Immediately there was great excitement, for Manuel had all along wanted to capture a parrot to take home with him.

The party stopped, and stones were thrown to drive out the birds, but with no result.

Finally Mariano climbed the tree, creeping out along the branches almost to the nest; just at that moment an unusually well-aimed stone struck the nest, but instead of parrots, out streamed a great cloud of wasps, which flew straight towards the _mozo_, who lost no time in getting down from his precarious position.
[Illustration: VIEW IN QUEZALTEPEC] We found Ixcuintepec almost deserted; hardly any of the town officials were there.

Almost everyone was off, working in the coffee _fincas_.
We quickly saw that we had made a great mistake in waiting for our remaining subjects until this town.

Not only were men conspicuous by their absence, but the women were extremely hostile.