f"
University of California Berkeley
A LADY'S RIDE
ACEOSS SPANISH HONDURAS
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN ' BLACK WOOD'S MAGAZINE'
A LADY'S RIDE
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS
BY
MARIA SOLTERA p
5-/o4>7-&
ILLUSTRATIONS
i
WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS
EDINBURGH AND LONDON
MDCCCLXXXIV
TO THE DEAR MEMORY OF
THE MOST REVEREND
ROGER BEDE VAUGHAN
LATE ARCHBISHOP OF SYDNEY, N.S.W.
THIS RECORD OF MY WANDERINGS
IS INSCRIBED.
LIST OF ILLUSTKATIONS.
HACIENDA NEAR SAN ANTONIO, . . Frontispiece
SE DUEKMA HE SLEEPS, . . . To face page 158
PASS BEYOND GOASCARON, ... 164
COMAYAGUA, ,,207
MANIOBAR, ...... ,,244
POSADA NEAR SAN PEDRO SULA, . 276
A LADY'S BIDE ACEOSS SPANISH
HONDUKAS.
CHAPTEE I.
IT was the question of pounds, shillings, and
pence. Should I take steamer from San Fran-
cisco to Panama, cross the isthmus, and from
the Atlantic side enter Spanish Honduras \ or
had I better travel by steamer as far as Ama-
pala, and thence take mules and ride across the
country to San Pedro Sula my destination
a distance of about two hundred and nineteen
miles \ Thus was perplexed the mind of your
globe-trotting servant " Soltera," as she pored
over railway and steamboat guides and calcu-
lated expenses, in her comfortable but very
costly bedroom in the Palace Hotel, San Fran-
A
A LADY'S RIDE
cisco, in the month of June, in year of grace
1881.
The steamer to Panama ! A fine expense !
And once arrived at that place, the end of the
journey is not by any means reached. After en-
during more or less sea-sickness, much thunder,
and lightning unlimited, for about twelve days,
there would be the further risk of catching the
Panama fever.
This fever is often irreverently styled the
canal fever (in grim compliment to that cutting),
and its general result is to put a decided stop to
all plans and locomotion for many a day ; often
for ever. Should I avoid that misfortune, there
would be the certainty of being detained at some
miserable place to wait for a vessel going to
Puerto Cortez. A bill for " discomfort sup-
plied," at a fearful charge of dollars, would be
the inevitable result of that detention.
Arrived at Puerto Cortez, which is also called
Puerto Caballo, there would still be fifty miles
to travel over mountains, through streams, and
upon the ruins of the late Inter-Oceanic Rail-
way of Honduras, till the haven of San Pedro
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 3
Sula were reached. So far the one side of the
question.
Now for its converse.
Take steamer as far as Amapala, which is the
only Pacific port of entry to Spanish Honduras ;
invade the consulate thereat ; make a friend and
ally of good Senor Don Pedro Bahl ; ask him to
provide mules, servant, and muleteer ; and thus
ride straight and hard for San Pedro Sula. That
is the better plan. It will also be the cheaper
route; and I shall, by this means, enjoy the
mountains I love so well, and see them in all
their beauty, the grand Honduras mountains,
over which few Englishmen, and still fewer
Englishwomen, have ridden !
It has been ascertained, and I have been
assured of this from Honduras, that the dangers
of this route have been much exaggerated, the
chief drawback being the bad roads and the
peril of fording some of the streams. There
exists also a great difficulty in obtaining food.
But I shall have a servant and a muleteer to
forage, and I can live as they do for twelve
days or so (rash asseveration) ; and let me only
A LADY'S RIDE
come by a tolerable supply of milk, and I will
travel far and well.
Now falls on my soul the remembrance that
I am alone in the world ; and at this moment
the knowledge brings no pang. No one near
of kin exists whose anxieties might deter me ;
no loving heart will be broken should my por-
tion be evil. Suffering, physical and mental,
will fall upon myself solely ; and should this
expedition end in the "last disaster," there re-
main those outside the ties of kin, thank God,
who will hold me in kindly remembrance and
deal gently with my name. Let me forward
whilst I have health and willing spirit. I am
alone in the world. Yes ; but I go with God.
