JOURNEY TO GUATEMALA. 99 



knees. The upper part of the body was scantily covered 

 by a sort of chemise, with an aperture at the top for the 

 head, and open at the sides. This part of their dress is 

 called guepil, and is elaborately, but rudely, embroidered 

 about the neck and shoulders with coloured thread. It is 

 not, however, considered a very indispensible article, for 

 in the village it is often laid aside. Their head-dress was 

 two long tresses of their own straight black hair, inter- 

 laced with a red ribbon, and wreathed round the head in 

 the form of a turban. They wore neither shoes nor stock- 

 ings. This was also the case with the men, except a few 

 who wore a sort of sandals, called caycos, which they cut 

 out of a raw hide, and fasten to their feet with thongs. 

 The rest of the male dress was a light suit of cotton, a 

 straw hat or a coloured kerchief on the head, and a cha- 

 marra, which is made of coarse cloth, and answers all the 

 purposes of cloak, blanket, carpet, and bed. The men 

 were slender in form, but muscular. The fine figures and 

 graceful carriage of some of the women were remarkable. 

 The firm step and erect posture for which they are also 

 distinguished, are attributed to their habit of carrying 

 pitchers and other objects on their heads from early child- 

 hood. Both sexes conversed in their own native language, 

 but were not ignorant of the Spanish, for many of them 

 saluted us, as we passed, with a Dios los guarde, or a 

 vayan con la virgen. 



On entering the suburbs of St. Salvador, the appearance 

 of the place was that of a large straggling country town, 

 without any semblance of a populous city. As we ad- 

 vanced, however, we came to some good streets, and saw 

 some respectable houses and public buildings. At length, 

 we reached the plaza, and here we made a halt. I had 

 the two letters of introduction, furnished by Don Jose, 

 one to a Spanish, the other to a French gentleman, re- 

 siding in that city. But being unwilling, on so slight a 

 ground, to intrude upon any private family, I proceeded 

 to inquire at the nearest shop whether anything like a ho- 



