JOURNEY TO GUATEMALA. 87 



consecrated. The image is about four feet high, of wood, 

 beautifully bronzed. The ornaments about the shrine, and 

 the image, are of gold and silver,- some of them set with 

 precious stones. 



Many and wonderful are the miracles attributed to this 

 image, the fame of which has spread far and wide in that 

 country. Hence the number of pilgrims that come annu- 

 ally to offer at its feet their vows and prayers ; amounting 

 in some years to five thousand. In some cases, when the 

 devotees have been prevented from attending personally, 

 they have addressed their prayers in letters directed to the 

 8enor, or Lord of Esquipulas. The zeal and devotion of 

 the pilgrims is evinced by their approaching the temple on 

 their knees, or by carrying from a considerable distance a 

 heavy cross, or a large stone. Their reward is a bit of 

 ribbon which has touched the image, and has stamped on 

 it the words, Dulce nombre de Jesus. 



This temple was built in 1751 by Don Pedro Figueroa, 

 archbishop of Guatemala, who appropriated almost the 

 whole of his means to this object. Its revenue is from four 

 to five thousand dollars, and is derived from legacies, dona* 

 tions by the pilgrims, and other sources. Divine service is 

 performed there occasionally, and once a year a grand fes- 

 tival is celebrated. 



The curate, an amiable and sensible man, and somewhat 

 of a scholar, was nevertheless a firm believer in the mira* 

 cles attributed to the image just described. He seemed 

 anxious to impress me with the same belief, and tried 

 every argument that he thought calculated to remove my 

 incredulity. At length he pressed me so hard, that I was 

 fain to resort to a stratagem in order to escape from the 

 toils he was spreading round me. I declared to him that 

 if the JSenor de Esquipulas would work a miracle in my 

 behalf between that day and the next, and enable me to 

 proceed to Guatemala direct and without risk, I would 

 believe in him. The reader will be surprised to learn 

 What follows. On getting up the next morning, and as I 



