86 



INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL. 



CHAPTER V. 



An Indian Funeral.— Copan River.— Woman's Kindness.— Hacienda of San An- 

 tonio.— Strange Customs.— A Mountain of Aloes.— The State of Honduras. 

 — Village of Copan. — An ungracious Host. — Wall of Copan. — History of Co- 

 pan.— First View of the Ruins.— Vain Speculations.— Applications for Medi- 

 cine.— Search for an Abode. — A Sick. Woman. — Plagues of a Muleteer. — An 

 unpleasant Situation.— A Thunder Storm.— Thoughts of buying Copan. 



Turning away from the church, we passed the brow 

 of a hill, behind w^hich was a collection of huts almost 

 concealed from sight, and occupied by our friends of the 

 night before. Very soon we commenced ascending a 

 mountain. At a short distance we met a corpse borne 

 on a rude bier of sticks, upon the shoulders of Indians, 

 naked except a piece of cotton cloth over the loins, and 

 shaking awfully under the movements of its carriers. 

 Soon after we met another, borne in the same way, but 

 wrapped in matting, and accompanied by three or four 

 men and a young woman. Both were on their way to 

 the graveyard of the village church. Ascending, we 

 reached the top of a mountain, and saw behind us a 

 beautiful valley extending tovrard Hocotan, but all 

 waste, and suggesting a feeling of regret that so beauti- 

 ful a country should be in such miserable hands. 



At half past twelve we descended to the banks of the 

 Copan River. It was broad and rapid, and in the mid- 

 dle was a large sandbar. We had difficulty in fording 

 it ; and some of the baggage, particularly the beds and 

 bedding, got wet. From the opposite side we again 

 commenced ascending another ridge, and from the top 

 saw the river vrinding through the valley. As we cross- 

 ed, by a sudden turn it flovred along the base, and we 

 looked directly down upon it. Descending this mount- 



