138 
GUATEMALA. 
stand. Usually we had no wasli-stand, but either per¬ 
formed our ablutions at the courtyard fountain, or else 
had our valet Santiago pour water over us from a 
calabash. 
As we had a letter to the Jefe, David Camey, I went 
at once to present it, in order to get our animals for the 
next stage as soon as possible. We found his house, — a 
fine one, the best in the town, with beautiful roses in the 
neat courtyard; but the Jefe himself was a dumpy little 
Indio, stupid and fat, who could say little else than “Si, 
Senor.” After some delay he promised us two mules 
in the morning. In his parlor I noticed a fine piano, 
evidently in use; and there was a decided air of comfort 
about the house, — probably due to the lady rather than 
the lord. 
That night was very cold, and in the morning at seven 
o’clock the thermometer told forty-five degrees, and the ba¬ 
rometer stood at 8,860 feet. As usual, we went to church; 
this was the largest and cleanest we had yet seen, but 
the images, including an Indio-colored Christ, were perhaps 
more hideous than ever. The church has now the old 
Plaza (north of the new one) all to itself, and in addition 
a very large paved courtyard, with square chapels in the 
outer corners. In this courtyard we found a troop of In¬ 
dian women conducting some mummery which required 
veils and candles, both of great size. Some of the poor 
women were so tipsy that they could hardly care for their 
candles, which were perilously near to setting their neigh¬ 
bors’ clothes on fire. After various marches and counter¬ 
marches, songs and responses, the performance ended in 
a loud explosion. Of all the Indian towns, Totonicapan 
is supposed to be the most Indian, and the people are 
