Page:Narrative of an Official Visit to Guatemala.djvu/374

354 thus entirely superseded, and that, too, for some cause altogether inexplicable to myself. I left him on coming to the banks of a rapid river which I had with difficulty forded a short time before I first met him, and now turned back to join my companions who were far a-head.

Revolving, however, in my mind this mysterious circumstance, and reflecting upon the agitated state of affairs between the people of Belize and the Guatemalian government, on account of the desertion of the slaves of British proprietors into the Republican territory; and finding that Señor Valdero was conveying letters to Mr. Bayley which might throw some light on these interesting subjects, I turned back once more to overtake him, and to request Mr. Bayley would despatch to me an extraordinario with any news which, by his letters, he might have had communicated to him from England, as well upon these as any other subjects in which the business of that Commission might possibly be concerned. I was