Page:Narrative of an Official Visit to Guatemala.djvu/340

320 On the next day, the 5th, poor Beteta, the minister of finance, (he is since dead,) gave me the report of the Commission, appointed by the president, on the state of the existing trade. I was also occupied, on this day, in engaging mules for my journey: the Arriero wanted the whole of the money in advance. I agreed for ten mules at sixteen dollars each, and got him to consent to take only one hundred dollars in advance; wishing to retain some security for the proper performance of his engagement; but in this intention I was mistaken, for he called two days afterwards, and, with some little parleying, gave me to understand that if I did not immediately pay him the difference of sixty dollars, he would not let me have the mules at all: I, of course, had no choice but to assent, and became contented on finding it was the usual custom of the muleteers to receive the money in advance: I can only say that, although they thus get the whip hand of their customers, they seldom abuse their privilege.