Page:Travels in Mexico and life among the Mexicans.djvu/139

Rh We finally got fairly astride our steeds at the cross of San José, near a big ceibo tree, and turned into a narrow trail that was, its whole length, very stony, or muy pedragoso. This led into the forest forming part of the belt that lines the eastern and northern coasts of Yucatan, the trees gradually increasing in size, and becoming more open as we advanced. Birds grew more numerous, especially the queer bird called the road-runner,—el corre-camino,—a species of cuckoo, or the chaparral cock. We had to walk our horses, the road was so slippery; very little soil covered the coral rock, which was full of holes, caves, and cenotes, nearly all leading to water. At noon we halted at a small cenote, where there was an opening in the rock, down which our Indian went, and got a calabash full of pure water. A team of pack mules came up just then, and their owner sat down with us and joined in a refresco Yucateco. Into the calabash of water Alonzo put a big ball of atole, or mixture of corn, procured of the Mestiza in the morning, and stirred it up with his fingers. When of proper consistency it was passed to me, and, drinking of it, I found it sweet and refreshing. This is prepared by the women, of maize, spiced and sweetened, and is in universal use in Yucatan and Southern Mexico, forming, with water, a pleasant and strengthening drink. We drank all around from the same calabash, then mounted and went on again. The great woods were open at times, sweet, clean, and inviting, and the leaves lay on the ground as in autumn in the North; but I had no relish for this sight, desiring to reach the end of a ride that promised to be interminable.

Late in the afternoon, we reached a change in the dry, hot road, an aguada, or small pond; and here, at a sign from Alonzo, I got off my horse and crept toward the water with my gun. Through the bushes I saw a gallinule, a beautiful bird, which I shot, and immediately after another, that flew up at the report of the gun. These Alonzo secured by wading into the dark pool, notwithstanding he had sore feet, as our Indian, though bare-legged, refused to secure them. The aguada was deep, its surface well covered with lilies and water plants, and fringed with an abundance of dead snail shells.