ESQUIPULAS AND QUIRIGUA. 213 
the morning, but could not find it; whereupon Frank 
found a boatman, and reduced his* price from $4.00 to 
$2.50. Just as we were returning to the house to get our 
luggage, we met our useless Santiago with a man who 
had kindly consented, as an especial favor to him, to 
take us for $6.00. In going to the river we passed the 
Calvario, which was elaborately walled; but the roots of 
many shrubs were prying the masonry open. A descent 
of about two hundred feet brought us to the river bank, 
and we found the water cool and good. 
Our canoa was a good “ dugout,” with a mat of split 
bambu for our seat, and our boatman managed it very 
skilfully, avoiding the frequent shoals and taking full 
advantage of the current. Bathers and washerwomen 
were common along the banks, — the latter with precious 
little clothing, but usually working under a palm-leaf 
shelter. Often they did not hear the paddle, so noisy 
were their tongues, until we were close upon them; and 
they generally ducked when they saw us. White herons, 
alligators, and iguanas were common enough, and we 
saw two very round turtles about a foot in diameter. 
Twice we touched bottom in the rapids; but the skill of 
the paddler kept us bows on and saved us a wetting. 
At Barbasco the river was wide, and we saw three 
mules crossing, as our bestias would have to do later in the 
day. They waded two thirds of the distance and swam 
the rest, one being carried by the current into the bushes, 
down stream. 1 The exhilarating motion was in marked 
contrast to our struggle up the Rio Polochic; but there 
was no such interest in the valley of the Rio Motagua 
1 Another time when Frank was crossing he had to swim for his life, and 
nearly lost his animals. 
