CHIQUIMULA. 



73 



wet diminished somewhat the regret with which we 

 bjade farewell for a while to the beautiful river. For an 

 hour longer we continued on the plain of Zacapa, culti- 

 vated for corn and cochineal, and divided by fences of 

 brush and cactus. Beyond this the country became 

 broken, arid, and barren, and very soon we commenced 

 ascending a steep mountain. In two hours we reached 

 the top, three or four thousand feet high, and, looking 

 back, had a fine view of the plain and town of Zacapa. 

 Crossing the ridge, we reached a bold precipitous spur, 

 and very soon saw before us another extensive plain, 

 and, afar off, the town of Chiquimula, with its giant 

 church. On each side were immense ravines, and the 

 opposite heights were covered with pale and rose-col- 

 oured mimosa. We descended by a long and zigzag 

 path, and reached the plain, on which were growing 

 corn, cochineal, and plantain. Once more fording a 

 stream, we ascended a bank, and at two o'clock enter- 

 ed Chiquimula, the head of the department of that name. 

 In , the centre of the plaza was a fine fountain, shaded 

 by palm-trees, at which women were filling their water- 

 jars, and on the sides were the church and cabildo. 

 On one corner was a house, to which we were attracted 

 by the appearance of a woman at the door. I may call 

 her a lady, for she wore a frock not open behind, and 

 shoes and stockings, and had a face of uncommon in- 

 terest, dark, and with finely-pencilled eyebrows. To 

 heighten the effect of her appearance, she gave us a 

 gracious welcome to her house, and in a few minutes 

 the shed was lumbered with our multifarious luggage. 



After a slight lunch we took our guns, and, walking 

 down to the edge of the table of land, saw, what had 

 attracted our attention at a great distance, a gigantic 

 church in ruins. It was seventy-five feet front and two 



Vol. L— K 7 



