第57部分(第4/7 頁)

d　in　a　certain　mine；　in　which；　to　my　sorrow；　I　had　shares。　The　original　arrangement　was　that　we　were　to　have　travelled　to　the　marvellous　ruins　of　Palenque；　which　were　built　by　some　preAztec　race。　But　this　was　given　up　for　the　same　reason　that　we　gave　up　digging　for　Montezuma’s　treasure。　In　place　of　it　it　was　settled　that　Jebb　and　I　should　make　the　journey　to　the　Chiapas　mine　and；　returning　thence　at　a　certain　date；　meet　our　wives　on　the　New　York　steamer　off　the　port　of　Frontera；　where　she　called；　and　thence　proceed　with　them　to　the　States　and　England。　Of　course　it　miscarried；　as　most　things　do；　or　did；　in　Mexico；　as　I　shall　tell　presently。　Indeed；　as　I　can　see　now；　the　whole　expedition　was　of　a　somewhat　crack…brained　order；　but　at　the　time　I　cared　little　what　I　did。

Jebb　and　I　proceeded　from　Mexico　to　Vera　Cruz　by　the　wonderful　railway　which　winds　from　the　7000　feet　high　tableland；　past　the　glorious　mountain　of　Orizaba　to　the　coast。　Then　the　train　only　ran　in　the　day…time　in　charge　of　an　armed　guard；　for　fear　of　brigands　who　could　be　relied　upon　to　throw　it　off　the　line　at　night。　I　recall　one　town　or　village　which　we　passed　where　there　were；　I　think；　thirteen　churches　and　twelve　houses；　or　so　I　was　told。　The　churches　were　said　to　have　all　been　built　by　successful　brigand　captains　when　they　retired　from　business　in　the　neighbourhood　in　order　to　expiate　their　not　inconsiderable　crimes。　By　the　way；　I　think　it　was　on　my　journey　to　Pinal　that　I　passed　through　a　place　of　some　size　where　we　saw　only　a　few　sullen　old　men　and　some　women　and　children。　The　rest　of　the　male　population　had　recently　been　killed　out　by　the　rurales；　or　mounted　guards；　I　forget　for　what　cause。　Indeed　all　my　recollections　of　Mexico　are　somewhat　fragmentary；　for　at　the　time　I　made　no　notes　of　my　ex