ever seen, either in Mexico or the United States, are the pack-mules between the capital and Vera Cruz; and what surprised us is, that both the horses and asses which produce them are small. The asses particularly are small; we do not recollect to have seen one which would have been considered a second-rate animal in Kentucky. [226] Those used for packing by the poorer class of people are usually about the size of a badly-raised yearling of the cow kind. These small woolly animals, with hair usually as long as one's finger, and tremendous large bodies, and having no bridles, an aparejo, a kind of pack-saddle upon which is packed all kinds of produce, wood, charcoal, fodder-stacks, &c., are driven to market in large droves. When the produce is disposed of, these droves of animals are driven home by the arriero,muleteers.3

The aparejo is a large sack, made of the fibres of the maguey, and stuffed with straw, and when lashed upon the burro, is broad and flat upon the top - too much so to straddle. When mounted, we sat with our feet forward of the sack, like boys going to mill; and all the eloquence of our English was lost upon the long-eared brutes, for they would neither turn to the right or left, or quicken their pace, but huddle together as close as the sacks would allow, thereby giving us the better opportunity of cracking our jokes. When one would lag behind, the only persuasion he was sensible to was a sharp-pointed stick a few inches long, with which we would prick him just above his tail; this would drive him forward into a little shuffling pace to overtake his company.

We had gone but a few miles when our officer discharged this arriero and his asses, and coming across a fresh drove, permitted us to hire others at double price. Thus were we swindled three times this day in donkey-hire.[227]

This officer was an ignorant man, with a face as red as cochineal,4 and exceedingly fond of pulque. In passing a pulque woman, we had only to flatter this lieutenant with the title of Capitan, point to the pulque, crook our elbow, turn our little finger over the thumb, give him, at the same time, a nod of the head, with a confidential kind of a wink, and he always drew up his horse with, Bueno, señor - enough said, sir. Our funny asses and exhilarating pulque put us all in better humour. We spoke of the beautiful Misses Valencias; we agreed that they were as white, dressed as fine, and looked as well as the best in the white settlements; and all said, "What a pity it is that such splendid-looking ladies should live in such a vile community!" This conclusion brought us to the eight-league stand, where we were quartered for the night.

March 19th. Early this morning the officer had stopped an unladen drove of pack-mules going in our direction, and gave us all the privilege of riding this day at fifty cents each, though our ration was only twenty-five cents. To-day we crossed the mountain, leaving the volcanoes Popocatepetl and Istazihuatl to our right, and descended into a deep cove to a stage-stand, called Rio Frio, ten leagues where we were halted for the night. The stage-house here is kept