296 



INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL. 



all over Mexico, and from thence to G-uatimala. It was 

 seven years since he left home, and since parting with 

 Mr. Handy he had not spoken a word of his own lan- 

 guage ; and as he spoke it now it was more than half 

 Spanish. I need not say that he was glad to see me. 

 He conducted me over the plantation, and explained the 

 details of the curious process of making cochineal. He 

 was somewhat disappointed in his expectations, and 

 spoke with great feeling of home ; but when I offered to 

 forward letters, said he had resolved never to write to 

 his parents again, nor to inform them of his existence 

 until he retrieved his fortunes, and saw a prospect of re- 

 turning rich. He accompanied me into the town of 

 Amatitan ; and as it was late, and I expected to return 

 to that place, I did not visit the lake, but continued di- 

 rect for Guatimala. 



The road lay across a plain, with a high, precipitous, 

 and verdant wall on the left. At a distance of a league 

 we ascended a steep hill to the table-land of Guatimala. 

 I regret that I cannot communicate to the reader the 

 highest pleasure of my journey in Central America, that 

 derived from the extraordinary beauty of scenery con- 

 stantly changing. At the time I thought this the most 

 delightful ride I had had in the country. On the way I 

 overtook a man and his wife on horseback, he with a 

 game-cock under his arm, and she with a guitar ; a little 

 boy was hidden away among bedding on a luggage- 

 mule, and four lads were with them on foot, each with 

 a game-cock wrapped in matting, with the head and tail 

 only visible. They were going to Guatimala to pass 

 the Christmas holydays, and with this respectable party 

 I entered the gate of the city, on the eighth day. after 

 my departure. I found a letter from Mr. Catherwood, 

 dated at Esquipulas, advising me that he had been rob- 



