cent rains, and everything was fresh and green. At Tampico, we
resisted the attractions of the hotels "where Americans always stop,"
and went to the unpretentious Pan Cardo. Here we were comfortably
located, and early the next morning tried to define our plans. We were
in uncertainty as to what towns we should visit in order to examine
the Huaxtecs. The ancient Huaxtecs were among the most interesting of
Mexican tribes. They are a northern offshoot of that great family, of
which the Maya of Yucatan is the type. The linguistic relationship is
evident upon the most careless comparison. The ancient area occupied
by the Huaxtecs was near the Gulf of Mexico, and on both sides of the
Panuco River, near the mouth of which some of their important centres
were located. To-day Mexicans divide the Huaxteca into two parts,--the
Huaxteca Veracruzana and the Huaxteca Potosina--the former in the state
of Vera Cruz, the latter in the state of San Luis Potosi. At first,
we thought to visit the latter, but the difficulty of reaching it was
presented so forcibly, and the ease of reaching the Huaxteca Veracruzana
so emphasized, that we determined upon the latter, and selected the town
of Ozuluama for our central point. We could go by canoes across the
river to Pueblo Viejo, where we could secure horses for the further
journey. We were led to believe that it would be easy to make the trip
in a single day. We had arranged for a canoe over night. It belonged in
Pueblo Viejo, and it was to come over early in the morning; we were at
the wharf at six, ready to start, but no canoe was in sight. Not only
so, but a norther was blowing, and comforters, lounging on the wharf
assured us that no canoe would come from Pueblo Viejo until the storm
ceased, which would not be for twenty-four hours. We were loath to
believe this information, and brought all our baggage from the various
storing-places, where we had left it, out onto the wharf. Time passed;
the norther continued, and no canoe from Pueblo Viejo came. Thinking
that it might be possible to secure a canoe from here to Pueblo Viejo,
we dickered with a boatman at the wharf. We had agreed to pay for the
canoe ordered $1.00 for the journey, which was something more than the
regular price. The man with whom we now were talking declared that he
would not take us across for less than $3.50. We were on the point of
yielding to necessity, when a rival appeared and offered to do the work
for $2.50. Such is h