CAPTURE OF GUATIMALA. 



233 



begged him to state on what conditions he would evac- 

 uate the city. He demanded the deposition of Galvez^ 

 the chief of the state, all the money, and all the arms 

 the government could command. The priests were the 

 only people who had any influence with him, and words 

 V cannot convey any idea of the awful state of suspense 

 which the city suffered, dreading every moment to hear 

 the signal given for general pillage and massacre. The 

 inhabitants shut themselves up in their houses, which, 

 being built of stone, with iron balconies to the win- 

 dows, and doors several inches thick, resisted the as- 

 saults of straggling parties; but atrocities more than 

 enough were committed, as it seemed, preliminary to a 

 general sacking. The vice-president of the republic 

 was murdered ; the house of Flores, a deputy, sacked, 

 his mother knocked down by a villain with the butt of 

 a musket, and one of his daughters shot in the arm with 

 two balls. 



The house of Messrs. Klee, Skinner, & Co., the 

 principal foreign merchants in Guatimala, which was 

 reported to contain ammunition and arms, was several 

 times attacked with great ferocity ; having strong bal- 

 conied windows, and the door being secured by bales 

 of merchandise piled up within, it resisted the assaults 

 of an undisciplined mob, armed only with clubs, mus* 

 kets, knives, and machetes. The priests ran through 

 the streets bearing the crucifix, in the name of the Vir- 

 gin and saints restraining the lawless Indians, stilling 

 the wildness of passion, and saving the terrified inhab- 

 itants. And I cannot help mentioning one whose name 

 was in everybody's mouth, Mr. Charles Savage, at that 

 time United States consul, who, in the midst of the 

 most furious assault upon Mr. Klee's house, rushed 

 down the street under a shower of bullets, knocking up 



Vol. I.— G g 



