396 



INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL. 



It was in a vehicle called a caleche, built somewhat 

 like the oldfashioned cab, but very large, cumbersome, 

 made for rough roads, without springs, and painted red, 

 green, and yellow. One cowhide trunk for each was 

 strapped on behind, and above them, reaching to the 

 top of the caliche, was secured a pile of sacate for the 

 horses. The whole of this load, with Mr. Catherwood 

 and me, was drawn by a single horse, having a rider on 

 his back. Two other horses followed for change, har- 

 nessed, and each with a boy riding him. The road 

 was perfectly level, and on a causeway a little elevated 

 above the plain, which was stony and covered with 

 scrub-trees. At first it seemed a great luxury to roll 

 along in a wheel carriage ; but, with the roughness of 

 the road, and the caleche being without springs, in a 

 little while this luxury began to be questionable. 



After the magnificent scenery of Central America 

 the country was barren and uninteresting, but we per- 

 ceived the tokens of a rich interior in large cars drawn 

 by mules five abreast, with high wheels ten or twelve 

 feet apart, and loaded with hemp, bagging, wax, honey, 

 and ox and deer skins. The first incident of the road 

 was changing horses, which consisted in taking out the 

 horse in the shafts and putting in one of the others, 

 already in a sweat. This occurred twice ; and at one 

 o'clock we entered the village of Hunucama, pleasantly 

 situated, imbowered among trees, with a large plaza, at 

 that time decorated with an arbour of evergreens all 

 around, preparatory to the great fete of Corpus Christi, 

 which was to be celebrated the next day. Here we 

 took three fresh horses ; and changing them as before, 

 and passing two villages, through a vista two miles long 

 saw the steeples of Merida, and at six o'clock rode into 

 the city. The houses were well built, with balconied 