" What are you doing, Soltera I why are you
going to San Pedro Sula, and where on earth is
the place ? " had inquired of me, some weeks
previously, my handsome young cousin of the
clan Campbell, who had come on board at
Auckland, whereat the steamer Australia (in
which I formed one of the passengers) touched,
from lovely, hospitable Sydney. "We were bound
to San Francisco, and had to stay a few hours in
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 5
Auckland in order to take in the New Zealand
contingent of mails and seafarers. This cousin
and his wife were bound " home " on a visit, and
it was quite in the usual accidental nature of
things in travel, that we should thus meet with-
out the slightest provocation thereto on either
side.
Kail and steam here gave evidence that the
world is small enough to render chance en-
counters with long-parted friends a common
incident.
Apart from the fact that the presence of this
relative would contribute to throw an air of re-
spectability over me, I was very glad to meet
him, and to secure an auditor as to my plans
and intentions.
In answer to his inquiries, I informed Mr
Campbell that San Pedro Sula was a large town
in the Eepublic of Honduras, situate about fifty
miles, or rather more, off the Atlantic coast, at
the foot of a range of mountains, name forgotten.
That its climate, according to a pamphlet com-
piled by the Rev. Dr Pope, is salubrious (it is no
such thing but the nights are bearable) ; that
6 A LADY S RIDE
a colony of Britons and some French people were
being located thereat. In addition to this, the
Government of Honduras was granting large
concessions of land (quite true), and doing its
utmost to get Europeans to make a settlement
there.
" What has all this to do with you ? " cut in
my cousin, who seemed to fear that the whole
contents of the pamphlet were about to be let
loose upon him.
" Simply this : as I speak Spanish fairly, and
can be otherwise useful, I am invited (after some
correspondence on the subject) to take charge
of the school which is being erected for the
colonists' children at San Pedro Sula. A salary
has been guaranteed me ; and in addition to
this, the Government will assign me a planta-
tion of one hundred and sixty acres for the
taking it, subject, of course, to its being cul-
tivated and kept in order. Dr Pope writes me
that a plantation once put in working trim, re-
quires little further outlay, beyond the first or
second year's expenses."
" Who is this Dr Pope ? "
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 7
" The agent of the Honduras Government
and a Catholic priest. He has already located
a number of families from Ireland, and he is to
return shortly and fetch out four hundred more.
The pamphlet is circulated as a proclamation
and confirmation of his position to the outside
world, and contains, both in the Spanish and the
English language, a copy of all the engagements
existing between the President of the Eepublic,
Dr Soto, and this agent. There are also pub-
lished letters of authority from most of the
principal persons of the State, the Dutch con-
sul, and the Bishop of Comayagua."
" Coma what ? "
" Comayagua," I replied, " the ancient capital
of Spanish Honduras. The seat of government
is transferred now to a town which lies further
south of Comayagua. The name of this town
is Tegucigalpa perhaps you like that better ? "
" Don't chaff a fellow ; the names are wonder-
ful ! What a country it must be to stand such
queer-sounding appellations ! Excuse me fur-
ther. Let me hope that you have not bought
any land, or placed money in this agent's hands."
A LADY'S HIDE
" Certainly not. You know that I have been
obliged to increase my pittance by taking
pupils in Sydney. I am very, very sorry to
part with these dear people ; but I am not get-
ting younger, and I want to make a home of
my own. This appointment will help me on
till I do so. Don't you see \ "
" Yes well and if it does not do, you can
go back again. I dorr t know much about the
matter, but I have always had the impression
that the climate out there is rather awful. Hot
as fire, is it not ? "
" Not among the mountains," I retorted
quickly ; for a shadow of suspicion must not
be allowed to fall upon my beloved mountains.
<e The climate is unhealthy, and worse, I know,
on the sea-coast and low-lying plains ; but I
shall be very little among these."
" Haven't they a place there called Mosquito ?
That sounds lively, but decidedly the reverse of
pleasant, eh ? "
" Mosquito, my good cousin, is another pro-
vince altogether. Look at the map. You can
abuse that as much as you please. San Pedro
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 9
Sula lies in the interior of the country, and is
surrounded by the mountains. The only draw-
back of the situation is, that the town has been
placed at their base."
