Page:Narrative of an Official Visit to Guatemala.djvu/32

12 Juan de Dios de Mayorga, who returned to Mexico by way of Toluca. He parted in the highest spirits at the prospect of the benefits which would arise to his country from the report I might make on its political condition; and he gave me several letters of recommendation to his private friends, as well as to his government,—to the interests of which there never was a minister more ardently and devoutly attached than appeared to be this excellent man.

Beautiful as the route was yesterday, it was to-day, the 23d, greatly surpassed in every thing that could make it charming: the country was undulating and picturesque. About midday, we passed along the verge of a prodigious ravine, through the bottom of which flowed an abundant stream of water brilliantly pure; and two leagues farther on we came to a large sugar plantation belonging to the family of the Yermos. The crops were in different degrees of ripeness, and some had been just gathered and cleared with great nicety and