JOURNEY TO GUATEMALA. 35 



or house of reception for travellers, but the one just men- 

 tioned, but such is the fact. 



On my coming to the house, I found two little negro 

 girls sitting in the threshold, and inquired of them whether 

 the master or mistress were at home. " Missus gone out," 

 said one of them ; " nobody in de house." " When will 

 she come back ?" said I. " Don't know, sar," was the an- 

 swer. " But you will go and look for her," I rejoined, " and 

 I will give you something." "Can't go," said the little 

 baggage, in the same provokingly laconic style. I then 

 tried her companion : " Tow," said I, " I am sure, will go 

 and call your mistress." But she seemed animated by the 

 same spirit as her fellow-imp. " Shan't do no such thing," 

 cried she pertly. There was no other place to go to, and 

 I had no idea either of returning to the vessel or of passing 

 the night in the street. As the door of the house was not 

 locked, I determined to go in, and wait till the mistress 

 should return. On entering, I found the doors of the rooms 

 open, and various articles lying about, without much regard 

 to security. I took possession of a sofa, and had been rest- 

 ing there about an hour, when the mistress of the house 

 made her appearance, and, on my making a short explana- 

 tion, provided me with a room and bed. 



The next morning I went to pay my respects to the 

 Governor, or Superintendent, of the settlement. On my 

 acquainting him with the object of my visit to that part of 

 the world, and my intention of proceeding to Guatemala, 

 he seemed surprised, and expressed his doubts of my being 

 able to reach that city in safety in the then distracted state 

 of the country. He assured me that the accounts I had 

 received at Truxillo of the danger to travellers from the 

 parties of factious Indians infesting the roads, were correct. 

 He, therefore, conceived it prudent for me to wait until 

 things should assume a more favorable aspect, or, at least, 

 until he received further intelligence of the state of the in- 

 terior. Uncertain what to do, I took my leave of him, and 

 passed the rest of the day in rambling about the place. 



