JOURNEY TO GUATEMALA. 



171 



so warm, that I could bear my hand in it only a few- 

 seconds. 



After emerging from a dense wood, we came to an ab- 

 rupt rugged mountain, without a tree, and composed of 

 tale. The ascent, in some parts, was so steep, that our 

 steeds could hardly keep their footing, and were in dan- 

 ger of rolling down. One of them, from fear or fatigue, 

 made a full stop, and refused to move another step, not- 

 withstanding the blows and abuse lavished on it by the 

 arrieros. This difficulty was got over by unloading the 

 mule, and carrying its burden by hand to the summit, in 

 doing which the arrieros were assisted by the soldiers. 



In our descent on the other side, we had a distant view 

 of the valley of Salama. It was a vast and highly culti- 

 vated tract, in the centre of which the town of Salama 

 could just be distinguished, with a number of haciendas and 

 farm-houses round it, and a river (the name of which I 

 have forgotten) flowing through the whole extent of the 

 valley. About 12 o'clock we came to an estate, called los 

 Llanos, where we took a short repast, and started again, 

 without loss of time, in the hope of reaching the town of 

 Salama before night. As we entered the valley, how- 

 ever, we encountered a heavy shower. Our cloaks and 

 chamarras were of little service, for the rain poured down 

 so fast and abundantly, that in a few minutes it penetra- 

 ted to the skin. This would have been a trifling hard- 

 ship in a more northern latitude ; but in the warm cli- 

 mates, under the tropics, where the pores are almost al- 

 ways kept open by a slight perspiration, it was a serious 

 inconvenience, as a thorough wetting is generally fol- 

 lowed by a fever. The best mode of preventing this 

 effect, is to change clothes as soon as possible ; but this 

 it was not in our power to do until after the lapse of 

 several hours. 



Pursuing our route, we came to the river, which ran 

 between us and the town ; and here an insuperable bar- 

 rier was presented to our progress. The river, which in 



