the side of a running stream. Here we dismounted, and sat by the brink of the little sparkling rivulet, while the deep shadows came stealing over the mountains, and all aroundwas still, and cool and silent; all but the merry laughter of our noisy cavalcade. We returned about eleven o'clock, few accidents having occurred. Doña R a had fallen once. Doña M had crushed her foot against her neighbor's ass. The padre was shaken to a jelly, and a learned senator, who was of the party, declared he would never recover from that night's jolting. To-morrow we shall set off for Real del Monte.
17th.—After mass in the chapel, we left Tepenacasco about seven o'clock; and travelled (I believe by a short cut) over rocks and walls, torrents and fields of maguey, all in a heavy carriage with six horses. Arriving in sight of walls, the mozos gallop on and tear them down. Over the mountain-torrents or barrancas, they dash boldly, encouraging the horses by the wildest shrieks.
We stopped at San Miguel, a country house belonging to the Count de Regla, the former proprietor of the mines which we were about to visit; the most picturesque and lovely place imaginable, but entirely abandoned; the house comfortless and out of repair. We wandered through paths cut in the beautiful woods, and by the side of a rivulet that seems to fertilize everything through which it winds. We climbed the hills, and made our way through the tangled luxuriance of trees and flowers; and in the midst of hundreds of gaudy blossoms, I neglected
