178 



INCIDENTS OP TRAVEL. 



went in to take my chocolate, I found the table piled 

 up with cakes and confectionary. Afterward all went 

 to the church for vesper prayers. I could but think, 

 what afterward impressed itself upon me more and 

 more in every step of my journey in that country, bless- 

 ed is the village that has a padre. , 



During the day, the deaf and dumb boy had con- 

 trived several times to make me understand that he 

 wished to accompany me, and in the evening the padre 

 concluded to make him happy by giving him a journey 

 to Guatimala. Early in the morning the convent was 

 in commotion. The good padre was unused to fitting 

 out an expedition for Guatimala. Many things were 

 wanting besides the mules, and the village was laid 

 under contribution. During the bustle, a single soldier 

 entered the village, and created an alarm that he was 

 the pioneer of others come to quarter upon them. The 

 padre told him who I was, and that the guard must not 

 molest me. At length all was ready ; a large concourse 

 of people, roused by the requisitions of the padre, were 

 at the door, and among them two men with violins. 

 The padre directed his own gigantic energies particu- 

 larly to the eatables ; he had put up chocolate, bread, 

 sausages, and fowl ; a box of cakes and confectionary ; 

 and, as the finale, the deaf and dumb lad came out of 

 the house, holding at arm's length above his head the 

 whole side of an ox, with merely the skin taken off and 

 the ribs cracked, which was spread as a wrapper over 

 one of the cargoes, and secured by a netting. A large 

 pot, with the bottom upward, was secured on the top 

 of another cargo. The padre took a kind leave of me, 

 and a most affectionate one of the deaf and dumb lad ; 

 and at nine o'clock, with violins playing, and a turn- 

 out that would have astonished my city friends, I made 



