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country between Valles & Tancanhuitz are made mainly of cane in the form of Jacals Many of which are round like those seen by us south of Acapulco. Between Tancanhuitz & Santa Cruz we passed the village of [[empty space]] on our way to Jilitta when we saw several hundred natives in Cotton garments the women having loose chemises hanging over the skirt & with fancy embroidered patterns about neck & elsewhere. Most of these people do not speak Spanish. Two tribes occupy the Huasteca. Both are innofensive. One is made up of people speaking the Aztec or Mexican tongue & the other is what is called the Huasteca indian. Upon them the coffee planter depend for labor

May 4th we reached Valles- Where we remained till the eve. of the 8th We first learned of the defeat of the Spanish fleet at Manila by Com. Dewey & it was evident from remarks made by various Mexicans that they sympathized with the Spanish side rather than with the Americans.
It is a question of race pride & they would prefer to see the Americans badly punished to prove the prowess of the Latin's against the Saxons.