Page:Narrative of an Official Visit to Guatemala.djvu/394

374 at Gualañ, putting up at the house of Doña Santa Maria Zafra: it was here found expedient to renovate our provisions: the bread, having been packed whilst it was hot, had fermented and become sour as well as hard: we had hitherto managed with it pretty well, but as we seldom met with any thing but tortillas, and were still less likely to meet with bread during the remainder of our journey, some care was taken by the good young lady above named in providing us not only with that, but such other necessaries as we might require.

Annexed to the Gran Sala was a room in which were four or five females, who were employed as seamstresses and in other light occupations, such as making puros and paper cigars. I pleased them much by purchasing largely of these commodities; and by my manner of payment for them, they were induced, I apprehend, to think rather highly of the generosity of the English character, which was the impression I wished them to feel. They