Don Pepe and his Indians arrived after sunset and encamped near us. The methods adopted by these Indians when preparing to pass the night upon an open savannah were instructive. In the first instance they placed upon the ground a quantity of broad dry leaves to protect them from the damp grass. They then dispersed, and in a few minutes the adjacent forest resounded with the noise of the blows made by their machetes. They returned bearing loads of firewood and also several strong forked branches. These they sharpened at one end and fixed into the earth near the camping place to form supports to carry the bales of tobacco. In this manner the cargo was raised about three feet, and thus they carried out the invariable rule of Indians who never leave anything upon the ground at night. They then lighted a large fire. There were characteristics with respect to these Oaxaca Indians, which I had already observed on the previous day, but which more particularly came under my notice upon this occasion. They had gone through a long day’s work of most severe labour, and yet upon settling down for the night’s rest they neither ate any food or drank any water. My guides, who were not, like these men, trained to carry great weights for considerable distances, were also able to live upon very small quantities of food and never seemed to be tired at the end of the day’s journey. It was the custom of each Indian before leaving his home to provide himself with a small quantity of a substance called pozole, which was prepared for him by his wife. This was usually made in the following manner. A sufficient quantity of maize was partly boiled, until the grain could be easily removed from the husks. These softened grains were then ground upon the metatl or grindstone until a thick paste was made. This was either put into a little bag or rolled up in a green leaf. This paste was the principal part of the food that was carried, but sometimes the wives gave their husbands a supply of tortillas. To make these, the grains of maize, after being slightly boiled, are put upon the metatl, and rolled out into a very thin pancake; this is taken off the stone and put upon a large leaf and made into a round shape. It is then placed upon a pan and held for a few minutes over the fire, until it is properly baked, when it becomes a tortilla. With a few of these and his scant store of pozole an Indian always considers himself to be amply provisioned until he returns to his village or secluded country hut.