Page:Narrative of an Official Visit to Guatemala.djvu/365

CH. XXIV.] the whole face of the country, would seem to represent.

About five o'clock a mizzling rain came on which induced me to cover myself with an oil-skin cloak which I had brought from Mexico, and found very useful in my several excursions since the rainy season had begun to set in. It was manufactured of very thin silk, and consequently extremely light and compact; it cost me an ounce (£3 17s.) of gold, but was the cheapest thing, in reference to its utility, of any which I had purchased for my journey.

After riding through the rain for an hour, we came to a small open plain, on the right of which stood two or three cottages in a yard inclosed with an ordinary rustic fence. On one side, was the principal of these tenements, with an open viranda supported by two wooden pillars: it was already occupied by a bed on which a traveller newly arrived was reclining whilst his servant was preparing him some chocolate. I dismounted, was cold, wet, and