" What are these mountains called ? "
"I do not know that they have any partic-
ular designation ; but they form part of the
chain of the principal range."
"You seem to be pretty well up in the
geography of these parts at any rate, and I
hope you will not be disappointed ; for really,
Soltera, this is an undertaking, and no mistake
about it."
" Yes ; and if you read in some newspaper a
few months hence, that a lady unknown, to-
gether with her mule, have been found at the
bottom of a precipice, make up your mind that
it is I. Better people can be spared; so any
way I will try it. Besides, my late residence
jn Fiji has given me an insight both as regards
tropical and plantation life. I learnt a few
things when in those lovely isles of the Pacific
which I hope to turn to good account." (A
year previously I had been employed as a fin-
10 A LADY'S RIDE
ishing governess in a planter's family in one of
the islands of the Fijian group. This fact will in-
form the reader that I add the crime of poverty
to my other detriments.)
The foregoing conversation will also explain
the conflict anent ways and means which exer-
cised me during my stay at San Francisco, and
why the more perilous route chimed in so read-
ily with my purse and proclivities.
Time and the steamer vid the Mexican ports
of Mazatlan, San Bias, Manzanillo, and Puerto
Angel, saw me on my way to the Eepublic
of Honduras, and bound for its port of entry,
Amapala.
This latter place is so rarely marked on the
smaller maps, that I may mention that this
town is situate on a small island in the bay of
Fonseca ; and that most people revile it as
being a hot, dirty, and not money-making place.
Having "been and seen" the stores of the
United States of American consul there, and
witnessed the traffic which goes on in his well-
stocked warehouse, I am much inclined to doubt
the latter part of this assertion.
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 11
Public opinion, furthermore, appeared to be
greatly aggrieved because tlie nightly lightning
which always works with great vigour at Ama-
pala has hitherto left the town intact, and this
by a peculiar and persistent perversion of right
and wrong. From the manner also in which
some persons talked about this coast, I was led
to believe that an inevitable lion was to be des-
cried on its shores on the approach of a steamer,
watching, it was implied, for the rare meat
which, in the shape of a passenger, might de-
scend upon Amapala. This lion also enjoyed
the peculiarity of being reported as a "tiger,"
probably from the circumstance of an acclivity
called " La Montana de los Tigres " being close
to the landing-place, and whence the creature
might have hailed. Before the journey had
nearly ended, however, he had subsided (by de-
scription) into a mountain-leopard. Bad enough ;
but I never met him under any of these phases.
Acapulco is the one of the Mexican ports at
which we touched on our way down the coast,
of which I shall ever retain a "pleasant
memory." We arrived in its lovely harbour in
12 A LADY'S BIDE
the early morning; and the sight of the pictur-
esque little town, over the red roofs of which
the thin veil of the mists was slowly clearing
itself away, reminded me of the face of a friend
determined to wear a smile. Its situation be-
tween two irregular and projecting tongues of
land, with the background gradually widening
and rising towards the hills, invests it with an
air of coziness, and of being, at the same time,
thoroughly well protected.
A few trees, dotted about in all the beauty of
unprecision, serve to relieve the whole landscape
from the appearance of aridity so common to the
majority of seaboard towns. Several broken
rocks of peculiarly vivid colour jut out like an
advanced-guard to the right of a long pier at
the entrance, and upon this pier the natives,
in full costume or in little costume, stand out
in pleasing relief. Add to these the bright-
coloured fruit and fish, lying in baskets of every
shape and elegant texture, shrouded partially in
grand green leaves, which of themselves suggest
the idea of sheltering trees. Not overlooking,
either, the delicate shell-work held up for sale
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 13
in the hands of the loveliest female peasantry
in the world ; the wonderful flowers ; the boats
covered with every variety of gay awning, with
the Mexican flag at their prow, dancing here
and there on the liquid emerald of the sea.
Look with me, reader, in this mirror; you
will then have some idea of how appears, in
everyday garb, Acapulco.
