Page:Life in Mexico vol 2.djvu/103



 Ride by star-light — Fear of robbers — Tropical wild flowers — Stout escort — Hautepec — Hacienda of Cocoyoc — A fire — Three thousand orange trees — Coffee mills, &c. — Variety of tropical fruits — Prodigality of nature — Casa-sano — Celebrated reservoir — Ride to Santa Clara — A philosopher — A scorpion — Leave Santa Clara — Dangerous barranca — Colon — Agreeable house — Civil administrador — San Nicolas — Solitude — Franciscan friar — Rainy morning — Pink turban — Arrival at Atlisco — Cypress — Department of Puebla — Volcanoes — Doña Marina — Verses — Popocateptl — Cholula — Great pyramid — Arrival at Puebla.

the ninth of February we took leave of Atlacamulco and the hospitable administrador, and our party being diminished by the absence of Don Pedro, who was obliged to go to Mexico, we set off as usual by star-light, being warned of various bad bits on the road, where the ladies at least were advised to dismount. The country was wild and pretty, mountainous and stony. When the light came in we separated and galloped about in all directions. The air was cool and laden with sweetness. We came, however, to a pretty lane, where those of our escort who were in front stopped, and those who were behind rode up and begged us to keep close together, as for many leagues the country was haunted by robbers. Guns and pistols being looked to, we rode on in