rral to buy
wheat died of starvation before they reached their destination. The
Indians ascribed the hard times to the presence of the whites, who had
deprived them of their lands as well as of their liberty. The gods,
as they put it, were angry with the whites and refused to send rain.

In the summer, especially in July, a false truffle is found on the
highlands of Guachochic, which serves as a food to the Indians. It
grows abundantly a couple of inches below the ground, raising the earth
a little; and is found also under the limb of a fallen tree. The dogs
help in finding this fungus, and they are so fond of it that they
go of their own accord to look for it. Pigs grow fat on this food,
and coyotes, bears, and grey foxes also eat it. It is considered by
Professor W. G. Farlow as a variety of _Melanogaster variegatus_, which
he calls _Mexicanus_. It tastes like an over-ripe pear, with a flavour
of onion when one first bites into it. The ordinary _Melanogaster
variegatus_ is eaten in Europe, and esteemed for its pleasant taste.

It was disagreeable to travel during the dry season, on account of
the difficulty in getting provisions and finding pastures for the
animals. But I made up my mind to start under any circumstances on an
excursion toward the north-east, knowing that the fresh grass would
come up quickly after a few of the thunder-storms not infrequent at
that season. Toward the end of June I selected a few of my strongest
animals, and, leaving one of my Mexicans to take care of the remainder,
started out with two. As luck would have it, a heavy storm drenched
our first camp, and afterward the rain seemed almost to pursue me,
much to the delight of the Indians I visited, who had been praying and
dancing for rain for a long time. One day I had the imposing spectacle
of three thunder-storms coming up from different directions. The one
in the south sent flashes of lightning out of its mass of dark clouds
over the clear sky; but after all, not much rain resulted.

There was no difficulty in finding one's way from Guachochic to
Norogachic. At one place I noticed an Indian trail leading up a ridge
apparently consisting of volcanic tuff. To facilitate the ascent,
steps, now worn and old, had been cut for a distance of a couple of
hundred feet. I made my way among the Indian ranches to Norogachic,
the residence of the only priest living at present in the Tarahumare
country. The name of the place contains an allusion to