388 



INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL. 



er which runs by the suburbs of Guanacaste, the fron- 

 tier town of Costa Rica. The pass was occupied by an 

 ox-cart, with four stubborn oxen, which would not go 

 ahead and could not go back. We were detained half 

 an hour, and it was dark when we entered. We pass- 

 ed through the plaza, before the door of the church, 

 which was lighted up for vespers, and rode to a house 

 at which I had been directed to stop. Nicolas went 

 in to make preliminary inquiries, and returning, told 

 me to dismount, and unloaded the luggage-mule. I 

 went in, took off my spurs, and stretched myself on 

 a bench. Soon it struck me that my host was not 

 particularly glad to see me. Several children came 

 in and stared, and then ran back into another room ; 

 and in a few minutes I received the compliments of 

 the lady of the house, and her regret that she could 

 not accommodate me. I was indignant at Nicolas, 

 who had merely asked whether such a person lived 

 there, and without more ado had sent me in. I left 

 the house, and Avith the halter of my macho in one 

 hand and spurs in the other, and Nicolas following with 

 the mules, sought the house of the commandant. I 

 found him standing on the piazza, with the key in his 

 hand, and all his household stuff packed up outside, 

 only waiting till the moon rose to set out for another 

 post. I believe he regretted that he could not accom- 

 modate me, nor could he refer me to any other house ; 

 but he sent his servant to look for one, and I waited 

 nearly an hour, up for a bidder. 



In the mean time I made inquiries about my road. 

 I did not wish to continue on the direct route to Nic- 

 aragua, but to go first to the port of San Juan on the 

 Pacific, the proposed termination of the canal to con- 

 nect the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The command- 



