the orders, the new escort had not arrived, and the escort of the preceding
night could go no further. Don Miguel, with his swarthy face, and great
sarape, was stalking about, rather out of humour, while the captain was
regretting, in very polite tones, with his calm, Arab-looking, impassive
face, that his escort could proceed no further. He seemed to think it
extremely probable that we should be robbed, believed, indeed had just
heard it asserted, that a party of _ladrones_ were looking out for el Senor
Ministro, regretted that he could not assist us, though quite at our
service, and recommended us to wait until the next escort should arrive.

To this advice our conductor would by no means listen. He was piqued that
any detention should occur, and yet aware that it was unsafe to go on. He
had promised to convey us safely, and in four days, to Mexico, and it was
necessary to keep his word. Some one proposed that two of the men should
accompany the diligence upon mules, as probably a couple of these animals
might be procured. The captain observed, that though entirely at our
disposal, two men could be of no manner of use, as, in case of attack,
resistance, except with a large escort, was worse than useless.
Nevertheless it was remarked by some ingenious person, that the robbers
seeing two, might imagine that there were more behind. In short there were
various opinions. One proposed that they should go on the coach, another
that they should go _in_ it. Here I ventured to interpose, begging that
they might ride on mules or go outside, but by no means within. As usual,
it was as the Senora pleased.

At length we all collected before the door of the inn, and a queer group we
must have made by the light of the moon, and a nice caricature, I thought
to myself, our friend Mr. G---- would have made of us, had he been there.

The diligence with eight white horses and a Yankee coachman, originally, no