Page:Mexico in 1827 Vol 2.djvu/419

Rh servants the name of El Cŏhētĕ, (the Rocket,) by which he was ever afterwards distinguished.

In addition to these, we had three other servants for house work upon the road; two Arrieros, with the baggage-mules, and two stable-men to take charge of the horses; and although the number may appear large, yet such were the complicated wants of the party, the various beds to put up, and unmake, and the difficulty in obtaining provisions, that it was all that our united efforts could accomplish to get into marching order at seven o'clock in the morning, before which time we seldom found it possible to set out. One man was generally sent in advance to secure rooms, and to act as purveyor: this duty devolved upon a fine athletic fellow called Hilario, who had served as an artilleryman during the war of Independence, and who retained enough of his old military habits to make a most invaluable avant-courier. Mounted on an excellent horse, he scoured the country in every direction, and if milk, meat, or vegetables, were to be found, we always had them for our evening meal. The first was of the greatest importance to us, as both the children were too young to live upon anything else; the eldest being only a year and a half old, and the second, whom her mother was still suckling, hardly five months. As to ourselves, a large box of preserved meats, and our guns, ensured us against starvation; nor did a day pass, I believe, without our having hares, quail, or water-fowl of some kind, to add