Capital. The crops had fallen off considerably in consequence of the destruction of the Presas, (reservoirs of water,) during the Revolution; but the proprietor having been enabled by his contract with the German Company to repair them, it is expected that the returns from the estate will again be very large.
Nov. 6.—The road to Săn Jūān dĕl Riŏ is one continued descent from Ărrōyŏ Sārcŏ, for about three leagues, when you reach the Llano del Căzădērŏ, so called from a great hunting-party given there by one of the Viceroys, (Don Antonio de Mĕndōză,) in which hundreds of deer, hares, and rabbits were killed. Our coachmen descended the hill, as Mexicans always do, at full gallop, and drove on at the same pace across the plain, until they were stopped by discovering that one of the fore-wheels had been on fire so long that the whole nave was gone, and the wheel itself rendered utterly useless. We were five leagues from Ărrōyŏ Sārcŏ when this happened, and seven leagues from Săn Jūān: the sun was excessively powerful, and there was neither Hacienda nor Rancho within a reasonable distance at which we could hope either to deposit the children, or to get our damages repaired. We were, therefore forced to leave them with the coach in the middle of the plain, and to ride on to Săn Jūān, from whence we despatched a mule with a new wheel, which we succeeded with some difficulty in procuring. We reached the town, where we for-
