94 



INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL. 



the don, looked so insulting, that I told Mr. Catherwood 

 we would tumble our luggage into the road, and curse 

 him for an inhospitable churl ; but Mr. Catherwood 

 warned me against it, urging that, if we had an open 

 quarrel with him, after all our trouble we would be pre- 

 vented seeing the ruins. The don probably suspected 

 something of what passed ; and, fearing that he might 

 push things too far, and bring a stain upon his name, 

 pointed to a chair, and asked me to take a seat. With 

 a great effort, I resolved to smother my indignation un- 

 til I could pour it out with safety. Augustin was very 

 indignant at the treatment we received ; on the road he 

 had sometimes swelled his own importance by telling 

 of the flags hoisted and cannon fired when we left Ba- 

 lize ; and here he hoisted more flags and fired more 

 guns than usual, beginning with forty guns, and after- 

 ward going on to a cannonade ; but it would not do. 

 The don did not like us, and probably was willing to 

 hoist flags, and fire cannons too, as at Balize, when we 

 should go away. 



Toward evening the skin of an ox was spread upon 

 the piazza, corn in ears thrown upon it, and all the men, 

 with the don at their head, sat down to shell it. The 

 cobs were carried to the kitchen to burn, the corn taken 

 up in baskets, and three pet hogs, which had been grunt- 

 ing outside in expectation of the feast, were let in to 

 pick up the scattered grains. During the evening no 

 notice was taken of us, except that the wife of the don 

 sent a message by Augustin that supper was preparing ; 

 and our wounded pride was relieved, and our discontent 

 somewhat removed, by an additional message that they 

 had an oven and flour, and would bake us some bread 

 if we wished to buy it. 



After supper all prepared for sleep. The don's house 



