190 



NARRATIVE OF A 



CHAPTER XXIV. 



Departure from Telam an .—River Navigation. — The Can 6e.— Alarm 

 during the itfight. — .The Lake. — Arrival at IZabal.— Passage down the 

 River — The Echo. — Livingston's Village. — Balize. — Mr. M. — Attack 

 of Fever.— Departure for Havana, and thence for Baltimore.— Arrival 

 at Washington.— A Parting Word to the Reader. 



Telaman is situated on the banks of the Poloehic, at 

 the point where that river becomes navigable. I found it 

 a thriving little town, with something of a commercial air. 

 I was provided, in the house of a ladino, with very passa- 

 ble accommodations. It was quite apparent that the in- 

 habitants here had had some intercourse with foreigners 

 and strangers, as several objects of luxury or convenience 

 were to be found in their houses, such as I had not seen 

 since my departure from Guatemala. In the house of 

 mine host I was agreeably surprised by the sight of a rock- 

 ing chair and a tea-pot, and hailed them as indications of 

 my being again within the precincts of civilized society. 



I now dismissed the escort, and made arrangements for 

 descending the river. A canoe was engaged, accordingly, 

 with three men to direct her course. This canoe, which 

 had been scooped out of the trunk of a tree, measured thir- 

 ty-two feet in length, and only three in breadth, and drew 

 scarcely fifteen inches water. The after part was covered 

 with a roof of canes and palm leaves, as a protection 

 against the sun and rain. Two men sat in the bows with 

 paddles, and another in the stern, who was both helmsman 

 and captain : the baggage was stowed away in the bottom 

 of the boat. 



In this frail and unsteady craft I embarked for IzabaL 



