Page:Narrative of an Official Visit to Guatemala.djvu/131

CH. VIII.] others being rheumatism, asthma, lameness, and I know not what besides. He was, now, going to the Atlantic coast, to get some sea-bathing, and also to put himself under a course of the guaco, which Don Simon informed me was considered an infallible cure in cases where mercury was no longer efficacious. Although the man was a disgusting object, I might, perhaps, have allowed him to fall in with our retinue, but I was assured he was a bad character, and gave him a trifle to wash my hands of him.

The journey continued, this evening, through the picturesque scenes which I have attempted to describe; and, at three o'clock, we had reached a small Indian hut, at which they were unloading our mules. It was situated about a stone's throw out of the green lanes through which we were passing, surrounded with lofty, umbrageous, trees: under one of these, near the cottage and a pig-sty, preparations were made for our repast. The fowl was admirably dressed with red Chile pepper, and, being