JOURNEY CONTINUED. 



221 



CHAPTER XIII. 



Journey continued. — A Mountain Plain. — Lost Guides. — A trying Moment.— 

 Agua Calientes.— A magnificent View.— Gold Ore.— San Sebastiano.— Gue- 

 guetenango. — Sierra Madre.— A huge Skeleton. — The Ruins. — Pyramidal 

 Structures. — A Vault. — Mounds. — A welcome Addition. — Interior of a Mound. 

 —Vases.— Ascent of the Sierra Madre.— Buena Vista.— The Descent.— Todos 

 Santos.— San Martin.— San Andres Petapan.— A Forest on Fire.— Suffering 

 of the Mules from Swarms of Flies. — San Antonio de Guista. 



Early in the morning our mules were saddled for 

 the journey. The gobernador and another friend of the 

 eura came to receive parting instructions, and set off for 

 Guatimala. The Indians engaged for us did not make 

 their appearance ; and, desirous to save the day, we 

 loaded the mules, and sent Juan and Bobon forward 

 with the luggage. In a little while two women came 

 and told us that our Indians were in prison. I accom- 

 panied them to two or three officials, and with much 

 difficulty and loss of time found the man having charge 

 of them, who said that, finding we had paid them part 

 of their hire in advance, and afraid they would buy 

 agua ardiente and be missing, he had shut them up the 

 night before to have them ready, and had left word to 

 that effect with one of the servants of the cura. I went 

 with him to the prison, paid a shilling apiece for their 

 lodging, and took them over to the convent. The poor 

 fellows had not eaten since they were shut up, and, as 

 usual, wanted to go home for tortillas for the journey. 

 We refused to let them go, but gave them money to 

 buy some in the plaza, and kept the woman and their 

 chamars as hostages for their return. But we became 

 tired of waiting. Mr. Catherwood picked up their cha- 

 mars and threw them across his saddle as a guarantee 

 for their following, and we set off. 



