66 



INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL. 



possession of Guatimala. Upon the whole, we consid- 

 ered the news favourable to us, as his first business 

 would be to make the roads secure. 



At three o'clock the next morning we were again in 

 the saddle. A stream of fire was rolling down the Vol- 

 cano of Izalco, bright, but paler by the moonlight. The 

 road was good for two leagues, when we reached the 

 Indian village of Aguisalco. Our mules were overload- 

 ed, and one of Don Saturnino's gave out entirely. We 

 tried to procure others or Indian carriers, but no one 

 would move from home. Don Saturnino loaded his 

 saddle-mule, and walked ; and if it had not been for 

 his indefatigable perseverance, we should have ( been 

 compelled to stop. 



At one o'clock we reached Apeneca, and rode up to 

 one of the best houses, where an old man and his wife 

 undertook to give us breakfast. Our mules presented 

 a piteous spectacle. Mine, which had carried my light 

 luggage like a feather all the way from La Union, had 

 gone on with admirable steadiness up hill and down 

 dale, but when we stopped she trembled in every limb, 

 and before the cargo was removed I expected to see her 

 fall. Nicolas and the muleteer said she would certainly 

 die, and the faithful brute seemed to look at me re- 

 proachfully for having suffered so heavy a load to be put 

 upon her back. I tried to buy or hire another, but all 

 were removed one or two days' journey out of the line 

 of march of the soldiers. 



It was agreed that I should go on to Aguachapa and 

 endeavour to have other mules ready early the next 

 morning; but in the mean time the captain conceived 

 some suspicions of the old man and woman, and re- 

 solved not to remain that night in the village. Fortu- 

 nately, my mule revived and began to eat. Don Sat- 



