Page:Life in Mexico vol 2.djvu/381

Rh, and beardless face, that he looks like a very young woman. Some of the Indians here are very rich, and bury their money; and one, called Agustin Campos, who has beautified the church, as we read on an inscription carved on a stone outside, has thirty thousand dollars, is much respected, and has the addition of Don to his name; yet wears a coarse blanket like his fellow men. We staid some hours on the island, and went into some of the huts where the women were baking tortillas, one Indian custom at least, which has descended to these days without variation. They first cook the grain in water with a little lime, and when it is soft peel off the skin—then grind it on a large block of stone, the metate, or, as the Indians (who know best) call it, the metatl. For the purpose of grinding it, they use a sort of stone roller, with which it is crushed, and rolled into a bowl placed below the stone. They then take some of this paste, and clap it between their hands, till they form it into light round cakes, which are afterwards toasted on a smooth plate, called the comalli, (comal they call it in Mexico) and which ought to be eaten as hot as possible.

On our return, we had the variety of a slight storm, which ruffled the placid surface of the lake, and caused the rowers to exert all their strength to bring the canoe to port before it should become more violent.

This morning we walked all through Pascuaro, which can boast of many good houses, a square and Portales, and ended by going to visit the convent of