204 



INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL. 



As we approached, seven towering churches showed 

 that the religion so hastily adopted had not died away. 

 In a few minutes we entered the city. The streets 

 were handsomely paved, and the houses picturesque in 

 architecture ; the cabildo had two stories and a corri- 

 dor. The Cathedral, with its facade richly decorated, 

 was grand and imposing. The plaza was paved with 

 stone, having a fine fountain in the centre, and com- 

 manding a magnificent view of the volcano and mount- 

 ains around. It was the day before Good Friday ; the 

 streets and plaza were crowded with people in their 

 best attire, the Indians wearing large black cloaks, 

 with broad-brimmed felt sombreros, and the women a 

 white frock, covering the head except an oblong open- 

 ing for the face ; some wore a sort of turban of red 

 cord plaited with the hair. The bells were hushed, 

 and wooden clappers sounded in their stead. As we 

 rode through, armed to the teeth, the crowd made way 

 in silence. We passed the door of the church, and en- 

 tered the great gate of the convent. The cura was 

 absent at the moment, but a respectable-looking ser- 

 vant-woman received us in a manner that assured us of 

 a welcome from her master. There was, however, an 

 air of excitement and trepidation in the whole house- 

 hold, and it was not long before the good woman un- 

 burdened herself of matters fearfully impressed upon 

 her mind. 



After chocolate we went to the corregidor, to whom 

 we presented our letters from the government and Car- 

 rera's passport. He was one of Morazan's expulsados, 

 a fine, military-looking man, but, as he told us, not a 

 soldier by profession ; he was in office by accident, and 

 exceedingly anxious to lay down his command ; in- 

 deed, his brief service had been no sinecure. He in- 



