. Two bird-lovers in Mexico . c plates;a return to Tuxpan ; the right of way of a freighttrain contested by several misguided hiti^ros ; a delayof live hours in an alkali desert, while the track andfreight train are restored to their normal relative posi-tions ; a three oclock breakfast by starlight in thejXitio of the Hotel Central — and we were off on ourlonjr ride. At this early hour the air was vital with life-givingpower. Our horses bucked from sheer exuberant energyand we gave them rein and galloped like the wind,through the long, narrow, earth-paven streets and outupon the plain : world
. Two bird-lovers in Mexico . c plates;a return to Tuxpan ; the right of way of a freighttrain contested by several misguided hiti^ros ; a delayof live hours in an alkali desert, while the track andfreight train are restored to their normal relative posi-tions ; a three oclock breakfast by starlight in thejXitio of the Hotel Central — and we were off on ourlonjr ride. At this early hour the air was vital with life-givingpower. Our horses bucked from sheer exuberant energyand we gave them rein and galloped like the wind,through the long, narrow, earth-paven streets and outupon the plain : world-wide it seemed in the soft glowof the stars. Is there a more delightful sensation inthe world than to feel a strong horse beneath vou,moving with great four-footed leaps, while you, poised, «4 2.)8 ^ ::::::::9E THE TROPICS B^-- steady, guide him with a touch ? A Centaur had indeed compensations for his grotesqueness ! As we reached the outskirts of the ^^llao:e -O^J we glanced back, and there, balanced in the vista of the. TUXPAJf IN EARLY MORNING narrow street, was a burning, brilliant crescent moon,magnified in size by its low position. The old cathe-dral was warmed by its light and the tile-edges andadobe walls of each home were silvered. When fairly on the trail we rode slowly, passing <^ 259 ^ » :::::::.m TWO BIRD-LOVERS IN MEXICO B our former camping-places and resting- during- the heatof the day. By twiHght we made Tonila, the halfwayyillage, nestling- at the very foot of the mountain offire. The usu-dljiesta was in full swing-, for which wewere glad, as it ensured an abundance of snow ice-cream. This we enjoyed all the more when we learnedthat the snow was brouoht by Mexicans in sacks fromthe lofty frozen summit of the fire mountains deadsister peak. The little plaza was a weird sight that night. Thewide-open doors of the dim cliurch revealed thefig-ures of kneeling women and children. Outside, theflickering light of a multitude of bark-torches flaredunsteadily,
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookpublisherbostonandnewyorkho
