of Vera Cruz and Puebla,
and bearing the poetical name of "The Eye of Waters." But we were
followed by a driving storm of sand all the way to Nopaluca, where we
breakfasted at twelve o'clock.

AGED BEGGAR.

As we came out from breakfast we encountered an old beggar, whom I had
often seen before at this place. He was so old that Time seemed to have
forgotten him, and he too had forgotten Time. He could only reach his
age by approximation: he recollected that his third son was earning
day-wages when the decree came (in 1767) for the expulsion of the
Jesuits. This would make the old beggar 130 years of age, if we call
the son eighteen, and the father twenty-five at the time of his birth.
Poor old man! how much he has suffered from outliving his own kindred.
One after another he has followed to the grave his children and his
children's children, to the third and fourth generation, till now the
lad that leads him by the hand, the only link that binds him to the
race of the living, is of the sixth generation.

Toward evening, after we had passed the storm of dust, we came to the
large village of Amosoque, which is the only town of any magnitude
between Perote and Puebla. It is noted for its excellent spurs; and was
formerly much more noted as a haunt of robbers. From this village we
were driven in a little more than an hour to the city of Puebla.

CHAPTER VIII.

Puebla.--The Miracle of the Angels.--A City of Priests.--Marianna
in Bronze.--The Vega of Puebla.--First View of the Pyramid of
Cholula.--Modern Additions to it.--The View from its
Top.--Quetzalcoatl.--Cholula and Tlascala.--Cholula without the
Poetry.--Indian Relics.

_Pueblo de los Angelos_--the "Village of the Angels"--derives its
name from a miracle that occurred during the building of its celebrated
Cathedral. While its walls were going up, angels are said to have come
down from heaven nightly, and laid on the walls the same amount of
stone and mortar that the masons laid the day previous. It is, of
course, a sacred city. Its people, particularly the women, are the most
devout in all Mexico; and, of course, the most profligate, as we shall
show presently. It is a city of priests, and monks, and nuns, and
friars, of every order, white and gray, black and greasy. As in all
Spanish-American towns, the fronts of the houses are plastered and
painted in fresco; but the fresco painting has gone too long without
renewing, and the town looks now, as it