JOURNEY TO GUATEMALA. 117 



CHAPTER XVI. 



A Night at the Hacienda del Coco. — Tito again. — The Alarm. — A Scene 

 by Moonlight.; — Carrera. — The " Cuesta de la Leona." — Stronghold of a 

 Rebel Chief. — Another View of the Pacific. — The Rebels in Sight. — 

 Valley of Petapa. — Lake and Volcano of Amatitan. — Another Alarm. — 

 Approach to Guatemala. — View of the City. — Arrival there. — Separa- 

 tion from Tito. 



We took up our march again on the second day of our 

 arrival at Aguachapa. The postmaster, availing himself 

 of this opportunity for forwarding the mail to Guatemala, 

 entrusted me with the public correspondence. Mr. S., 

 whom I had found a most amiable and accomplished man, 

 took his leave of me, and returned to Sonsonate. 



The first act of the commandant, when we were fairly 

 on the road, showed that he considered himself in an ene- 

 my's country. Four men were sent, as scouts, in advance 

 of the party, to a distance of a hundred yards, with orders, 

 on discovering any rebel band, to fire a shot, and retreat 

 upon the escort. The officer himself kept a sharp 

 look-out, especially on passing a defile, or a barranco. 



The difference of the temperature here, from that of 

 the coast, was quite perceivable, for the atmosphere was 

 much cooler, though not so moist ; and here and there I 

 observed some of the productions of the milder climates. 

 Of those peculiar to southern latitudes, the most remark- 

 able were the phosphorus tree, the Indian rubber tree, a 

 beautiful species of lilac, and a tree bearing an acorn of a 

 bright red colour in a black cup. 



About noon we came to one of the principal rivers in 

 the country, called the Verapaz, which we forded. Pur- 

 suing our route, we arrived, without any accident or inci- 



