Page:Narrative of an Official Visit to Guatemala.djvu/429

CH. XXX.] his aid-de-camp, a gentleman to whose kindness and hospitality I have much pleasure in bearing testimony, as also to that of his good lady: they contributed greatly to my gratification during my residence at this port.

Monday, 8th August. This day we made an aquatic excursion up the country. Two large pitpans were hired for the purpose, one containing the company and the other our provisions. About twelve miles up the river, which bears the name of the town, we disembarked at a negro's hut to breakfast, and then proceeded about seven miles farther, where we spent the day in gipsy fashion, in one of those sequestered verdant spots with which the banks of the river abound. In our progress we met nothing but some negroes with rafts of mahogany trees which they were bringing down to the beach, where they are trimmed with large axes into square sides, previously to embarkation: at this time, most of the ships were loaded and ready to sail; but