robably have done nothing
for us, but his little daughter, much impressed by our letter from the
governor, took an active interest in our welfare, promised to prepare a
dinner, and decided him to give us sleeping-quarters in a store-room
in the building. He thawed a little after we had eaten, but spoke
discouragingly regarding the possibility of working there. He said we
would do well to go to El Triunfo; that it would take two days to find
indians and bring them to the town; that there were no animals, nothing
to eat, no conveniences in Tumbala, in all of which he probably was
quite correct. Our _arrieros_ had contracted only to this point from San
Cristobal. We urged them to make the further journey, and offered them
a price much above the regular, but they wanted to be back in San
Cristobal for Holy Week, and assured us that the roads ahead were the
worst that could be imagined, and that they ran the risk of killing all
their animals if they went with us.

[Illustration: THE TORO; FRAME AND BEARER; EL TRIUNFO]

[Illustration: PLAYING TORO; EL TRIUNFO]

As we were on the road, a little before we reached Tumbala, we found a
company of indian boys making camp for the night. Calling to us, they
said that Don Enrique had told them if they saw us on the road, to say
that we should keep straight on to El Triunfo, as he had a message for
us. We had never heard of Don Enrique, and thought there was some error,
but after supper, the _agente_ handed us a letter which had come that
afternoon from the gentleman in question. In it we read: "Sir: Mr.
Ellsworth, of the Rio Michol Rubber Co., Salto, asked me by telephone to
tell you that he will be waiting for you the 4th of April in La Cruzada,
and hopes that you will kindly accompany Mrs. Ellsworth as far as
Mexico, and that, in case she would not find a steamer in Frontera, he
is going to charter one. Hoping to see you here in Triunfo, and waiting
for an answer to La Cruzada, I remain, Yours truly, H. Rau." This was
a gleam of light amid our dark affairs. There we were, with all
our baggage and instruments, but without carriers, deserted by our
_arrieros_, and with no opportunity in Tumbala to secure new animals
or helpers; it was like the voice of a friend, to receive this English
letter from El Triunfo, and we felt that, if worst came to worst, Don
Enrique might help us out.

The room in which we slept was filled with stored stuff and two tables.
On one of these I made my be