124 



INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL. 



stood on the same platform with the church, and 

 had a high flight of stone steps. A number of In- 

 dian servants ran out to the corridor, to stare at 

 such strange-looking persons, and we understood 

 that the padre was not at home ; but we were too 

 well pleased with the appearance of things to think 

 of going elsewhere. We tied our horses in the yard, 

 ascended the steps, and strolled through the corridor 

 of the convent and along the platform of the church, 

 overlooking the village. 



Before the door of the church lay the body of a 

 child on a bier. There was no coffin, but the body 

 was wrapped in a tinsel dress of paper of different 

 colours, in which red and gold were predominant; 

 and amid this finery worms several inches long were 

 issuing from its nostrils, curling and twisting over 

 its face : a piteous and revolting spectacle, showing 

 the miserable lot of the children of the poor in these 

 Indian villages. 



In a few minutes the ministro, or assistant of the 

 cura, joined us, from whom we learned that the 

 cura was preparing to bury this child, and as soon 

 as it was over, would come to receive us. In the 

 mean time, under his escort, we ascended to the 

 top of the church. 



The ascent was by a large stone staircase within 

 one of the towers. The top commanded a view of 

 a great plain, covered by an almost boundless forest, 

 extending on one side to the sea, and on the other 

 to the sierra which crosses the peninsula of Yuca- 



