604 



THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



GUATEMALAN GIRLS DRESSED FOR ElESTA 



The picturesque corner, with the Indian 

 woman in her native costume kneeHng in 

 the light of a flickering wood fire ; round- 



eyed, staring children of all ages; 

 dogs, chickens, and pigs innumer- 

 able ; the exquisitely carved pillars 

 etched against the gray back- 

 ground of ruined walls, and the 

 delicate branches of a cherry tree 

 in full bloom, giving the harmoni- 

 ous touch of color — all combined 

 to make a picture never to be 

 forgotten. As the twilight fell 

 dark figures glided silently by,, 

 balancing on their heads large flat 

 baskets of fruits for the morrow's 

 market, and seeking a resting- 

 place beneath the dim arches, 

 where here and there heaps of 

 corn husks showed that at night 

 this grim pile was not untenanted. 



The ruins of San Francisco are 

 also most impressive, and from 

 the crumbling belfry is obtained 

 a magnificent view of city and 

 surrounding country. 



The beautiful ruins of Recol- 

 lecion are the property of a Ger- 

 man-American priest, who reaps 

 great benefit from his gardens and 

 coffee plantation, which he culti- 

 vates during his leisure hours. It 

 seemed rather incongruous to see 

 fat black hogs contentedly rooting 

 under the shadow of these his- 

 torical walls, but this **padre" is 

 nothing if not practical. 



Not far from here is the estate 

 of "Pastores," where there is a 

 large flour-mill, the only one of 

 its kind in this part of the coun- 

 try. 



Three miles from the city are 

 the beautiful warm sulphur baths 

 of Medina and Cubo, to reach 

 which one passes through great 

 sugar plantations on roads in per- 

 fect condition, shaded by trees 

 which, meeting overhead, form a 

 cool green archway as far as the 

 eye can see. Further on is Cuidad 

 Vieja, the site of the first capital. 

 All that remains of historical in- 

 terest are the two crumbling walls of 

 what was at one time the palace of the 

 conqueror. 



