There were three coaches on our train, first-, second-, and third-class.

When buying tickets we struck acquaintance with a Syrian peddler.

Three of these were travelling together; one of them spoke a little English, being proficient in profanity.

He likes the United States, _per se_, and does not like Mexico; but he says the latter is the better for trade.
"In the United States, you sell maybe fifteen, twenty-five, fifty cents a day; here ten, fifteen, twenty-five dollars." The trip lasted three hours and involved three changes of mules at stations, where we found all the excitement and bustle of a true railroad station.
The country was, at first, rolling, with a sparse growth of yuccas, many of which were exceptionally large and fine.

On the hills were occasional _haciendas_.