168 



INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL. 



crowding upon us from behind. At the foot of the ra- 

 vine was a beautiful stream, at which, choked with dust 

 and perspiration, we stopped to drink. We mounted 

 to ford the stream, and almost immediately dismounted 

 again to ascend the opposite side of the ravine. This 

 was even more difficult than the descent, and when we 

 reached the top it seemed good three leagues. We 

 passed on the right another awful barranca, broken off 

 from the table of land, and riding close along its edge, 

 looked down into an abyss of two or three thousand 

 feet, and very soon reached Santa Thomas. A crowd 

 of Indians was gathered in the plaza, well dressed in 

 brown cloth, and with long black hair, without hats. 

 The entire population was Indian. There was not a 

 single white man in the place, nor one who could speak 

 Spanish, except an old Mestitzo, who was the secretary 

 of the alcalde. We rode up to the cabildo, and tied 

 our mules before the prison door. Groups of villanous 

 faces were fixed in the bars of the windows. We call- 

 ed for the alcalde, presented Carrera's passport, and 

 demanded sacate, eggs, and frigoles for ourselves, and 

 a guide to Quiche. While these were got, the ajcalde, 

 and as many alguazils as could find a place, seated 

 themselves silently on a bench occupied by us. In 

 front was a new whipping-post. There was not a word 

 spoken ; but a man was brought up before it, his feet 

 and wrists tied together, and he was drawn up by a 

 rope which passed through a groove at the top of the 

 post. His back was naked, and an alguazii stood on 

 his left with a heavy cowhide whip. Every stroke 

 made a blue streak, rising into a ridge, from which 

 the blood started and trickled down his back. The 

 poor fellow screamed in agony. After him a boy was 

 stretched up in the same way. At the first lash, with 



