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me, and I emptied the vessel at a draught. It must have been drugged-for scarcely had I drunk before I became irresistibly drowsy. A deep sleep fell upon me-a sleep like that of death. How long it lasted, of course, I know not; but, when once again I unclosed my eyes, the objects around me were visible. By a wild, sulphurous luster, the origin of which I could not at first determine, I was enabled to see the extent and aspect of the prison.

In its size I had been greatly mistaken. The whole circuit of its walls did not exceed twenty-five yards. For some minutes this fact occasioned me a world of vain trouble; vain indeed-for what could be of less importance, under the terrible circumstances which environed me, than the mere dimensions of my dungeon? But my soul took a wild interest in trifles, and I busied myself in endeavors to account for the error I had committed in my measurement. The truth at length flashed upon me. In my first attempt at exploration I had counted fifty two paces, up to the period when I fell: I must then have been within a pace or two of the fragment of serge; in fact, I had nearly performed the circuit of the vault. I then slept-and, upon awaking, I must have returned upon my steps, thus supposing the circuit nearly double what it actually was. My confusion of mind prevented me from observing that I began my tour with the wall to the left, and ended it with the wall to the right.

I had been deceived, too, in respect to the shape of the enclosure. In feeling my way I had found many angles, and thus deduced an idea of great irregularity; so potent is the effect of total darkness upon one arousing from lethargy. or sleep! The angles were simply those of a few slight depressions, or niches, at odd intervals. The general shape of the prison was square. What I had taken for masonry seemed now to be iron, or some other metal, in huge plates, whose sutures or joints occasioned the depressions. The entire surface of this metallic inclosure was rudely daubed in all the hideous and repulsive devices to which the charnel superstition of the monks has given rise. The figures of fiends in

aspects of menace, with skeleton forms, and other more really fearful images, overspread and disfigured the walls. I observed that the outlines of these monstrosities were sufficiently distinct, but that the colors seemed faded and blurred, as if from the effects of a damp atmosphere. I now noticed the floor, too, which was of stone. In the center yawned the circular pit from whose jaws I had escaped; but it was the only one in the dungeon.

All this I saw distinctly and by much effort, for my personal condition had been greatly changed during slumber. I now lay upon my back, and at full length, on a species of low framework of wood. To this I was securely bound by a long strap resembling a surcingle. It passed in many convolutions about my limbs and body, leaving at liberty only my head, and my left arm to such extent that I could, by dint of much exertion, supply myself with food from an earthen dish which lay by my side on the floor. I saw, to my horror, that the pitcher had been removed. I say, to my horror-for I was consumed with intolerable thirst. This thirst it appeared to be the design of my persecutors to stimulate, for the food in the dish was meat pungently seasoned.

Looking upward, I surveyed the ceiling of my prison. It was some thirty or forty feet overhead, and constructed much as the side walls. In one of its panels a very singular figure riveted my whole attention. It was the painted figure of Time as he is commonly represented, save that, in lieu of a scythe, he held what, at a casual glance, I supposed to be the pictured image of a huge pendulum, such as we see on antique clocks. There was something, however, in the appearance of this machine which caused me to regard it more attentively. While I gazed directly upward at it (for its position was immediately over my own), I fancied that I saw it in motion. In an instant afterward the fancy was confirmed. Its sweep was brief, and of course slow. I watched it for some minutes, somewhat in fear, but more in wonder. Wearied at length with observing its dull movement, I turned my eyes upon the other objects in the cell.

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of faithful friends, like him devoted to the interests of the country: Corral, the Vice-President; Mariseal, Mena, and especially Limantour, the Minister of Finances. Diaz has secured peace for Mexico, has given it a firm government, but Limantour has furnished the resources which have allowed it to develop. In the creation of Mexico, in its organization as a modern State, these two names are associated, as they will ever remain, in the public gratitude. By their able and prudent administration

and much more so to stay. It was so of forty years ago, but under the strong direction of General Diaz's genius the order of things has been transformed. Mexico is now strongly constituted, regularly organized. Little by little the people, composed of heterogeneous elements too long divided by class prejudices, are beginning to understand the benefit of the constitution, and are willing to follow it to its full extent.

The first occupation of the Govern ment under President Diaz was to pacify

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FROM STEREOGRAPH, COPYRIGHT, 1906, BY UNDERWOOD & UNDERWOOD

MEXICAN GIRLS MAKING JUTE COFFEE-BAGS

the country, to clear the land and the city from bands of brigands, remains of the civil wars, who spread terror through the whole country. The organization of the rural guard, that of the city police in the federal district, and the energy of the President made this scourge disappear, and now, aside from a few regions where the last rebel Indians, Yaquis and Mayas, are placed, one can go everywhere through Mexico without any danger.

So established on a solid basis, with a strong financial credit, the Government tried to protect the country, to make the national flag respected, and therefore to create a good military organization. In peace, excepting the choice corps, the army is maintained by voluntary enlistments of men without work. Many individuals who as vagabonds would be dangerous for society are also enlisted, more or less voluntarily, and the influence of a strong discipline, with the certainty of the daily subsistence, improves naturally the morale of these soldiers.

One of the most important factors of this rapid and wonderful development of Mexico was, as for all young countries, the creation of a perfect network

of railways. The railways are especially important in Mexico, where nature has erected tremendous obstacles to commercial traffic and to political unity. For that reason, since General Diaz has been in power, the construction of railways has been urged in all directions with an unwearied activity. Foreign capital, especially that of the United States, has answered eagerly the President's call. In 1876 Mexico had 578 kilometers of railways being worked; the 31st of December, 1901, it had 18,432 (about 11,000 miles). Three lines enter the United States and two connect Mexico with Vera Cruz. Others connect the capital with the Pacific, with the south, with the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, from which prolongations towards Guatemala and the State of Yucatan are planned. On all sides, in the different States, new local lines are building, developing the resources of every region. As a help to the railways, the Government has spent immense sums for the improvement of the harbors and the lighting of the coasts. Great works are in progress at Coatzacoalcos on the Atlantic and Salina Cruz on the Pacific. These are the two terminal points of the

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railway across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, which will be one great commercial way between the Orient and the Occident.

On

Other harbors on the Pacific are also improved-Acapulco, Manzanillo, Mazatlan. These harbors, unfortunately, are not connected with the capital. each of the principal lines the engineers stopped at the. Sierra Mountains, rebuffed by the difficulties of the passage; but the connection of these harbors with the interior is of too vital an interest for the country not to have the Government make every effort possible to complete the proposed railways. Thanks to these numerous railways and also an excellent system of posts and telegraphs, the relations between the different parts of the Republic have become more intimate and

I The line between Manzanillo and Guadalajara, on the main line, will be finished by the end of 1907.

more cordial. The particularist spirit of the provinces, a source of perpetual anarchy, has weakened little by little and has given place to a fine feeling of solidarity. There are no more Spaniards and Indians, there are only Mexicans. The action of the central power is sure and rapid, making easier the education of the peasantry and of the peons. And so, little by little, but slowly, alas! the Indians are giving up their dialects to speak Spanish, and are learning how to read and to write; and, thanks to the vivi-. fying flood of primary instruction, progress is penetrating the smallest villages.

But what is needed in Mexico is hand labor. The land as a whole is thinly settled, and this is a serious obstacle to the rapid development of the country. To remedy this, the Government has encouraged the increase of foreign immigration,

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