ACROSS THE CONTINENT, WESTWARD TO COBAN. 81 
retired into the dark inner room, after assigning me the 
bed and Frank one of the hammocks, while the stranger 
took the other and soon settled himself comfortably. 
The bed certainly was not luxurious, and the pillow had 
seen better days; but I rigged up a cleaner head-rest with 
a towel, and was comfortable enough. Not so Frank, who 
was unused to hammocks; and before I was quite asleep 
1 heard his whisper, asking if there was room to take 
him in; and as the bed was large, his hammock was 
deserted. 
We were up at four; and as it was still quite dark, the 
sardine-box lamp was again lighted, and we drank the 
delicious coffee grown in Don Pablo’s garden, while a 
little muchacha drove out her chickens from under the 
bed. The clouds promised rain; but we had none 
all day, in spite of the predictions of both host and 
guide. 
We crossed two ctguas calientes. One of them was steam¬ 
ing in the cool morning air ; but their temperature was 
very little above that of the atmosphere at midday. Cacao- 
trees were very common, though we saw none cultivated. 
Here we first saw in abundance some of the convolvulus 
blossoms for which the country is noted. One was of a 
pale rose, another a deep blue, with hispid calyx and a 
corolla five inches across, while a third was of flesh-color 
and satiny texture, covering the trees near La Tinta. 
We arrived in that village about noon, and after some 
delay found a house where they would cook us an 
almuerzo. Our menu comprised good white rolls, broiled 
meat, fried plantains, frijoles, fried eggs, and good coffee, 
— all which we relished exceedingly; and we were not 
less satisfied with the price,—two reals each. The house 
