14 ARCH^OLOGICAL AND ETHNOLOGICAL 



AVith the curate of Sacatapeques was li\'ing a boy three years and eight months 

 old, who was accustomed to smoke a large cigar after his dinner. "Xes extremes 

 se touchent" in Vera Paz, for I found a mother still suckling her boy five years of 

 age, and here was one not yet four years old accustomed to smoking ! 



THIRD EXCURSION FROM THE CITY OF GUATEMALA. 



The main object of my third excursion was to proceed as far as Copan, in Hon- 

 duras, in order to visit the remarkable sculptures there, known by the description 

 of Stephens and others. I intended likewise to visit the sculptures at Quirigua, 

 which, until now, have been but very imperfectly described, and to inspect the 

 silver mines of Aloteseque, situated in that corner of the country where the boun- 

 daries of three states, Guatemala, San Salvador, and Honduras, meet. 



To accomplish this, I had to traverse the southeastern part of Guatemala, the 

 inhabitants of which differ somewhat from the rest. They are but rarely of 

 pure Indian blood, generally of a mixed race, not devoted to manufacture, nor to 

 agriculture, to any extent. In consequence of belligerent parties having frequently 

 traversed that section, and on account of frequent wars between the Republics of 

 Guatemala and San Salvador, the inhabitants have become greatly demoralized, 

 frequently committing theft, and even murdci*. 



On this journey I passed through Esquipulas, the most noted shrine in Central 

 America, to which pilgrims flock from distant regions, on account of its possessing 

 a black image of Christ, to which the most miraculous deeds are attributed. On 

 the bridge, constructed of masonry, over the brook — which becomes a torrent in 

 the rainy season — are four monoliths, two of which are low reliefs ; the third 

 represents, statue-like, a human figure, and the fourth the head of a wild animal, 

 which, as usual, is taken to be a lion. Another stone, sculptured in low relief, is 

 lying near the cahildo. They have all been brought from Copan. 



The village of Copan is better known for the tobacco grown in its vicinity than 

 for its archaeological treasures. This tobacco is considered at least equal', if not 

 superior, to that grown on the island of Cuba, and is imported to that island to be 

 sold as Cuban tobacco. Fugitives from Guatemala form a marked clement in the 

 population. It is the general custom of the inhabitants to pass the days succeeding 

 the harvest and sale of the tobacco in drinking, without any intermission, as long 

 as they have any money or can get credit for some aguardiente, which is rum made 

 from the sugar cane. These orgies are accompanied with routs and fights ; on the 

 day of my arrival four men Avere wounded in such a drunken brawl. I was 

 assaulted by a drunken man with a mmliete, and saved my life only by retiring to 

 my quarters. 



From Copan I proceeded to Tyabal, the port on the Atlantic side of Guatemala. 

 Ileturning, I visited the archaeological remains at Quirigua, which in interest are 

 not surpassed by those of Copan. They are situated some miles distant from the 

 village of that name, in the midst of tlie woods, no path leading to them. The 

 plantains which are found in these woods, quite apart from the sculptures, prove 



