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buildings were of continual interest. Several gigantic specimens of Yucca filiformis were passed, one of which I photographed & measured rudely. It had a a base covering 20 ft. in diameter at the ground and 6 ft. above the ground at smallest part the trunk was 8 ft. in diam. The tree then gradually enlarged up to about 12 ft where the huge branches forked. Its altitude was at least 50 ft. Several others were seen of similar sizes.

Near the village of Harongaricaro [[Erongaricuaro]] we turned to the left and leaving the lake crossed a divide some 800 ft. high & entered a beautiful valley surrounded by hills covered with a fine growth of Pinus montazumae. The valley and many rectangular spaces on the hill slopes are cleared and covered with corn. In a few fields winter wheat is being sowed.

In the middle of this valley is a thrifty village of the Tarasco Indians who are living in well-finished wooden houses. The original Tarasco is spoken here almost to the exclusion of Spanish. The houses are made of remarkably well-hewed planks of pine which are notched & fitted at the ends & so well hewed at the [[strikethrough]] joints [[/strikethrough]] edges that the joints could not be closer with well sawed lumber