ready to bid adieu
to the _padrecitos_ and leave for Tzintzuntzan.

[Illustration: CHURCHYARD AND BELLS; TZINTZUNTZAN]

[Illustration: VIEW AT JANICHO; LAKE PATZCUARO]

All the tourist world that goes to Patzcuaro visits Tzintzuntzan to see
the Titian. Padre Ponce was anxious to have us see the famous picture
and photograph it. It was late when we reached the town, which consists
in large part of _mestizos_ and indians who speak little but native
Tarascan. We found the _cura_ was not in town, but were taken to the
_curato_; arrived there, we discovered that the good man had taken his
keys with him. We arranged, with some difficulty, for something to eat,
and, after supper, were shown into an open room, with an unfinished
roof, without a door, and with no hint of bed. Here we shared a lumber
pile with two or three young men and suffered frightfully from cold all
night. We were up early, as sleep was impossible, and filled our time as
best we could, until it was light enough to photograph the picture.

We had our letter from Padre Ponce to the _cura_, in which he
recommended the priest to have us photograph the painting. This letter
and the governor's letter we had shown the town officials the night
before, telling them that we should make the picture. They replied that
they could not give permission to do so during the _padre's_ absence.
After we had breakfasted, and the light had become sufficient, we made
our way to the old church, in front of which are some beautifully
gnarled and irregular ancient olive trees, amid which the old bells are
quaintly hung. Entering the church, we soon found the Titian, a descent
from the cross. The figures are boldly painted and skillfully grouped;
the action and lighting concentrate upon the figure of the Christ. Padre
Ponce had told us that the proper place from which to photograph was the
pulpit, and he was right. The sacristan was looking on with doubt: when
he saw us making preparations for the picture, he hurried to us and said
it was against all rule for anyone to take a photograph when the _cura_
was not present. We told him our time was short; that we must return
to Patzcuaro that day to arrange our farther journey; we showed the
governor's order and Padre Ponce's letter, but all in vain. We must wait
until the _cura_ came. With this I put some _centavos_ in his hand and
told him I was certain his duties called him outside the church and that
we would not detain him; that we