AN AWKWARD PREDICAMENT. 



101 



sheds, and a large sugar-mill. Twenty or thirty work- 

 men, principally Indians, were assembled to give an 

 account of their day's work, and receive orders for the 

 next. Our appearance created a great sensation. The 

 proprietors of the hacienda, two brothers, stood in the 

 door while we were talking with the men, and we rode 

 up and asked permission to stop there for the night. 

 The elder assented, but with an embarrassment that 

 showed the state of alarm and suspicion existing in the 

 country. The gentlemen wore the common hacienda 

 dress, and the interior was miserably poor, but had a 

 hammock, and two rude frames with matting over them 

 for beds. There was a small room adjoining, in which 

 was the wife of one of them with a child. The propri- 

 etors were men of education and intelligence, thorough- 

 ly acquainted with the condition of the country, and we 

 told them what had happened at Aguachapa, and that 

 we were hurrying on to Guatimala. We had supper at 

 a small table placed between the hammock and one of 

 the beds, consisting of fried eggs, frigoles, and tortillas, 

 as usual without knife, fork, or spoon. 



After supper our elder host was called out, but in a 

 few minutes returned, and, closing the door, told us that 

 there was a great excitement among the workmen on our 

 account. They did not believe our story of going to 

 Guatimala, for a woman had seen us come in from the 

 Guatimala road, and they believed that we were officers 

 of Morazan retreating from the attack on Guatimala, 

 and endeavouring to escape into San Salvador. Here 

 was a ground of suspicion we had not anticipated. The 

 gentleman was much agitated ; he regretted that he was 

 obliged to violate the laws of hospitality, but said we 

 knew the distracted state of the country, and the phren- 

 sy of party spirit. He himself was against Morazan 



