303 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL. 



praying to the Virgin. One lady, who was distinguish- 

 ed for the observance of this term, had an altar built 

 across the whole end of the sala, with three steps, deco- 

 rated with flowers, and a platform adorned with look- 

 ing-glasses, pictures, and figures, in the centre of which 

 was an image of the Virgin richly dressed, the whole 

 ornamented in a way impossible for me to describe, but 

 that may be imagined in a place where natural flowers 

 are in the greatest profusion, and artificial ones made 

 more perfect than in Europe, and where the ladies have 

 'extraordinary taste in the disposition of them. When 

 I entered the gentlemen were in an anteroom, with 

 hats, canes, and small swords ; and in the sala the la- 

 dies, with female servants cleanly dressed, were on 

 their knees praying; in front of the fairy altar was one 

 who seemed a fairy herself ; and while her lips moved, 

 her bright eye was roving, and she looked more worthy 

 of being kneeled to than the pretty image before her, 

 and as if she thought so too. 



In regard to my official business I was perfectly at a 

 loss Avhat to do. In Guatimala all were on one side ; 

 all said that there was no Federal Government ; and 

 Mr. Chatfield, the British consul general, whose opin- 

 ion I respected more, concurred, and had published a 

 circular, denying its existence. But the Federal Gov- 

 ernment claimed to be in existence ; and the bare sug- 

 gestion of General Morazan's marching against Guati- 

 mala excited consternation. Several times there were 

 rumours to that effect, and one that he had actually de- 

 termined to do so ; that not a single priest would be 

 spared, and that the streets would run with blood. 

 The boldest partisans trembled for their lives. Mora- 

 zan had never been beaten ; Carrera had always run 

 before him ; they had no faith in his being able to dje- 



