248 



INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL. 



tier had seemed almost an impregnable barrier ; but 

 Alvarado had crossed it to penetrate an unknown coun- 

 try teeming with enemies, and twice a Mexican army 

 has invaded Central America. 



At half past ten we reached the top of the mountain, 

 and on a line before us saw the Church of Zapolouta, 

 the first village in Mexico. Here our apprehensions 

 revived from want of a passport. Our great object 

 was to reach Comitan, and there bide the brunt. Ap- 

 proaching the village, we avoided the road that led 

 through the plaza, and leaving the luggage to get along 

 as it could, hurried through the suburbs, startled some 

 women and children, and before our entry was known 

 at the cabildo we were beyond the village. We rode 

 briskly for about a mile, and then stopped to breathe. 

 An immense weight was removed from our minds, and 

 we welcomed each other to Mexico. Coming in from 

 the desolate frontier, it opened upon us like an old, long- 

 settled, civilized, quiet, and well-governed country. 



Four hours' ride over an arid and sandy plain brought 

 us to Comitan. Santiago, being a deserter from the 

 Mexican army, afraid of being caught, left us in the 

 suburbs to return alone across the clesert we had pass- 

 ed, and we rode into the plaza. In one of the largest 

 houses fronting it lived an American. Part of the front 

 was occupied as a shop, and behind the counter was a 

 man whose face called up the memory of home. I 

 asked him in English if his name was M'Kinney, and 

 he answered " Si, senor." I put several other ques- 

 tions in English, which he answered in Spanish. The 

 sounds were familiar to him, yet it was some time be- 

 fore he could fully comprehend that he was listening to 

 his native tongue ; but when he did, and understood 

 that I was a countryman, it awakened feelings to which 



