Page:Narrative of an Official Visit to Guatemala.djvu/192

172 flanked by high shady groves and stupendous ravines. The mountain is volcanic, and the lake and phænomena of the surrounding land shew, incontestably, that the whole scene, as presented to our view, has been the effect of some irruption. When that event took place no one pretends to know: the lake is very ancient, and the inhabitants believe that the Indians, on the arrival of the Spaniards, threw into it all their riches. This is so hackneyed a story, in all parts of the South American dominions, that it is hardly worth mentioning, but to be refuted or discredited; but what I could ascertain from the Indians themselves is, that they have a tradition to that effect, to which they give full credit; they admit that some trifling attempts have been made to raise the wealth supposed to be submerged, but always, hitherto, without effect. The lake is fathomless at fifty yards from the nether end of the shore; every body seemed to be agreed in this; and, as the Indians will have it that the