Telling us that he would be ready when we should have made our own preparations for this photographic effort, he waited for our summons.

We quickly found, however, that the proposition, although hailed at first with joy, did not create great enthusiasm.

We recommended to the people that they should get ready; told the musicians that the band should be prepared, and that soon we should send for the _padre_ to be welcomed.

When we finally succeeded in getting the matter under way, and were seriously thinking of summoning the reverend gentleman, it was reported that an old woman had been found dead in her lonely hut that morning, and arrangements were at once started for her funeral.

In vain we suggested that they should wait until the picture had been made.