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Along a wide open space by the market were ranged dozens of women who squatted in line with their heads wrapped in shawls and sold tortillas which they kept in small baskets under a clean white cloth or held in their laps.

[[strikethrough]] All about thronged a mass of [[/strikethrough]] 

At one corner of the market building on the ground were the sellers of game - 3 or 4 women who day after day disposed of rabbits, hares, quail field rats (neotomas) or whatever other game the season afforded.

The rats were brought in regularly & I saw hundreds of them exposed for sale at different times.

They are dug out of their burrows under cacti & maguey plants on the plains about San Luis & are sold for 6 cts. each & considered a delicacy by the common people. When a cotton-tail only brings from 9 to 12 cts & a hare from 15 to 18 cts, it is evident that these rats must be held in peculiar estimation.

They are also said to be beneficial as blood purifiers as well as a savory morsel. I found it a common practice