EVERY ONE FOR HIMSELF. 



25 



CHAPTER II. 



Every one for himself.— Travellers' Tricks.— Puenta Gorda.— A Visit to the Ca- 

 rib Indians. — A Carib Crone. — A Baptism. — Rio Dolce. — Beautiful Scenery.— 

 Yzabal.— Reception of the Padre. — A Barber in Office. — A Band of " Invinci- 

 bles." — Parties in Central America. — A. Compatriot. — A Grave in a Foreign 

 Land.— Preparations for the Passage of " the Mountain." — A Road not Macad- 

 amized. — Perils by the Way. — A v^ell-spiced Lunch. — The Mountain passed. 



We had engaged a servant, a French Spaniard, St. 

 Domingo born and Omoa bred, bearing the name of 

 Augustin ; young, and, as we at first thought, not very 

 sharp. Early in the morning he asked us w^hat we 

 would have for breakfast, naming eggs, chickens, &c. 

 We gave him directions, and in due time sat down to 

 breakfast. During the meal something occurred to put 

 us on inquiry, and we learned that everything on the 

 table, excepting the tea and coffee, belonged to the 

 padre. Without asking any questions, or thinking of 

 the subject at all, we had taken for granted that the 

 steamboat made all necessary provisions for passen- 

 gers ; but, to our surprise, learned that the boat fur- 

 nished nothing, and that passengers were expected to 

 take care of themselves. The padre had been as ig- 

 norant and as improvident as we ; but some good Cath- 

 olic friends, whom he had married or whose children 

 he had baptized, had sent on board contributions of 

 various kinds, and, among other things — odd luggage 

 for a traveller — a coop full of chickens. We congrat- 

 ulated the padre upon his good fortune in having us 

 with him, and ourselves upon such a treasure as Au- 

 gustin. ' I may mention, by-the-way, that, in the midst 

 of Colonel M' Donald's hospitalities, Mr. Catherwood 

 and I exhibited rather too much of the old traveller. 

 When at dinner the last day, Mr. C. was called from- 



Vol. I.— D 3 



