THERMAL SPRINGS. 



45 



diers of his own state. We descended to the bank of 

 the river, and followed it through a wild forest, which 

 had been swept by a tornado, the trees still lying as 

 they fell. At the crossing-place the valley of the river 

 was half a mile wide ; but being the dry season, on this 

 side there was a broad beach of sand and stones. We 

 rode to the water's edge, and shouted for the boatman 

 on the opposite side. Other parties arrived, all fugi- 

 tives, among them the wife and family of Don Carlos, 

 and we formed a crowd upon the shore. At length the 

 boat came, took on board sixteen mules, saddles, and 

 luggage, and as many men, women, and children as 

 could stow themselves away, leaving a multitude behind. 

 We crossed in the dark, and on the opposite side found 

 every hut and shed filled with fugitives ; families in 

 dark masses were under the trees, and men and wom- 

 en crawled out to congratulate friends who had put 

 the Lempa between them and the enemy. We slept 

 upon our luggage on the bank of the river, and before 

 daylight were again in the saddle. 



That night we slept at San Vicente, and the next 

 morning the captain, in company with an invalid offi- 

 cer of Morazan's, who had been prevented by sick- 

 ness from accompanying the general in his march 

 against Guatimala, rode on with the luggage, while I, 

 with Colonel Hoyas, made a circuit to visit El Infierno of 

 the Volcano of San Vicente. Crossing a beautiful plain - 

 running to the base of the volcano, we left our animals 

 at a hut, and walked some distance to a stream in a deep 

 ravine, which we followed upward to its source, com- 

 ing from the very base of the volcano. The water was ' 

 warm, and had a taste of vitriol, and the banks were 

 incrusted with white vitriol and flour of sulphur. At 

 a distance of one or two hundred yards it formed a ba- 



