Here they dug a big hole and filled it with wood and with large stones, and made a fire and heated the stones until they became red hot.

When the serpents were seen to make their ascent on the mountain-side, the men took hold of the stones with sticks, and threw them into the big, wide-open mouths of the serpents, until the monsters were so full with stones that they burst and fell dead into the river.

Even to this day may be seen the marks on the rocks where the serpents used to ascend the mountain-side.
Once having again ascended to the highlands, I found rather level country as far as Guachochic, some forty-five miles off by the track I followed.

The name of the place signifies "blue herons," and the fine water-course, which originates in the many springs here, was formerly the abode of many water-birds.

The locality thus designated is to-day a cluster of Mexican ranches, most of them belonging to one family.