EFFECT OF COLD. 



167 



alcalde wanted to buy him. In the morning he told me 

 that, being used to a hot climate, the horse could not 

 bear the journey across the Cordilleras, which was con- 

 firmed by several disinterested persons to whom he ap- 

 pealed. I almost suspected him of having done the horse 

 some injury, so as to make me leave him behind. How- 

 ever, by moving him in the sun his limbs relaxed, and 

 we sent him off with the men and luggage, and the 

 promised escort, to Totonicapan, recommended to the 

 corregidor. 



At a quarter before nine we bade farewell to the 

 ladies who had entertained us so kindly, and, charged 

 with letters and messages for their son and husband, 

 set out with Bobon for Santa Cruz del Quiche. At a 

 short distance from the town we again rose upon a 

 ridge which commanded a view of the lake and town ; 

 the last, and, as we thought, the loveliest of all. At a 

 league's distance we turned off from the camino real into 

 a narrow bridle-path, and very soon entered a well-cul- 

 tivated plain, passed a forest clear of brush and under- 

 wood, like a forest at home, and followed the course of 

 a beautiful stream. Again we came out upon a rich 

 plain, and in several places saw clusters of aloes in full 

 bloom. The atmosphere was transparent, and, as in an 

 autumn day at home, the sun was cheering and invig- 

 orating. 



At twelve o'clock we met some Indians, who told us 

 that Santa Thomas was three leagues distant, and five 

 minutes afterward we saw the town apparently not more 

 than a mile off; but we were arrested by another im- 

 mense ravine. The descent was by a winding zigzag 

 path, part of the way with high walls on either side, so 

 steep that we were obliged to dismount and walk all 

 the way, hurried on by our own impetus and the mules 



