JOURNEY TO GUATEMALA. 



27 



so good a dinner was set before me. And good it really 

 was, though not in the most refined style of cooking. 

 The only thing I was unable to relish was the pudding. 

 This unfortunate dish had no doubt been got up express- 

 ly for the occasion, and as something peculiarly adapted 

 to my taste ; and on my renouncing it, the disappoint- 

 ment of mine host was distressingly apparent. The 

 desert consisted of fruit and sweetmeats, and then were 

 brought in segars and coiFee. 



We were attended at table by soldiers in no small num- 

 ber, who performed the part of waiters, and I verily be- 

 lieve that half of the little garrison of Truxillo was that 

 day in requisition for our service. 



The conversation during dinner turned on topics chiefly 

 relating to the United States ; a country that seemed to 

 have excited the curiosity of the Commandant, but of which 

 he possessed only a slight degree of knowledge. I re- 

 plied to many of his questions on this subject ; but when 

 I stated to him distinctly the population, commerce, and 

 resources of our Republic, the progress of the arts, and 

 the facilities of communication by land and water, he 

 would smile, shake his head, and cast a meaning look at 

 the Ministro, as much to- say that he was not to be imposed 

 on. This, though I was relating nothing but the truth, 

 embarrassed me, and made me feel as if I had been detected 

 in using the privilege of a traveller. I thought to extri- 

 cate myself from this awkward position, by reducing my 

 subsequent statements to the standard of his belief. Ac- 

 cordingly, I relieved the ship Pennsylvania of no incon- 

 siderable weight, by reducing her hundred and forty- 

 eight guns to one hundred. The rate of travelling in 

 rail cars I stated to be from fifteen to twenty miles, in- 

 stead of from twenty to thirty. I even curtailed the 

 amount of the national revenue, and actually purloined 

 the United States of ten or a dozen millions. 



This was not the only occasion on which, in relation 

 to the same subject, I had to combat the incredulity of the 



