CARRERA. 



139 



not but think of the strange positions into which I 

 was thrown : shaking hands and sitting side by side 

 with men who were thirsting for each other's blood, 

 well received by all, hearing what they said of each 

 other, and in many cases their plans and purposes, as 

 unreservedly as if I was a travelling member of both 

 cabinets. In a few minutes the secretary called him, 

 and he went out and brought back the passport himself, 

 signed with his own hand, the ink still wet. It had 

 taken him longer than it would have done to cut off a 

 head, and he seemed more proud of it. Indeed, it was 

 the only occasion in which I saw in him the slightest 

 elevation of feeling. I made a comment upon the ex- 

 cellence of the handwriting, and with his good wishes 

 for my safe arrival in the North and speedy return to 

 Guatimala,I took my leave. Now I do not believe, if 

 he knew what I say of him, that he would give me a 

 very cordial welcome ; but I believe him honest, and if 

 he knew how, and could curb his passions, he would do 

 more good for Central America than any other man 

 in it. 



I was now fortified with the best security we could 

 have for our journey. We passed the evening in wri- 

 ting letters and packing up things to be sent home 

 (among which was my diplomatic coat), and on the sev- 

 enth of April we rose to set out. The first movement 

 was to take down our beds. Every man in that coun- 

 try has a small cot called a cartaret, made to double 

 with a hinge, which may be taken down and wrap- 

 ped up, with pillows and bedclothes, in an oxhide, 

 to carry on a journey. Our great object was to trav- 

 el lightly. Every additional mule and servant gave 

 additional trouble, but we could not do with less than a 

 cargo-mule apiece. Each of us had two petacas, trunks 



