60 



INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL. 



excessive heat and closeness of atmosphere which ac- 

 companied it. 



We rode up to the house of Donna Bartola, to w^hom 

 we had a letter of recommendation, and I cannot de- 

 scribe the satisfaction with which I threw myself into 

 a hammock. Shade and quiet restored me. For the 

 first time since we left Yzabal we changed our clothes ; 

 for the first time, too, we dined. 



Toward evening we strolled through the town. It 

 stands on a table of breccia rock, at the junction of two 

 noble rivers, and is encircled by a belt of mountains. 

 One principal street, the houses of one story, with piaz- 

 zas in front, terminates in a plaza or public square, at 

 the head of which stands a large church with a Gothic 

 door ; and before it, at a distance of ten or twelve 

 yards, was a cross about twenty feet high. The popu- 

 lation is about ten thousand, chiefly Mestitzoes. Leav- 

 ing the plaza, we walked down to the Motagua. On 

 the bank a boat was in process of construction, about 

 fifty feet long and ten wide, entirely of mahogany. 

 Near it a party of men and women were fording the 

 stream, carrying their clothes above their heads ; and 

 around a point three women were bathing. There are 

 no ancient associations connected with this place ; but 

 the wildness of the scene, the clouds, the tints of the 

 sky, and the setting sun reflected upon the mountains, 

 were beautiful. At dark we returned to the house. 

 Except for the companionship of some thousands of 

 ants, which blackened the candles and covered every- 

 thing perishable, we had a room to ourselves. 



Early in the morning we were served with chocolate 

 and a small roll of sweet bread. While at breakfast 

 our muleteer came, reiterating a demand for settle- 

 ment, and claiming three dollars more than was due. 



