B A G A S E S. 



387 



go-mule it was impossible for him to moderate his pace, 

 and we were obliged to follow at a most unhappy rate. 

 It was the first piece of bad road we had met with, hav- 

 ing many sharp turns, and ascents and descents, broken 

 and stony. Fortunately, while we were in the woods, 

 the moon rose, touched with a silvery light the tops of 

 the trees, and when we reached the bank of the river it 

 was almost as light as day. Here my guide left me, 

 and I lost all confidence in the moon, for hy her deceit- 

 ful light I slipped into his hand a gold piece instead of 

 a silver one, without either of us knowing it. 



As we ascended the bank after crossing the stream^ 

 the hacienda was in full sight. The occupants were in 

 bed, but Don Manuel, to whom I was recommended by 

 Don Juan, rose to receive me. On the bank of the 

 river, near the house, Avas a large sawmill, the first I 

 had seen in the country, built, as Don Manuel told me, 

 by an American, who afterward straggled to Guati- 

 mala, and was killed in some popular insurrection. 



At daylight the next morning, as the workmen on 

 the hacienda were about going to work, we set ofT 

 again. In an hour we heard the sound of a horn, giv- 

 ing notice of the approach of a drove of cattle. We 

 drew up into the woods to let them pass, and they 

 came with a cloud of dust, the faces of the drivers cov- 

 ered, and would have trampled to death anj^thing that 

 impeded their progress. 



At eleven o'clock we entered the village of Bagases, 

 We had made tremendous journeys, and it was the first 

 time in four days we had seen anything but single ha- 

 ciendas, but we rode through without stopping, except 

 to ask for a cup of water. 



Late in the afternoon we came into a broad avenue 

 and saw marks of wheels. At dusk we reached the riv- 



