384 



INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL. 



clay mixed with straw to give adhesion, and laid when 

 soft, with upright posts between, so that they are dried 

 by the sun into one mass, which moves with the surface 

 of the earth. 



Before the evening was over I forgot the earthquake 

 in a minor trouble. The uncultivated grounds of Cen- 

 tral America teem with noxious insects. Riding all 

 day in the woods, and striking my head against the 

 branches of trees, had brought ticks down upon me in 

 such numbers that I brushed them off with my hand. I 

 had suffered so much during the day, that twice I was 

 obliged to strip at a stream and tear them out of my 

 flesh ; but this gave me only temporary relief ; lumps 

 of irritation were left ; and in the midst of serious dis- 

 quisitions with Don Juan, it was not polite, but I was 

 obliged to use my nails violently and constantly. I 

 was fain to entreat of him that he would go out and 

 give me the room to myself. He retired, and in a mo- 

 ment all my clothes were out of doors, and I tore the 

 vipers out by the teeth ; but Don Juan sent to my re- 

 lief a deaf and dumb boy, who, by touching them with 

 a ball of black wax, drew them from their burrowing- 

 places without any pain ; yet they left behind wounds 

 from which I did not recover in a long time. 



Early in the morning two horses were at the door, 

 and two servants in attendance for a ride. Don Juan 

 mounted the same horse which he had ridden in his 

 exile, and was attended by the same servants. Here- 

 tofore I had always heard constant complaints of ser- 

 vants, and to do them justice, I think they are the worst 

 I ever knew ; but Don Juan's were the best in the 

 world, and it was evident that they thought he was the 

 best master. 



The estate of Don Juan covered as much ground as 



