CHAPTER YI. 
GUATEMALA CITY. 
HE run back to Escuintla took two hours and a half, 
and our comida was welcome at five o’clock. In 
the evening we strolled to the church, — an ancient 
building, — and found all the inside in confusion ; the 
altar was hidden from profane eyes by a cotton curtain, 
while preparations were being made for the fiesta of 
December 8, — the Immaculate Conception. One of the 
attendants showed us with great pride a huge doll, repre¬ 
senting the Virgin Mary, standing on a blue globe studded 
with silver stars. Beneath her feet was a culebra grande ; 
and on twisting his tail the serpent’s tongue was thrust 
out, — to the intense delight of the Indian devotees. 
The priest — if such were his dignity — wished us to 
examine the lace robes of the “ Queen of Heaven,” and 
to note particularly the decorations. As we returned to 
the hotel we heard a marimba, and soon met a religious 
procession, consisting mostly of women. In a small plaza 
we saw, covering a figure of the Virgin, a booth decorated 
with flowers and fruits, — especially long strings of 
manzanillas. 1 Before this image men and women (of re¬ 
spectable rank, we were assured) were dancing, disguised 
in horrible masks representing devils and animals. 
1 These little apples — about the size of crab-apples — are tasteless un¬ 
cooked, but make an excellent dulce ; the senoras know how to use them for 
a sweet pickle. 
