Page:Narrative of an Official Visit to Guatemala.djvu/126

106 they were made. He shewed me a particular kind of twisted gold chain, properly designated Guatemalian, as another kind, perfectly distinct in structure, is called Panamian. I brought one of the former with me to England, and, having broken it, for it is very delicate, have never been able to get it properly repaired, even by the best London workmen.

The tree which I had seen in my route to Acapulco, bearing cherries, without leaves, was here very common: my companion informed me that it was called picaro. How this term applies, which means rogue, with all its variety of senses, as applied either to the offender at the Old Bailey, who is sometimes forgiven after the commission of the act, or to the transgressor in the coteries of the Mesdames Vitula and Lubentia, who feels that he is forgiven whilst he commits it,—I cannot, I confess, conceive: perhaps, however, it meant that the fruit was piquant: in truth, it was very sour.