158 



INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL. 



ing a different section of country. We had esca- 

 ped the region of eternal stones, and the soil was 

 rich and loamy. A league beyond this we reached 

 the rancho of Santa Rosa. It was a very rare thing 

 in this country to notice any place for its beauty of 

 situation, but we were struck with this, though per- 

 haps its beauty consisted merely in standing upon a 

 slight elevation, and commanding a view of an open 

 country. 



The major domo was somewhat surprised at the 

 object of our visit. The ruins were about two 

 leagues distant, but he had never seen them, and 

 had no great opinion of ruins generally. He imme- 

 diately sent out, however, to notify the Indians to 

 be on the ground in the morning, and during the 

 evening he brought in one who was to be our guide. 

 By way of getting some idea of the ruins, we 

 showed him some of Mr. Catherwood's drawings, 

 and asked him if his bore any resemblance to them. 

 He looked at them all attentively, and pointed to the 

 blanks left for the doorways as the points of resem- 

 blance ; from his manner we got the impression that 

 we should have to thank the cura for a bootless 

 visit. 



The night at this rancho was a memorable one. 

 We were so scourged by fleas that sleep was im- 

 possible. Mr. Catherwood and Dr. Cabot resorted 

 to the Central American practice of sewing up the 

 sheets into a bag, and all night we were in a fever. 



The next morning we started for the ruins of Lab- 



