JOURNEY TO GUATEMALA. 



175 



CHAPTER XXII. 



Departure from Salama. — Adventure in passing the River. — View of the 

 Town and Valley. — The Indian Hamlet.— The Surly Indian. — Inci- 

 dents of a Night. 



After a detention of one day in Salama, we proceeded 

 on our journey, and on reaching the extremity of the val- 

 ley, found ourselves upon the bank of the river, which, 

 from the winding course it pursues, again crossed our 

 path. Over this part of the stream there was a bridge ; 

 but no notice was taken of it by the arrieros, who drove 

 their mules across the water, and were followed by Don 

 Ignacio and the officer. I determined, however, to follow 

 the example of the soldiers, who took the bridge, which, 

 though unprovided with a railing, appeared to me per- 

 fectly safe, and sufficiently broad to be passed on horse- 

 back. 



I had reached about the middle of the bridge, when my 

 friends called out to me from the other side of the river 

 not to attempt to proceed, but to turn back and take the 

 ford. I now began to see the folly I had committed, and 

 the danger of my situation. The planks composing the 

 floor of the bridge, at the point where I had arrived, were 

 quite loose, and so far apart, that my mule might easily 

 have put her foot through the space between them. The 

 poor animal, from an instinctive perception of danger, 

 began to blow and tremble ; and pointing her ears, would 

 put her head down, and gaze at the water, that could be 

 seen through the openings in the planks, rushing along 

 twenty feet beneath. At length she made a full stop. I 

 urged her forward, but she refused to move, and on my 



