218 CENTRAL AMERICA. 



emptied over our heads, but our two friends 

 only laughed at us for wetting the ponchos 

 we should want to cover us at night, and 

 made an excuse of the weather to get two or 

 three more pulls at the liquor. We arrived 

 within a short distance of the town, but the 

 rain still came down in sheets, and as we 

 pulled up under an immense tree, I thought 

 it was for the purpose of dressing before 

 entering such a populated place. Jumping 

 off our horses, the Indian and I hastily put 

 on some very necessary articles of attire, and 

 asked our friends if they were not going to 

 do the same. " No," said the fat man, " I 

 am not going to spoil my clothes, or sleep 

 wet to-night, for all the women in Central 

 America, ' ni de Londres tampoco ; ' but," 

 said he " amigo mio ! my skin is completely 

 wet through, and if it sinks deeper it will get 

 to my bones, my heart, and stomach, and if 

 you do not give me a good drink before we 

 arrive at this town, then, Don Jorge, you 

 will have to answer for my death."" Of 

 course there was no possibility of incurring 

 such a heavy responsibility, and so, having 

 supplied them with another pull, we com- 

 menced our rather comic procession through 

 the town. 



