The gully trail had not been improved by the recent rains, and it taxed our animals severely to reach the summit.

Arrived in the district of the trees loaded with beards of golden-yellow moss, we caught a magnificent view back over the valley.

With one sweep of the eyes, we could almost follow our whole round of wandering.

The ridges on which lay San Juan Zautla and San Pedro Soochiapan both were in sight, as were the valleys in which Santa Maria and Tepanapa lay.

But the only actual feature which we could see and recognize was the little coffee _finca_ this side of Zautla.