" How lovely these Mexican girls are ! " said
the ship's doctor to me as we neared shore, a
party intending to spend a few hours on land
whilst the good ship Colima took in cargo, and
transacted the business which would detain her
in harbour for the rest of the day. " Quite
beautiful," continued the doctor, speaking to no
one in particular, and keeping his eyes riveted
upon a damsel who was waiting on the pier
ready to pounce down upon us, and bewitch us
into buying some of her shell-work. This was
a wreath of stephanotis, most artistically made
in small white shells, and as tastefully mounted
with green silk leaves. It was a crown for a
fairy queen.
The doctor was a very young man indeed
14 A LADY'S EIDE
this was, I think, his first trip as doctor on
board a steamer. He had talked during the
voyage from San Francisco with much contempt
concerning Mexico, the Mexicans, and all their
ways and works. In fact he could see nothing
admirable but the United States of America,
and had repudiated with great energy the
imputation often made by the passengers in
general, that America is only biding her time
to "annex" Mexico to the States.
" Nothing of the kind," he would asseverate ;
" you are all wrong ; the States would not take
the country as a gift. A land that requires
other people to point out her means of wealth,
and invites foreigners to exploit her mines and
build her railroads 1 A lazy, good-for-nothing
set of men ; and as for the women "
" Hold hard there, doctor," had retorted a
young English engineer, who had embarked at
Mazatlan on his way to join a mining-camp
somewhere in Guatemala. " I give you the
men ; but as for the women, nothing short
of paradise can beat them. I was in Mexico
last year, so I think I know something about
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 15
it. I repeat, the ladies of Mexico are all
lovely."
This opinion was emphatically supported by
a party of students fresh from college at San
Francisco. These youths, who, in this most
cosmopolitan of cities, must have seen many
Mexican ladies, were unanimous in backing
the engineer's assertion. This gentleman had
a smattering of the Spanish language, and thus,
with the alliance of the students, his position
appeared to be impregnable ; but the American
doctor stood to his guns.
" Paradise, indeed I what have they to do
with the place ? They are too lazy to walk
in even if the door were opened to them.
No brains no usefulness can't do a thing
but thrum on a guitar. One American girl is
worth a hundred of them. And as for beauty,
dirty, brown skins glaring, beady, black
eyes without intelligence. No ;
" May I ask," interrupted the engineer,
politely, "who is the one American girl worth
half a hundred of well houris ? "
" Angels," suggested one of the students. I
16 A LADY'S RIDE
think he suspected that the engineer's appel-
lation might not be strong enough.
The deep flush on the quiet impassive face
of the doctor betrayed that the conversation
had taken a turn quite unlocked for by him.
Happily at that moment one of the stewards,
sent by his chief, came to ask for some quinine
pills. So the doctor got himself away, but not
before he had heard one of the company assert,
" The Americans certainly have their pretty
women, like other nations ; but, good Lord !
' them have all of them voices Hke a peacock/ '
" Surely that is rather a sweeping assertion,"
I made reply to the passenger who had ven-
tured it.
" Not a bit of it," he answered, with all
the hardihood of thorough conviction ; " that
beautiful thing in woman, ' the soft low voice/
is utterly unknown in America. The children in
the schools are taught to pitch their voices in a
high key. It is part of their education. One can
forgive a little of the peacock in a pretty woman;
but when it comes to the plain ones, it makes
one shiver whenever they open their mouths."
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 17
" I don't know," I replied ; " but somehow it
does not seem to accord with our doctor's quiet
gentle manner to accredit him with a fancy
even for a girl with a harsh voice."
" Can't help himself," was the rejoinder ; " and
I know pretty clearly what I am talking about."
This finished the conversation as far as I
was concerned ; but I felt sure that the doctor,
though out of sight, was near enough to hear
these remarks. To prevent the subject coming
up again, I asked a young lady of ten years of
age to favour us with some music.
That performance had the effect of sending
every one at once out of the saloon ; and the
next morning saw us invading a Mexican port,
and admiring the beauty of " las Mejicanas."
In the multiplicity of his occupations by
night and day (for there was an apprehension
of fever breaking out) our Esculapius had en-
tirely forgotten the guerilla warfare of the
preceding evening, or he would not have so
enthusiastically exclaimed, " How lovely these
Mexican women are 1 "
Fortunately his opponent had seated himself
B
18 A LADY'S RIDE
in the second boat, and so this involuntary
applause fell only on my ear and upon those
of the San Franciscan students.
