372 



INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL. 



pressed his surprise, telling me that he was the town 

 blackguard, a drunkard, gambler, robber, and assassin ; 

 that the first night on the road he would rob, and perhaps 

 murder me. Shortly after Mr. Lawrence entered, who 

 told me that he had just heard the same thing. I dis- 

 charged him at once, and apparently not much to his 

 surprise, though he still continued round the convent, as 

 he said, in my employ. It was very important for me 

 to set out in time for the vessel, and I had but that day 

 to look out for another. 'Hezoos was astonished at the 

 changes time had made in the character of his friend. 

 He said that he had known him when a boy, and had 

 not seen him in many years till the day he brought him 

 to me, when he had stumbled upon him in the street. 

 Not feeling perfectly released, after a great deal of run- 

 ning he brought me another, whose name was Nicolas. 

 In any other country I should have called him a mulat- 

 to ; but in Central America there are so many different 

 shades that I am at a loss how to designate him. He 

 was by trade a mason. 'Hezoos had encountered him 

 at his work, and talked him into a desire to see Guati- 

 mala and Mexico, and come back as rich as himself. 

 He presented himself just as he left his work, with his 

 shirt-sleeves rolled up above his elbows, and his trou- 

 sers above his knees : a rough diamond for a valet ; but 

 he was honest, could take care of mules, and make 

 chocolate. I did not ask more. He was married, too ; 

 and as his wife did not interfere with me, I liked him 

 the better for it. 



In the afternoon, being the last before I started, in 

 company with Mr. Lawrence I visited the coffee-plan- 

 tations of Don Mariano Montealegre. It was a lovely 

 situation, and with great good taste, Don Mariano lived 

 there a great part of the year. He was at his factory, 



