Page:Pictures of life in Mexico Vol 1.djvu/223

Rh sleep; and it behoves a stranger to be careful in such districts, to look well about him before he seats himself, or retires to bed, or even handles his arms or puts on his sombrero—for these animals will often be found nestling in such places as a hat lining, or the lock of a pistol, for security.

In some of the mining cities of the north, associations have been formed for their destruction, and persons who have nothing better to do are employed to hunt them out; a reward of two clacos (about three half-pence) being paid for the body of every scorpion or spider scorpion that is brought to them. And as a light occupation is preferred by the lower classes inhabiting these cities, and as there is a little of the zest of the hunter about the pursuit, there is no lack of alacran seekers; though the profession is not unaccompanied by many dangers and discomforts; and great numbers of the vermin are thus destroyed.

Before the entrance of a low hut, five miles distant from the city of Durango, three figures are grouped together in mournful conversation; interrupted at short intervals by hollow groans and moans from the interior of the dwelling, as of some one suffering from pain