, 1878-02-01

u
camp there for the night, and await our
coming in the early morning. We went
To the restaurant, obtained our supper,
and were leaving there, whca we learned
that the train WAS upon another road from
that which instructed the muletcer to
take. b mounted his mule and rode
after them. and found them camping ut
another place nm another road, our direc-
tions having been misunderstood. We
started at \. N and arrived where the
train was before daybreak, and having
seen it under way, We went forward
with instructions for it to overtake us at
Choice at night,
Leaving the road on which they were,
we took a crOsS.trafl 10 the right road.
and passed a tract OF rolling land, and
through myriads Of flowers of the most
brilliant aud gaudy cOlors 1t seemed
rs il nature had made this tract her IA
vor;te flower garden. Every hue, every
tint every shade of color, was to be
found here. The poet has uttered the
idea, THAT flowers are the alphabet of
angels, whereby they write on hills and
plains mysterious truths If his idea is
a true one, | think the whole angelic
wrting-schoo must have had long task
set before it, previous to accomplishing
this floral chirography. The whole char
acter OF the vegetation appears to have
changed, az we leave the low plains Of
the terra caliente"-warm lands--and
almost imperceptibly ascend the rising
ground which is the premonition of the
foothills Of the Sierras. The vegetation
becomes more dense, the cactii are not
as Numerous and the trees are larger.
The trail, owing to the rank under
growth, became more difficult to follow,
and We soon found ourselves trying to
force our way through the brushes which
covered a low flat tract, almcst marshy
swamp. The moisture Of the last shower
still formed into glistening pearls upon
the foliage of the pendant branches un-
der which we have to pass and which
dissOlving in the sOurness of our trials,
drops, that penetrated our garments, and
trickled in diminutive streams down the
wrnkled ravines Of our bodies. The
rays of the sun burned and scorched us;
the thorns OF the cactii pierced and
scratched US; the swayiug limbs beat
and scourged US, until in the plenitude
of our wrath and anger we sought solace
in the utterance of many epithets plenti.
fully interspersed with decided anathe-
mas. At least an hour was passed in this
exciting recreation, when finding that
the trail was, Jordan like, "a hard road
to travel,' and at the same moment
emerging upon the road we we're seeking,
we resumed our longtime habit of gen
tie speaking, and plodded cheerfully
along 1t is relief, under the pressure
of such vexations, to give voice to posi-
tive epithets, and to utter some naughty
words.
Soon after entering upon the right road
and here let me state that most of the
roads in this part Of Mexico are merely
trails which have been used for centuries
i witnessed spirited contest between
dog and half-score of buzz4rds, for the
ownership and consumption of some car
rion by the side Of the trail. Deg had
both the best and the worst of it. He
held possession and realized all the an
noyance. Buzzards to the right of him,
buzzards to the left of him, buzzards he
fore him, and buzzards behind him, and
sometimes buzzards would swoop down
from above him. Like the trading In-
dian, he might have said "You buzzard
me ALL" Did he turn his attention to
the repast in front of him, the buzzards
would do the same, and dozen of unfair
bills would be presented to his bill of
| fare. Did he snap at a buzzard the others
would snap at his choicest morsels. Did
he attempt to mouth delicate fragment,
numerous indeliCate mouths would at
tempt similar performance. Worried,
teased, perplexed and harassed, he bit
this way and that way; barkcd, whined,
plunged and dashed, but all to no avail.
He had luscious feast almost within his
reach, and from his aggravated position
he could not partake of it.. The power.
ful aroma so eifectually peryaded the sur
rounding atmosphere that | was fain to
ride onward. and leave the field to be de-
cided by fair fight; and, looking back
from time to time, could see that the
belligerent powers still retained their
primal status, and the strife had not been
decided.
Our road Was very attractive one, 90
account Of the marvellous diversity Of
foliage; 90 new 20 me, so strangely differ
ent from anything had yet seen; and
the whole prolusely decorated with
gorgeous flowers. The foEering vines
had grown up 20 the top Of the highest
trees. sod with their brlliant-haed bios-
SONS had dccked them 10 holiday attire.
The.s vines covered with thick mating
Il foliage every bush by the trail side {,
they elambeEe,i upon the stately c"l.
umnAr cactus aud clothed it in splendid
attire, they swung from tree % Tree 10
graceful, mAny tintri fesiuous, and
crossed uur trail fu Ahovc our bc1ds.