INTERIOR OF A CONVENT. 



189 



CHAPTER XL 



Interior of a Convent.— Royal Bird of Quiche.— Indian Languages.— The Lord's 

 Prayer in the Quiche Language.— Numerate in the same.— Church of Quiche\ 

 — Indian Superstitions. — Another lost City. — Tierra de Guerra. — The Abori- 

 ginals.— Their Conversion to Christianity. — They were never conquered.— A 

 living City.— Indian Tradition respecting this City.— Probably has never been 

 visited by the Whites.— Presents a noble Field for future Enterprise.— Depar- 

 ture.— San Pedro.— Virtue of a Passport.— A difficult Ascent.— Mountain 

 Scenery. — Totonicapan. — An excellent Dinner.— A Country of Aloes. — " River 

 of Blood. " — Arrival at Quezaltenango. 



It was late when we returned to the convent. The 

 good padre regretted not being at home when we arri- 

 ved, and said that he always locked his room to prevent 

 the women throwing things into confusion. When we 

 entered it was in what he called order, but this order was 

 of a class that beggars description. The room contain- 

 ed a table, chairs, and two settees, but there was not a 

 vacant place even on the table to sit down or to lay a 

 hat upon. Every spot was encumbered with articles, 

 of which four bottles, a cruet of mustard and another of 

 oil, bones, cups, plates, sauce-boat, a large lump of su- 

 gar, a paper of salt, minerals and large stones, shells, 

 pieces of pottery, sculls, bones, cheese, books, and man- 

 uscripts formed part. On a shelf over his bed were two 

 stuffed quezales, the royal bird of Quiche, the most 

 beautiful that flies, so proud of its tail that it builds its 

 nest with two openings, to pass in and out without turn- 

 ing, and whose plumes were not permitted to be used 

 except by the royal family. 



Amid this confusion a corner was cleared on the ta- 

 ble for dinner. The conversation continued in the same 

 unbroken stream of knowledge, research, sagacity, and 

 satire on his part. Political matters were spoken of in 



