Page:Pictures of life in Mexico Vol 1.djvu/192

164 under the wall of a patio, or court, we behold a number of tables duly set out for various games of chance, and presided over by sinister looking men, who do their utmost to entice you to tempt your fate. They have heaps of pesos, medios, and rials to stake, they say, and you have only to sit down with them to share the spoil; they are desirous that you should enrich yourself at their expense—you are sure to win three games out of every four—only they have a pleasure in playing: gain is not their object. Visitors are already seated at other tables; the laces of the majority burning with anxiety and eagerness; the game cannot be played quickly enough to keep pace with their impatience: at others, despair and anguish are even now gaining ascendancy over unfortunate players and at all, high words, curses, profane exclamations, and the utmost confusion, are beginning to prevail. Unwilling to be involved in the rude brawls continually arising here, we take our departure, musing on the fearful character of this universally absorbing amusement, and emerge once more into the open air.

Suddenly we come upon a band of Indians, quite overcome with the liquor they have