VISIT TO A VOLCANO. 



325 



great perplexity whether I had any government was not 

 yet brought to a close. 



In the mean time, while the political repairs were go- 

 ing on, I remained in Zonzonate recruiting. The town 

 is situated on the banks of the Rio Grande, which is 

 formed by almost innumerable springs, and in the In- 

 dian language its name means four hundred springs of 

 water. It stands in one of the richest districts of the rich 

 State of San Salvador, and has its plaza, with streets at 

 right angles, and white houses of one story, some of 

 them very large ; but it has borne its share of the calam- 

 ities which have visited the unfortunate Republic. The 

 best houses are deserted, and their owners in exile. 

 There are seven costly churches and but one cura. 



I was unable to undertake any journey by land, and 

 feeling the enervating effect of the climate, swung all 

 day in a hammock. Fortunately, the proprietors of the 

 brig which I had seen at Acajutla, bound for Peru, 

 changed her destination, and determined to send her to 

 Costa Rica, the southernmost state of the Confederacy. 

 At the same time, a man offered as a servant, very highly 

 recommended, and whose appearance I liked ; and I re- 

 solved to have the benefit of the sea voyage, and, in re- 

 turning by land, explore the canal route between the At- 

 lantic and Pacific by the Lake of Nicaragua, a thing 

 which I had desired much, but despaired of being able 

 to accomplish. 



Before leaving I roused myself for an excursion. 

 The window of my room opened upon the Volcano of 

 Izalco. All day I heard at short intervals the eruptions 

 of the burning mountain, and at night saw the column 

 of flame bursting from the cr,ater, and streams of fire 

 rolling down its side. Fortunately, Mr. Blackburn, a 

 Scotch merchant, for many years resident in Peru, ar- 



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