284 



INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL. 



three bare and rugged peaks, covered vrith dried lava 

 and ashes, shaken by the strife of the elements v^^ithin, 

 the vrorking of internal fires, and emitting constantly a 

 pale blue smoke. The road bears marks of the violent 

 convulsions to which it has been subject. In one place 

 the horse-path lies through an immense chasm, rent 

 asunder by a natural convulsion, over v^hich huge stones, 

 hurled in every direction, lay in the v\rildest confusion ; 

 in another it crosses a deep bed of ashes, and cinders, 

 and scorified lava ; and a little farther on strata of de- 

 composed vegetable matter cover the volcanic substan- 

 ces, and high shrubs and bushes have grown up, form- 

 ing a thick shady arbour, fragrant as the fields of Araby 

 the Blessed. At every step there was a strange contrast 

 of the horrible and beautiful. The last eruption of the 

 Volcan del Fuego took place about twelve years ago, 

 when flames issued from the crater and ascended to a 

 great height ; immense quantities of stones and ashes 

 were cast out, and the race of monkeys inhabiting the 

 neighbouring woods was almost extirpated ; but it can 

 never burst forth again ; its crater is no longer el Boca 

 del Infierno, or the Mouth of the Infernal Regions, for, 

 as a very respectable individual told me, it has been 

 blessed by a priest. 



After a beautiful ride under a hot sun, but shaded 

 nearly all the way, at three o'clock we reached Es- 

 cuintla, where was another magnificent church, roofless, 

 and again with its rich fa9ade cracked by an earthquake. 

 Before it were two venerable Ceiba trees, and the plat- 

 form commanded a splendid panoramic view of the vol- 

 canoes and mountains of the Antigua. 



In the streets were soldiers and drunken Indians. I 

 rode to the house of the corregidor, Don Juan Dios de 

 Guerra, and, with Romaldi for a guide, I walked down 



