When we reached the town, my heart sank; a church with handsome dome and modern tower, a planted _plaza_ with central fountain, buildings, of two stories with gaudy fronts and _portales_, surrounding three sides of the square, augured better for comfort while we were in the place, than for work on Totonacs.

We rode up to the _municipio_, where we found the _presidente_, a rather stylish young fellow, who was interested in our work and helpful.

The town controls fourteen thousand persons, and its name is derived from that of a large _ahuacate_, the Aztec name of which is _pahuatl_.

The _presidente_ assured us that there was no Totonac town, properly speaking, within the limits of the _municipio_.

For all this district, Orozco y Berra makes many errors.