320 



INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL. 



but was fast sliding down his slippery sides, when he 

 deposited me on the shore of San Salvador, called by 

 the Indians " Cuscatlan," or the land of riches. Alva- 

 rado, on his voyage to Peru, was the first Spaniard 

 who ever set foot upon this shore, and as I took special 

 care to keep my feet from getting wet, I could but think 

 of the hardy frames as well as iron nerves of the con- 

 querors of America. 



The mate and sailors took leave of me and returned 

 to the ship. I walked along the shore and up a steep 

 hill. It was only eight o'clock, and already excessively 

 hot. On the bank fronting the sea were the ruins of 

 large warehouses, occupied as receptacles for merchan- 

 dise under the Spanish dominion, when all the ports of 

 America were closed against foreign vessels. In one 

 corner of the ruined building was a sort of guardroom, 

 where a few soldiers were eating tortillas, and one was 

 cleaning his musket. Another apartment was occupied 

 by the captain of the port, who told me that the mules 

 engaged for me had got loose, and the muleteers were 

 looking for them. Here I had the pleasure to meet Dr. 

 Drivin, a gentleman from the Island of St. Lucia, who 

 had a large sugar hacienda a few leagues distant, and 

 was at the port to superintend the disembarcation of 

 machinery for a mill from the English brig. While 

 waiting for the mules he conducted me to a hut where 

 he had two Guayaquil hammocks hung, and feeling al- 

 ready the effect of my exertions, I took possession of 

 one of them. 



The woman of the rancho was a sort of ship's hus- 

 band ; and there being three vessels in port, the rancho 

 was encumbered with vegetables, fruit, eggs, fowls, and 

 ship's stores. It was close and hot, but very soon I re- 

 quired all the covering I could get. I had a violent 



