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91 



which consisted of half a dozen miserable huts thatch- 

 ed with corn. Our appearance created a great sensa- 

 tion. All the men and women gathered around us to 

 gaze. We inquired immediately for the ruins, but none 

 of the villagers could direct us to them, and all advised 

 us to go to the hacienda of Don Gregorio. We had no 

 wish to stop at a village, and told the muleteer to go on, 

 but he refused, and said that his engagement was to 

 conduct us to Copan. After a long wrangle we pre- 

 vailed, and, riding through a piece of woods, forded 

 once more the Copan Eiver, and came out upon a clear- 

 ing, on one side of which was a hacienda, with a tile 

 roof, and having cucinera and other outbuildings, evi- 

 dently the residence of a rich proprietor. We were 

 greeted by a pack of barking dogs, and all the door- 

 ways were filled with women and children, who seem- 

 ed in no small degree surprised at our appearance 

 There was not a man in sight ; but the women receiv- 

 ed us kindly, and told us that Don Gregorio would 

 return soon, and would conduct us to the ruins. Im- 

 mediately the fire was rekindled in the cucinera, the 

 sound of the patting of hands gave notice of the ma- 

 king of tortillas, and in half an hour dinner was ready. 

 It was served up on a massive silver plate, with water 

 in a silver tankard, but without knife, fork, or spoon ; 

 soup or caldo was served in cups to be drunk. Never- 

 theless, we congratulated ourselves upon having fallen 

 into such good quarters. 



In a L.hort time a young man arrived on horseback, 

 gayly dressed, with an embroidered shirt, and accompa- 

 nied by several men driving a herd of cattle. An ox 

 was selected, a rope thrown around its horns, and the 

 an\mal was drawn up to the side of the house, and, 

 by another rope around its legs, thrown down. Its feet 



