JOURNEY TO GUATEMALA. 



179 



The old Indian, who was the father of this young 

 woman, and of the youth by whom he was accompanied, 

 had stood all this time looking on in silence. The stern- 

 ness of his countenance had now in a measure disap- 

 peared ; and as he seemed more favourably disposed 

 towards me, I seized that opportunity of gaining his good 

 will by paying him a little compliment. Taking up a 

 calabash, that happened to be near me, I poured into it a 

 small quantity of French brandy from a little flask — once 

 the property of my former travelling companion, who 

 transferred it to me — and handed the beverage to the old 

 man, with a request that he would drink it. He took the 

 calabash, but hesitated a moment, and looked first towards 

 his daughter, and then to his son, as if to consult them 

 before taking a draught that peradventure might be poi- 

 soned. At length he took courage, and tossed ofi" the 

 brandy ; then smacked his lips, and cried, " bueno !" I 

 then poured out into the same calabash a few drops, which 

 I drank myself. This seemed to gratify the old man ex- 

 cessively ; I had removed all suspicions of the drink be- 

 ing poisoned ; I had not scrupled to drink out of the 

 same cup with him ; in short, I had fairly subjugated him 

 by an act of condescension. 



Finding myself now on the best terms with the whole 

 family, I put a few reals into the hands of the old Indian, 

 and desired him to buy me a fowl, some eggs, or what- 

 ever he could procure. 



In the mean time, the officer, who had been looking for 

 me, made his appearance in the hut, and proposed, in case 

 of my passing the night there, to send me a few soldiers 

 to keep me company. This was agreed to, and my asis- 

 tente and three or four others were sent accordingly. I 

 now set the men about making a fire, that they might 

 prepare a supper out of some eggs which mine Indian 

 host had procured me. But how these eggs were to be 

 cooked, was another consideration. They could not be 

 fried, for we had neither butter nor any thing else that 



