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424 to penetrate into the interior, but recognizing that the northern regions with their sparse population would afford little support to the cause, he decided to return to Oajaca, by way of Vera Cruz, and crossing Texas and Louisiana he took passage in June from New Orleans for that port, on board the steamer City of Habana, disguised as a Cuban doctor. His voyage was an adventurous one. No suspicion of his personality was entertained until the vessel touched at Tampico, where the same troops which he had released at Matamoros were taken on board. His detection soon followed, and the officers took steps to secure him on arrival at Vera Cruz. Though the vessel lay more than four miles from land, Diaz, in the evening of the 21st, made a desperate attempt to swim ashore. He was discovered and a boat sent after him. He was picked up at nightfall in an exhausted condition. On being brought back to the vessel he was befriended by the purser, who managed to secrete him till their arrival at Vera Cruz, where, disguised in the dress of a Mexican sailor, he succeeded in getting ashore on a launch loaded with cargo from the steamer. From Vera Cruz he hastened to Oajaca, at which city he arrived in the beginning of July, after several narrow escapes from falling into the hands of federal troops. Meanwhile Gonzalez, after a toilsome march, advanced into Hidalgo and Tlascala.

As the time approached for the election of the president, it became evident that Lerdo would accept the candidateship for reëlection, and in that case the popular suffrage would be sacrificed to electoral intrigues; and indeed, the machinations of his party were so notorious that a large number of electors, influenced by the opposition press, refrained from voting. In June and July the elections took place, and