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The church here was in a semi-ruinous condition & the holy images were located in the townhouse where they were on a table at the far end. Here each morning a half hour before daybreak the watchman lighted a couple of candles which were extinguished after sunrise & usually burning a little incense when lighting candles. From daybreak to 8 o'clock men & women came [[strikethrough]] ca [[/strikethrough]] at short intervals to say prayers & cross themselves before this altar. The presidente & other officials on duty came from 7.30 to [[strikethrough]] 6 [[/strikethrough]] 8 am & it was amusing to note the etiquette observed by each man. He often [[strikethrough]] t [[/strikethrough]] entered, went close up to the president & saluted him & then went into the house to say his prayers without noticing anyone else - When he came out he would salute the other men. Some paid their respects first to the altar, then to the presidente & then to the other men - On a sheet posted on the door of the townhouse was a list of 26 officials serving the town. Of these from 8 to 10 are on duty from morning till night for a year without pay & at night one or two watchmen sleep at the townhouse. I asked the need of so many men on duty & they said it was in case they should be needed for anything by the Jefe! ΒΆ It was at San Mateo that I noted the strange habit of Lepus callotis in contracting & relaxing the dark area of the back. Afterwards near [[Tafana?]] I saw this even to a greater degree - the skin being drawn over to one side or that the entire side showed white & at the same time the rabbit ran sideways as to show the white side - then it would change sides & the skin would be drawn the other way. I saw this done within from 30 to 75 ft. so it was easily seen in detail. This was done by a hare that left its form close to the trail & went hopping slowly away without showing any signs of alarm but rather of curiosity- In this vicinity along the coast there are many open grassy flats that form prairies in the dry season & become shallow ponds in the rainy period. On the narrow spit a mile or 2 wide & 20 miles long on which is San Mateo the country is [[strikethrough]] open [[/strikethrough]] mainly open & given a roling character by the sanddunes. Level salt flat occur here & there. The open country is broken by patches of low woods & by scattered bunches of opuntias & low bushes. It is at the mouth of the main laguna near santa Maria that there is talk of making a harbor. DB ---- ---- On May 19th we returned to the ciy of Tehuautepec - about 21 miles - Where we remained several days doing some writing & other work. Here I found a Mr. Smith from Minneapolis who says he made an exhibit at the world's fair of the Cliff dwellers houses &c. He is a fluent talker & apparently a shrewd energetic man, but makes many statements regarding things seen in various places that cannot be verified. An example of this was in his wholly erroneous account of what he saw at the ruins of Giengola near Tehauntepec and I noted the same erratic character in other statements. He portends to be looking for ruins but is very evidently looking for a mine or some land on which he can base some scheme. DB On may 22nd we left Tehuantepec City
