LAKE OF AMATITAN. 



313 



two o'clock we started. It was the hottest hour of the 

 day, and when we passed the gate the sun was scorch- 

 ing. Late as it was, our muleteer had not finished his 

 leave-taking. His wife and little son accompanied him ; 

 and at some distance outside we were obliged to stop 

 in the hot sun and wait till they came up. We were 

 extremely glad when they exchanged their last em- 

 braces, and the wife and son turned off for their home 

 in Mixco. 



Notwithstanding the lateness of the hour, we diver- 

 ged from the regular road for the purpose of passing 

 by the Lake of Amatitan, but it was dark when we 

 reached the top of the high range of mountains which 

 bounds that beautiful water. Looking down, it seem- 

 ed like a gathering of fog in the bottom of a deep val- 

 ley. The descent was by a rough zigzag path on the 

 side of the mountain, very steep, and, in the extreme 

 darkness, difficult and dangerous. We felt happy when 

 we reached the bank of the lake, though still a little 

 above it. The mountains rose round it like a wall, and 

 cast over it a gloom deeper than the shade of night. 

 We rode for some distance with the lake on our left, 

 and a high and perpendicular mountain-side on our 

 right. A cold wind had succeeded the intense heat of 

 the day, and when we reached Amatitan I was perfectly 

 chilled. We found the captain in the house he had in- 

 dicated. It was nine o'clock, and, not having touched 

 anything since seven in the morning, we were prepared 

 to do justice to the supper he had provided for us. 



To avoid the steep descent to the lake with the car- 

 go-mules, our muleteer had picked up a guide for us 

 on the road, and gone on himself direct ; but, to our 

 surprise, he had not yet arrived. While at supper we 



Vol. I.— R r 27 