These were quite good-natured fellows, and
their "chaff" was perfectly guileless of being
personal or bitter. They, however, would have
their say.
" Well done, doctor ! " cried one who was
called Paul by his confreres, and who seemed
to be their leading spirit ; " a confession and
retraction all in one. Now look here, doctor :
you must buy that wreath ; and moreover, you
must present it to some lady who is not an
American. Do you consent ? "
"Wa-al, and what then? I will buy the
wreath ; and further, I can afford to say that
I have been mistaken. There is great intel-r
ligence in that ' Mejicana's ' eye. She is a
wonderfully beautiful woman. Ask the price
of the wreath and I will buy it, and present
it to a lady not American.' 7
True to his promise, the doctor, aided by
the lad named Paul (who spoke English very
fairly), immediately upon landing began to
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 19
traffic with the Mexican girl, she, on her side,
being more than willing. Let those whose sole
o o
acquaintance with shell-work is confined to the
hideous productions exhibited at Brighton, Mar-
gate, and others of Britain's coasts, know that
on their side of the world never have nor never
can be encountered those wonderful productions
of sand and glue and buried mussel which con-
stitutes nine-tenths of what is miscalled shell-
work in the above-named places.
The shells on the coast of Central America
generally are exquisitely delicate, and thin to
transparency. At a place called Acajutta, there
is a beach so famous for its rose-coloured shells
that it is commonly styled the bed of rose-leaves.
The making of these shell-flowers is a pre-
vailing industry along the coast, and the native
women, especially the Indians and the Mexicans,
derive a great emolument from their sale. The
art is also much practised by ladies of higher
rank, and it is taught as one of the accom-
plishments in the convent schools. It is certain
that nature gives a liberal helping-hand in the
tints of rose and yellow which in these shells
20 A LADY'S HIDE
are remarkably natural ; but a good deal must
be accorded to the delicate touch and elegant
taste of those who arrange these charming
bouquets.
The wreath being bought, it was not difficult
to guess who was to be its recipient. Close
beside me stood a young Irish lady, who, with
her family, was on her way from Japan to New
York vid Aspinwall. The mother having the
care of a young infant, had asked me to chap-
eron "Beauty" and her sister on this little
expedition. At this moment I forget the
lady's Christian name. She was called Beauty
O'H all over the ship ; and she deserved
the appellation, being a simple innocent girl,
charming in every way.
Three cheers from .the lads, interlarded with
the complimentary expressions of " Good com-
rade m an of good heart of honour," &c.,
notified the extreme satisfaction of the students
at this assignment of the purchase ; whilst the
sapphire blue eyes of the girl beamed with
gratitude as she warmly tendered her thanks.
The doctor really at that moment did receive
ACROSS SPANISH HONDUEAS. 21
the reward of virtue that is, if virtue ever does
get any reward outside of tracts and little books.
A fellow-passenger, who rejoiced in the name
of Cookes, here remarked that he liked senti-
ment and all that sort of thing in its place.
He had come to Acapulco to see the peak of
distant Popocatepetl, "that splendid mountain,
madam," he continued, particularly addressing
himself to me, " which has his head covered
with clouds all the year round, and which
Here interposed Serior Hernandez, a gentle
well-bred Spaniard, who might pass for being
perfectly sane, did he not acknowledge to the
ambition of becoming at no distant date presi-
dent of one of the Central American republics.
The Senor's knowledge of English was limited,
but he had caught enough to understand
that Popocatepetl was being misrepresented.
" Pardon me, his head is not always in the
clouds," said he, taking up Mr Cookes ; " and
if we want to see him in all his glory we must-
walk a short way into the country. In such
splendid weather, I think we should be able to
count upon a very clear view."
22 A LADY'S RIDE
" Do you know the way ? " inquired Mr
Cookes, who spoke the Castilian language re-
markably well.
" I was here many years ago, but I think I
can remember the route ; there is no time to
lose. Eemember our captain's words as we
left : ' If you do not return by five o'clock I
shall not wait, but sail away.' '
This admonition put us on our mettle, and
taking the middle of the road, we set out on
our expedition. The streets of Acapulco as
they recede from the shore are hilly, and full
of sand and large holes. An attempt has for-
merly been made to repair them here and there,
but the result is not a success. Some of the
houses are very solidly built, with stone pillars
supporting the porticoes, and with broad stone
seats, firmly built in the wall, within these.
