On the following morning we were detained for the want of a mule, and as it had been engaged at an early hour, I felt not a little annoyed at the disappointment. To indemnify myself in some measure, I resolved to look at the town; but it was all like other towns here. That which most attracted my attention was seeing the Indian women, with their leathern buckets, and coils of long rope about their heads, and earthen pots under their arms, going to the well, which is in the centre of the square, to draw water. I thought of Rebecca—of the custom among the ancient Israelitish women, of performing the same duty—and of the lost tribes; and I wondered if they did not stray this way, and found all these large cities that are now tumbling to dust—and I was lost in reflection, and—lost my way to the Casa-real. Making my course through squatted Indians and these female water-carriers, who had led me out of the path, as they have many a wiser man before, I discovered the stopping-place and waiting mule much easier than a solution to my new theory. At ten o’clock we were ready once more to set off upon our journey, over a rocky road, taking the former from choice, the latter from necessity. After travelling four leagues, we passed through the small Indian town of Abala. This place has a very neat white church, which was embellished with two turrets, making a pretty appearance amidst the dulness of every thing around it. There being no particular inducement to delay here, we once more took up our march, and, at five o’clock, and two leagues distant, we arrived at an hacienda belonging to one of the principal curates of the province, (Isamul,) where we remained for the night. The house, although plain, was so arranged as to be both convenient and pleasant. It looked quite unlike any of the buildings for similar purposes in the country, but resembled that of one of those comfortable Dutch farm-houses, so common in Pennsylvania. It had a garden unusually well cultivated, and great attention was paid to the fruit trees. I noticed that great attention was given also to irrigation, and, all things taken into consideration, it struck me as being a place where a man might make himself comparatively happy. Among the inmates of the house I observed a number of beautiful Mestizos, but they did not outnumber those of the curate’s house in Valladolid.