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dish of boiled meat covered with a couple of tortillas. The presidente carefully raised one edge of the tortillas & with a fragment of the upper one took out a little of the meat & ate it. After two or three more mouthfuls he pushed the dish to one side & I followed his example. I noticed several persons came in afterwards & they ate the food offered them in the same furtive way the presidente had done and so I took this to be the etiquette of the occasion. After eating we were treated to cane brandy & each person after taking his first drink gave the mayordomo - after this during the rest of the night the guest was free to drink as he pleased without cost. Now & then a man would pour out a glass of brandy & pass it to another with a long series of complimentary remarks, telling how much he liked him & that this glass was to show his everlasting regards. Then the glass would be rec'd by the other with an equal flourish of complimentary phrases & then they drank- When they become a little elevated from frequent drinks these compliments & counter compliments often go on for five or ten minutes. Several cups were offered me as marks of Cariño as they said & being more than I cared for I merely touched them to my lips & then passed them on to my neighbor who took them with expression of pleasure and quickly drained them. Meanwhile the music was going on playing spanish airs for quadrilles, waltzes & a dance