty-five.

He changed horses about every ten or fifteen miles; and now and then, when, overcome by sleep, he would let the boy who accompanied him to the next stage ride first, his own horse following, and the rider comfortably dozing as he went along.
As for our own equipment, Mr.Christy adopted the attributes of the eastern traveller when he came into the country, the great umbrella, the veil, and the felt hat with a white handkerchief over it.

As for me, my wardrobe was scanty; so, when my travelling coat wore out at the elbows and my trousers were sat through--like the little bear's chair in the story, I replaced the garments with a jacket of chamois leather, and a pair of loose trousers made of the same, after the manner of the country.