JOURNEY TO GUATEMALA. 



85 



Our departure, however, was not to take place till after 

 the expiration of two or three days. The following day, 

 our worthy host said, was Sunday, and we must go to 

 mass ; and then some time would be required to see the 

 place, and, above all, the shrine of Esquipulas, as also to 

 procure mules and arrieros for taking us to St. Sal- 

 vador ; those we had brought from Sacapa having now 

 fulfilled their engagement. 



Such were the incidents of the day of my arrival at 

 Esquipulas. At night I was shown into my bed-cham- 

 ber, where every thing appeared to be in the same state 

 as when occupied by the curate. In a spirit of curiosity 

 I proceeded to examine, and note down, the various ob- 

 jects round me. A very pretty little crucifix of silver, 

 suspended from the wall over the bed, was the first object 

 that attracted my attention. Near that was a benitier 

 with holy water, and in another place a reliquary of St. 

 Gabriel. On a table, I found a manuscript, which proved 

 to be a Register of births, marriages, and deaths, and in a 

 book-case that was open, the following, among other 

 works : the Bible in latin, a breviary, Thomas a Kempis, 

 Institution des Cures in French, and Taboada's Diction- 

 ary of the Spanish and French languages. 



The next morning, when the tolling of the church-bell 

 announced the hour of divine service, we were invited by 

 the curate to attend the ceremony of mass, which he was 

 about to perform. We went, accordingly, notwithstand- 

 ing a disposition manifested by Mr. M. to decline the invi- 

 tation. The church was a large, gloomy building, com- 

 bining the modern with the gothic style of architecture, 

 and consisted of one aisle, with pilasters on the sides. The 

 altar was surmounted by a large crucifix of wood ; the 

 floor was paved with flat bricks or tiles. The congrega- 

 tion was composed chiefly of women, who sat or knelt on 

 little mats in the middle of the church. They wore man- 

 tillas over their heads, a kind of shawl, of fine white flan- 

 nel or baize trimmed with white satin ribbon. Some 



