220 CENTRAL AMERICA. 



them very severely for their indelicacy, with- 

 out, however, making the smallest impres- 

 sion. They got coolly off their horses, gave 

 them in charge to us to keep dry, (as we 

 were invited in, and they were not,) and, 

 having asked for another drink, the fat man 

 took his purse from the saddle-bags, and put- 

 ting it into his straw-hat, sallied forth, at- 

 tended by his lean companion, to purchase 

 fruit and other eatables at a few stalls in the 

 square. Having bought a very large quan- 

 tity of different things, he and his small 

 friend carried them to some stone-steps round 

 a crucifix in the very centre of the Placa, 

 and having sat down in the rain, commenced 

 their meal. 



I could see them from the gratings of the 

 Padre's window, and a more curious pair it 

 would be difficult to meet with. The little 

 one had not much appetite, but my Indian 

 told me that the fat one began with dried 

 venison ; he then finished twenty large plan- 

 tains, and concluded with three melons. 

 They then contrived to make the Indian go 

 to them, and, as the rain had ceased, re- 

 quested him to bring their clothes, and also 

 sent their compliments for something to wash 

 down their dinner with. 



