JOURNEY TO GUATEMALA. 107 



of verdure for quite two hours, when we reached a plain 

 where we saw the village of Ateas. 



Arriving at this village, my protector rode straight to 

 the curate's house, and without waiting to be invited, dis- 

 mounted, and announced himself and me to the Padre as 

 his guests for the night. Notwithstanding the want of 

 ceremony on our part, we were favourably received ; we 

 were not permitted to make use of our own provisions, 

 but were supplied by our host, from his own larder, with 

 refreshments for ourselves and the arrieros. 



Although it was early in the afternoon when we ar- 

 rived, and the distance travelled had not been much, we 

 had determined, in consideration of the fatigue our beasts 

 had undergone from the nature of the roads, to proceed no 

 further till the following day. At night I was provided 

 with a good bed. The officer attending me wrapped him- 

 self up in the folds of his chamarra, and stretched his 

 limbs on a mat under the piazza of the house. 



Starting early the next morning, we proceeded along 

 the plain of Ateas, till we came to another wood. Here 

 my conductor directed the muleteers not to lag behind, ex- 

 amined his pistols, and asked me if mine were in proper 

 order. He observed, at the same time, that this was a ne- 

 cessary precaution to prevent our being taken by surprise ; 

 for though he apprehended no danger from the insurgents 

 in that quarter, there was a possibility of our falling in 

 with deserters and fugitives from jail, who might be roam- 

 ing about the country. He then placed himself at the 

 head of our little party, and rode on in silence till we 

 passed the wood. 



The conversation being now resumed, he gave me some 

 insight into the instructions he had received from the 

 Secretary of State in regard to myself. He had been made 

 responsible, he said, for my safety, till he consigned me to 

 the care of the officer who was to command the escort. 

 It was owing to the opinion entertained of his personal 

 qualities, that he had been appointed to this commission, 



