pains in the head, especially those arising from tooth-ach. In this case it is inserted by a syringe, or more frequently by the mouth of the operator, into the ear opposite to that side of the face where the pain lies, and is suffered to remain in till the pain leaves the patient, which I have always perceived it do, however violent the attack may have been, in the course of three or four minutes: the whole effect is doubtlessly produced by what is called counteraction.

Early in the evening I arrived at a sugar water-mill, one of the largest haciendas in Mexico. It was built about half a cen. tury ago, by Don Carlos Cermina, Here they made weekly 2,000 arrobas, of 25 lbs. each, of molasses, selling for fifteen dollars per carga of eighteen arrobas, also 2,000 arrobas of sugar, besides fifty barrels of brandy. There might have been employed about 1,000 hands; but the works were not in full operation. They belonged to the same owners as the sugar estate and mill of S. Gabriel, which I passed in the middle of that day. The bailiff or steward seemed to keep an open house for the benefit of travellers : a temporary meal was immediately provided; and, afterwards, a handsome supper in one of the upper apartments, at which the family attended. There was a great choice of rooms, and my bed was made up at a distance from the more inhabited part, at the end of a long suite; my servants were accommodated in a room at a little distance, but after the doubts and perplexities I was suffering under respecting the unaccountable abstraction of the doubloons, I hardly knew whether to consider myself the safer for their company. The

. under-servant had been one of the grooms at San Cosme, a fine athletic fellow, but exceedingly demure and almost stupid in his demeanour; he had so often and so anxiously requested of the Major Domo permission to accompany me, that I at last assented. I thought, this evening, on my retiring to rest, that he evinced something

impudent in his manner. He came up to me without the slightest symptom of the respect commonly shewn by servants, especially in that country, and which with him had usually been manifested even to a degree of disgusting obsequiousness: I rated him soundly for his conduct, and, after looking at the priming of my pistols, proceeded to place them, whilst he observed me, under my pillow. As we had a long journey to travel the next day, we rose very early ; but, as I expected, the escort was not ready to accompany us. My bed was close to a window that looked out in the farm-yard of the hacienda : partly from distrust at my situation with my servants, and partly from a constant noise of shouts and exclamations of the soldiery kept up till past midnight, I slept indifferently. It was a beautiful moonlight night, and I had the curiosity to step to the window to see what was going on: I was not a little surprised to find that the escort who had complained in the day of the length of the march, were repaying

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themselves for their over-fatigue, by carousing and playing at monte, a game of odd or even, during the whole night: much money seemed to be sported; there was also some drinking going on; and the shadows which were thrown

their countenances and postures, as they sat ardently engaged in their intoxicating pursuits, blended with the soft rays of moonlight, would have afforded a group worthy of the pencil of a Salvator Rosa.

CHAPTER II.

Simple inhabitants of Amates.-Lodging at Tepe

coaquilco.-Troops proceeding to the coast.Spotted Indians of Istola.

It was quite dark when we left the courtyard in the morning of Sunday the 24th. The road now became more mountainous. We afterwards passed through a fine parklike country, and I broke my fast about 7 o'clock, by plucking, as I rode along, some wild cherries from a tree which had exactly the appearance of an oak, but without a single leaf. We soon came up to a small hamlet, consisting of about half a dozen cottages; but the only inhabitant we saw was a pretty young girl about sixteen, who was returning from mass: we gained admittance at one of the houses by knocking lustily at the door; it was the public-house of the place. The sole liquor, however, which it afforded was some coarse brandy, of which

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