ONE OF MY HOUSE’S LEGS IN MOTION. 
155 
a volcano. It had consumed itself to its very base, and the 
surrounding country was strewn with lava, which, in color and 
form, much resembled blooms or pigs of iron. We moved on, 
and soon saw indications of the city of Massaya. 
I had two companions who were mounted on donkeys. (See 
Plate). Our long friend was obliged to hold up his feet to keep 
them from dragging on the ground; he wore spurs, but they 
were, at first , of no use to him ; when he would raise his feet to 
apply them, they would be so far aft they would not touch the 
animal; he, however, with Yankee ingenuity, put them on just 
below the knee; this had a perceptible influence, enabling him 
to lead the party. 
We were disposed to make as favorable an impression upon 
our entree as possible. My other companion had hoisted his 
umbrella, and got his donkey well waked up; I had been lead¬ 
ing our horse all the morning, wishing to make my advent on a 
fresh animal. As we were about to ascend the hill I mounted; 
my horse at this moment was seized with a most voracious 
appetite. I applied my spurs, which only seemed to give him 
a keener relish for the grass. I pulled upon the bridle—it 
seemed to open his mouth the wider, but go he would not. My 
companions had left me, and even the cart had passed; and 
now a party of females, laden with corn for the market, walked 
leisurely by, not, however, without giving a mischievous wink 
at my perplexity. This was too much; I dismounted, cut a 
heavy stick, and again mounted. Under the influence of this, 
he seemed to devour small brush with the greatest avidity. I 
must confess I felt cornered; what to do I did not know. I 
hailed a native lad who was passing, and requested him to go 
behind and push; this the horse seemed to think derogatory to 
his standing , and raising one of his hoofs, he struck the lad 
about midships ; the precise number of summersets he turned, 
I am not prepared to say. He soon gained his feet, and, in a 
most musical mood, took the longest kind of steps in the direc¬ 
tion of a rancho , where, no doubt, his mother lived. 
One of the horse’s legs having got in motion, I applied, most 
vigorously, spurs and cudgel, and soon the other three started, 
and I was under way at a rapid pace. I soon gained the sum¬ 
mit of the hill, when my horse raised his head, pricked up his 
