JOURNEY TO GUATEMALA. 



113 



CHAPTER XV. 



Tito. — Indians of Aguisalco.— Arrival at Aguachapa. — The Postmaster. 

 — His Daughters — The Boiling Lakes. 



I have omitted mentioning that on my way from St. 

 Salvador to Sonsonate, I was joined by a humble way- 

 farer, who, of his own accord, and with my tacit consent, 

 attached himself to me in the capacity of a domestic. He 

 was somewhat of a character. His name was Tito, or 

 rather, this was the soubriquet he was known by. He 

 called himself a courier of General Morazan, and said, that 

 having delivered his despatches at St. Salvador, he was 

 now on his way back to Guatemala. These despatches 

 he had carried in his hat, where, being covered with a 

 false crown made to fit exactly, they were effectually con- 

 cealed. By taking bye-paths, and going considerably out 

 of his way, he had succeeded in avoiding the rebel parties 

 during the first days of his journey ; but at length he fell 

 in with one of these bands, and was stopped. They ques- 

 tioned him, and searched him all over, and talked of shoot- 

 ing him as a spy. Poor Tito thought his last hour was 

 come ; for he knew that if his despatches were discovered, 

 he was a dead man. Fortunately they never thought of 

 examining his hat. He was not permitted, however, to go 

 his way ; a rusty musket was put into his hands, and he 

 was ordered to follow the party. The first service that 

 Tito was appointed to, was that of a sentinel, when he was 

 stationed near the ruins of a church in a village. This 

 was a favourable opportunity for getting rid of his de- 

 spatches. Accordingly, as soon as he was left alone, he 

 took them out of his hat, and thrust them under a heap of 

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