Keeping to this trail, passing from plantations of bananas lying at the river level below us and catching many pretty views of valley and of mountain, we at last reached Totolapa, completely worn out with the journey and the heat.

Here we rested until the heat of the day should be past.
[Illustration: OUR PARTY LEAVING TEHUANTEPEC] [Illustration: ZAPOTEC WOMEN AND GIRLS, TLACOLULA] We had expected at this town to secure a muleteer, as the one we hired from San Carlos had agreed to come only to this town.

Here, too, we had expected to rent a new horse for Mr.Lang.Our muleteer, however, was much taken with the party, and declared that he should hire himself to continue with us to Tlacolula.

We quickly arranged with him, and at four o'clock prepared to leave.

The sick horse was then at its worst; it had lain down, and for a time we believed it was really dead; it was out of the question for it to go further; so, calling one of the villagers, I told him that he might have the horse, and if there was any possibility of curing, it, he should do what might be necessary.
From four to seven it was a tiresome climb, largely through stream-beds to Carvajal.