80 



NARRATIVE OP A 



him to the Cabildo, where a large gloomy chamber, with 

 one table and three or four rickety chairs, was placed at 

 our disposal. 



The aspect of things here was certainly not very in- 

 viting, and thereupon Don Jose began to moralize, and to 

 console himself and us with the hope of better luck in 

 future. There was another cause for melancholy re- 

 flections in an object of a truly ominous character which 

 I have not yet mentioned, and which met our sight the 

 moment we entered the chamber. This was nothing less 

 than a coffin, fortunately an empty one, for of this I satis- 

 fied myself by lifting up the lid. This coffin, a large one, 

 covered with black cloth and silver lace, was public pro- 

 perty, and had been used during the prevalence of the 

 cholera in that town, not for burying the dead, but for 

 carrying them to the grave. It was of course immediately 

 removed into another part of the building by direction 

 of the alcalde, who, at the same time, ordered some mat- 

 tresses to be brought for our use. Our other wants were 

 supplied by the curate of the place, who sent us a tolera- 

 ble supper, and rendered our situation altogether com- 

 fortable. The arrieros found no difficulty in procuring 

 accommodations for themselves and the mules. 



The following morning early, we mounted again, and 

 resumed our march. Our route now was through a de- 

 lightful valley in high cultivation. The land was irri- 

 gated from a river by means of water-courses, as is prac- 

 tised in some of the southern provinces of Spain. At a 

 little village called St. Helena, we halted to take some re- 

 freshment. Soon after leaving this place, we came to a 

 rocky ridge, and, on passing it, descended into another 

 valley, and arrived at Saltepeque : an Indian village pret- 

 tily situated, well provided with water, and surrounded 

 by a rich vegetation. Between Chiquimula and this 

 Jlace we saw various plantations of nopal, sugar-cane, 

 &nd corn. Some of these plantations had fruit trees grow- 



