150 
GUATEMALA. 
stronger than when I stood on the threshold of the 
sanctuary of Kali, near Calcutta, and saw the hideous 
idol with its gory lips and necklace of bleeding human 
heads. 
In the evening the President received me very politely 
in the sala where we had called on the Jefe. I stated 
my case, while Frank looked in at the window. Senor 
Barrios was much better looking than he appears in his 
portraits; he was not a large man, but muscular, and 
with a very determined and intelligent face. His little 
daughter, who had been educated in New York, acted 
as his interpreter; and never, among the scores of in¬ 
terpreters I have had in many countries, have I found 
so capital a one. Once only my Spanish failed me; 
and instantly the little girl repeated in idiomatic, con¬ 
cise English, her father’s question. I told him I had 
more important business with him at the capital, but 
that at present I wished only the privilege of hiring or 
purchasing bestias for our journey to Solola. He at once 
summoned the stupid little Jefe and asked him why he 
had not furnished us as we requested. “No hay” (there 
are none), replied the Indio. “ Then make some before 
to-morrow, or you shall suffer for it! ” said President 
Barrios; and told me to let him know if they were not 
furnished us in the morning. Next day the Jefe offered 
us his own mule; but his wife, a perfect shrew, declared 
it should not leave town. If I had liked that Jefe bet- 
tei, I would have wished that the mule might run away 
with his wife and break her neck. At last he got us 
two good horses, for which he would take no pay, as we 
were amigos del Presidente. A mozo was included in this 
arrangement, and we started him at noon, we following 
