200 
GUATEMALA. 
Guided by his answer, I retraced my steps, stumbling 
into a brook I had unconsciously crossed in going out; 
and we found the peg and again secured Mabel. In this 
curious way we were saved a long hunt for the next 
day. 
At daylight we were on a very good road, and soon 
after eight we stopped at a sugar-plantation for some 
coffee and frijoles negras. Here was a fine stream, to¬ 
gether with vats formerly used for indigo-making, now 
useless. Hill rose above hill, and Esquipulas seemed as 
far away as ever. By the roadside were the pilgrim fire¬ 
places, frequent and extensive, and we noticed a large 
deposit of a pink-colored rock, which I supposed might 
contain manganese [Rhodonite). The specimens I brought 
away, I regret to say, were afterwards left at one of our 
camps. The last hill at length climbed, before us lay an 
extensive valley reaching to the distant mountains of 
Merendon, the boundary of Spanish Honduras. 
Lava Mask in the Museo Nacional. 
