第58部分(第6/7 頁)

In　body　they　are　handsome　and　often　stately；　but　their　souls　seem　crushed。　Now　they；　whose　race　once　was　free　and　great；　as　the　mighty　ruins　show；　are　but　hewers　of　wood　and　drawers　of　water　whom　the　white　man　kills　if　they　venture　to　cross　his　desire。　On　the　narrow　mountain　paths　or　in　the　depths　of　the　vast　forests　the　traveller　meets　them　toiling　forward　under　the　weight　of　some　tremendous　load。　Humbly　the　poor　creatures；　in　whose　veins　perhaps　flows　the　blood　of　Montezuma；　draw　aside　and　stand　resting　on　their　long　sticks　while　the　white　lords　pass。　Then　once　more　they　begin　their　patient　journeyings。

By　the　way；　I　saw　a　very　curious　“mackintosh”　in　use　among　these　Chiapas　Indians。　It　consisted　of　two　huge　leaves；　I　suppose　of　some　water　plant；　which　were　fastened　together　at　the　base；　leaving　a　hole　for　the　wearer’s　head。　These　leaves；　thus　arranged；　hung　to　below　the　middle　before　and　behind；　and　were　impermeable　even　to　the　tropical　Mexican　rain。　A　long　line　of　men　clad　in　them　presented　the　strangest　of　sights。

We　arrived　at　the　mine　at　last；　and　spent　some　days　there。　It　was　in　the　charge　of　an　English　gentleman　whose　name　I　am　sorry　to　say　I　have　quite　forgotten；　but　who　received　us　with　much　kindness。　He　had　built　himself；　or　the　pany　had　built　for　him；　a　long　low　house　with　a　verandah　and　some　spare　rooms；　in　one　of　which　I　slept。　After　the　mosquito…haunted　canoe　and　our　nocturnal　habitations；　that　clean　little　room　seemed　an　almost　celestial　abode。　Tarantulas　were　very　plentiful　about　the　house　and；　going　to　bed　one　night；　I　perceived　a　specimen　of　inconceivable　size　—　really　it　looked　as　large　as　a　plate　—　sitting　on　the　ceiling　immediately　above　my　head；　and　shouted　for　assistance。　My　host　arrived　and；　after　inspection　of　the　monster；　exclai