A. CANONIGO. 



51 



CHAPTER III. 



A Canonigo.— How to roast a Fowl.— Extempore Shoemaking.— Motagiia River. 

 —Beautiful Scene.— Crossing the River.— The Luxury of Water.— Primitive 

 Costumes.— How to make Tortillas. — Costly Timber. — Gualan.— Oppressive 

 Heat. — Shock of an Earthquake. — A stroll through the Town. — A troublesome 

 Muleteer. — A Lawsuit.— Important Negotiations. — A Modern Bona Dea. — How 

 to gain a Husband.— A Kingdom of Flora.— Zacapa.— Making free with a Host. 



Before daylight I was out of doors. Twenty or 

 thirty men, muleteers and servants, were asleep on the 

 ground, each lying on his back, with his black chamar 

 wound round him, covering his head and feet. As the 

 day broke they arose. Very soon the Frenchman got 

 up, took chocolate, and, after an hour's preparation, 

 started. The canonigo set off next. He had crossed 

 the mountain twenty years before, on his first arrival 

 in the country, and still retained a full recollection of 

 its horrors. He set off on the back of an Indian, in a 

 silla^ or chair with a high back and top to protect hira 

 from the sun. Three other Indians followed as relay 

 carriers, and a noble mule for his relief if he should be- 

 come tired of the chair. The Indian was bent almost 

 double, but the canonigo was in high spirits, smoking 

 his cigar, and waving his hand till he was out of sight. 

 The Pavons started last, and we were left alone. 



Still none of our men came. At about eight o'clock 

 two made their appearance ; they had slept at a rancho 

 near by, and the others had gone on with the luggage. 

 We were excessively provoked ; but, enduring as we 

 might the discomfort of our clothes stiff with mud, sad- 

 dled and set off. 



We saw no more of our caravan of mules, and our 

 muleteer of the barometer had disappeared without 



