Page:Life in Mexico vol 1.djvu/290

270 princess in a giant's castle; or a most commonplace spirit, so that she may darn stockings to the sound of the waterfall, and feel no other inconvenience from the storm, but that her husband will require dry linen when he comes home.

As for us, we were drenched before reaching the carriage, into which the water was pouring; and when we set off, once more, amidst the rapidly-increasing darkness, and over these precipitous roads, we thought that our chance of reaching the proposed haven that night was very small. After much toil to the horses, we got out of the ravines, and found ourselves once more on the great plains, where the tired animals ploughed their way over fields and ditches and great stones, and among trees and tangled bushes; an occasional flash of lightning our only guide. Great was our joy, when, about eleven o'clock, a man, riding on in advance, shouted out, that the lights of Tepenacasco were in sight; and still more complete our satisfaction, when we drove round the tank into the court-yard of the hacienda. We were received with great applause by the inmates, and were not sorry to rest after a very fatiguing, yet agreeable day.

21st.

We left Tepenacasco the day before yesterday. Our journey was very dangerous, in consequence of the great rains, which had swelled the torrents; especially as we set off late, and most of it was performed by night. In these barrancas, carriages and horsemen have been frequently swept away and dashed in pieces over the precipices. But to make our