quēră; and the whole Sierra was constantly overrun by parties of Insurgents or Royalists. There is a fine presa (reservoir) of water, however, immediately below the house, and provisions were abundant; but Mrs. Ward was lodged in a barn, where she was considerably annoyed on the following morning by a mule, that forced its way in through the shattered door, just as she was beginning her toilet, notwithstanding her vehement entreaties that no one would come in. The rest of the party were crowded into one small sala, where we supped first, and then put up our beds, there not being room for them and the table at the same time.
Nov. 22. We reached Săn Fĕlīpĕ, a town formerly of some importance, but now in ruins, many of the houses being unroofed, while the Adobe walls, deprived of their usual coating of white, present a most desolate appearance. The first four leagues of the road from La Tlăchĭquēră were steep and mountainous, but after crossing a ravine, at a Rancho called El Passo de los Arrāstres, we entered the elevated plains of San Felipe, and continued to traverse them without interruption for the space of six or seven leagues. I never saw any thing so extraordinary as the number of hares in every part of this plain. I shot two or three after breakfast in some bushes by the side of the road, and gave them to one of the servants to hang to the pommel of his saddle; his horse, frightened with the unusual load, ran away, and I believe, that without exaggeration, I may say, that
