UNCERTAINTY. 



53 



by a glimmering light shining and disappearing, and I 

 could not conceal from myself that the crisis of my for- 

 tune was at hand. All depended upon the success of 

 Morazan's expedition. If he failed, my occupation was 

 gone ; but in this darkest hour of the Republic I did not 

 despair. In ten years of war Morazan had never been 

 beaten ; Carrera would not dare fight him ; Guatimala 

 would fall ; the moral effect would be felt all over the 

 country ; Quezaltenango would shake off its chains ; 

 the strong minority in the other states would rise ; the 

 flag of the Republic would once more wave triumphant- 

 ly, and out of chaos the government I was in search 

 of would appear. 



Nevertheless, I was not so sure of it as to wait qui- 

 etly till it came to me at San Salvador. The result was 

 very uncertain, and if it should be a protracted war, I 

 might be cut off from Guatimala, without any opportu- 

 nity of serving my country by diplomatic arts, and pre- 

 vented from prosecuting other objects more interesting 

 than the uncertain pursuit in which I was then engaged. 

 The design which the captain had in coming up to San 

 Salvador had failed ; he could not join Morazan's ex- 

 pedition ; but he had nothing to do at the port, was anx- 

 ious to see Guatimala, had a stock of jewelry and other 

 things which he might dispose of there, and was so sure 

 of Morazan's success that he determined to go on and - 

 pay him a visit, and have the benefits of balls and other 

 rejoicings attendant upon his triumph. 



In the excitement and alarm of the place, it was very 

 difficult to procure mules. As to procuring them direct 

 for Guatimala, it was impossible. No one would move 

 on that road until the result of Morazan's expedition 

 was known ; and even to get them for Zonzonate it was 

 necessary to wait a day. That day I intended to ab- 



