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NARRATIVE OF A 



The escort promised me was furnished, and the officer 

 commanding it made his appearance with his men at the 

 appointed time. They were all foot soldiers, and twenty- 

 five in number. I had declined the offer of some cavalry, 

 having found them by experience more troublesome than 

 useful. A young gentleman of Guatemala, a brother of 

 the Marquis of A * * * — the only titled family in the 

 country — having occasion to make a journey to the coast, 

 had expressed his desire of accompanying me ; and this 

 being agreed to and settled, I called for him at an early 

 hour on the day of departure. I found him busy in 

 making his preparations ; some of his servants saddling 

 mules and loading baggage, and others setting out a table 

 for breakfast. Several of his friends had come to accom- 

 pany him for a few miles, whose horses were pawing up 

 the ground and champing their bits in the court-yard. 

 It was some time before we were ready to start. At 

 length we mounted. Don Ignacio — for such was the 

 baptismal name of my new travelling companion — be- 

 strode a superb mule, full fifteen hands high, and in the 

 style and fashion of his equipments exhibited a perfect 

 model of a Central American dandy, when he is about to 

 undertake a journey. He was armed from head to foot : 

 his armas de agua, his rodilleras, and his cloak, were all 

 in the best taste and of the best materials. He was at- 

 tended by a servant well mounted, and by a muleteer 

 on foot, and had altogether five mules ; two for himself 

 and servant, one to carry his baggage, another for his 

 bedding and provisions, and a third as a sumpter mule. 



We sallied forth to the number of ten or twelve per- 

 sons, and attracted no little notice as we clattered over 

 the pavement. The cavalcade proceeded at such a brisk 

 pace, that I had some difficulty in keeping up with it ; 

 and as the mule I had under me was evidently unaccus- 

 tomed to such rapid movements, and unwilling to adopt 

 new habits, my spurs were in constant requisition. At 

 length, after a ride of three or four miles, we overtook the 



