162 



INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL. 



waters with some other reservoir, states that the " fish 

 which it contains are the same as are found in the Lake 

 of Amatitan," and asks, " May there not be some con- 

 nexion between these lakes, at least the fathomless one, 

 and the Volcan de Agua ?" We were told that the mo- 

 hara, the fish for which the Lake of Amatitan is cele- 

 brated in that country, was not found in the Lake of 

 Atitan at all ; so that on this ground at least there is no 

 reason to suppose a connexion between the two lakes. 

 In regard to any connexion with the Volcan de Agua, 

 if the account of Torquemada be true, the deluge of wa- 

 ter from that volcano was not caused by an eruption, 

 but by an accumulation of water in a cavity on the top, 

 and consequently the volcano has no subterraneous wa- 

 ter power. The elevation of this lake has never been 

 taken, and the whole of this region of country invites 

 the attention of the scientific traveller. 



While we were dressing, Juan, one of our mozos, 

 found a canoe along the shore. It was an oblong " dug- 

 out," awkward and rickety, and intended for only one 

 person ; but the lake was so smooth that a plank seem- 

 ed sufficient. We got in, and Juan pushed off and 

 paddled out. As we moved away the mountainous bor- 

 ders of the lake rose grandly before us ; and I had just 

 called Mr. C.'s attention to a cascade opening upon us 

 from the great height of perhaps three or four thou- 

 sand feet, when we were struck by a flaw, which 

 turned the canoe, and drove us out into the lake. 

 The canoe was overloaded, and Juan was an unskilful 

 paddler. For several minutes he pulled, with every 

 sinew stretched, but could barely keep her head straight. 

 Mr. C. was in the stern, I on my knees in the bot- 

 tom of the canoe. The loss of a stroke, or a totter- 

 ing movement in changing places, might swamp her ; 