Apparently there was not a glass window in
the place, all these apertures being filled with
light lattice-work, painted a dull red colour.
In some casements thin bars of iron, placed
diagonally, admitted air and light.
The public school window was so furnished,
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 23
and a thick shutter hung outside, which could
be closed at pleasure, according to the strength
of the sun and glare. The schoolroom seemed
to be very roomy and clean, and its walls
were evidently of great thickness. We looked
through the iron lattice, and saw the scholars
busy at work. The master came forward and
bowed, and at a sign from him all the pupils
who were seated rose to their feet. This, from
all appearance, did not seem to be the first time
that the school had been noticed by strangers.
A few little fellows poked their heads through
the lower bars; and some big ones, who had
got into the street, followed us for a short dis-
tance as we wended on our way. They soon
turned back, and sped away to school again
with the speed of deer. Somebody was await-
ing them !
24 A LADY'S RIDE
CHAPTER II.
FORWARD being the word, we quickly cleared
the town of Acapulco. Its outskirts bear a
cultivated appearance, owing to the rows of
trees which are planted for some distance at
the side of the footpath. At this season they
bore a bunchy mauve-coloured flower, some-
thing between the lilac and the beautiful
climber Wistaria ; but the blossom was not
so clearly defined, and it crumbled away in the
hand at the slightest touch.
It was pleasant to find the China rose (with
such a lovely pink on its cheek !) peeping out
here and there from a dilapidated hedge. This
place must surely be some deserted garden. A
look through a gap confirmed this conjecture,
as we descried several tall hollyhock-looking
plants, bearing about them a decided air of
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 25
culture. They appeared as if they were on guard,
distracting by their gaudy array the attention
of the passers-by from the desolation within.
A party endowed with plenty of life and
tongue generally travels quickly, and gets over
a good span of ground and time at almost
imperceptible speed. This was certainly the
case with us as on and on we went, admiring
the fantastic peaks and heights by which the
near distance was intersected, and grumbling
a little when the ascent became more abrupt,
and the road rougher. Very shortly granite
rocks, and their usual companion the dwarf
cactus, stood out upon the scene ; the huts,
too, had become more sparse ; these were little
else than bare poles, with their roofing com-
posed of dirty skins and palm-leaves. Then
utter desolation : for nothing living, save a
large hare, which darted into some brushwood
in the background, gave evidence that any
created thing existed here.
My surprise was great when I heard this
animal declared to be a hare. "It is so large
and black," objected I.
26 A LADY'S HIDE
" Years ago, when I landed from a merchant
vessel here for a day, this place was overrun by
hares. I remember we made a party to go into
the interior and shoot them. They were mostly
large, and the flesh was very coarse/' made
answer Mr Cookes.
" You have been here before ? " inquired
Beauty O'H .
"I have been almost all over Mexico and
the coast," returned Mr Cookes ; " but I
was only on shore at Acapulco for the one
day I allude to, and that was twenty years
ago."
" This is how you come to speak Spanish so
well," said the same young lady.
" Yes ; I kept it up in Mexico ; but I learned
the language in Spain, in the old country.
When very young I was sent into a counting-
house at Cadiz ; but I soon tired of that, and
turned sailor."
" You know all about Popocatepetl then ? "
continued Beauty.
"No; I don't feel interested in mountains;
I have seen such a lot of them. This one is the
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 27
highest in America, they say ; but it is only,
after all, a volcano out of work."
" Doctor," said she, turning round, and speak-
ing to him with an air of confidence ; " you
know something about this mountain. Why is
it thought so much of, and where did it get
its frightful name?"
"It got ^ its frightful name in very far off
times," replied that gentleman; "I cannot tell
you when, but it was so called when the Span-
iards invaded Mexico, and conquered that coun-
try. The meaning of Popocatepetl is * The hill
that smokes.' '
" It does not smoke now ? "
" No ; but at the time of the invasion I allude
to, it was in full play ; and the eruption was so
terrific, and lasted so long, that the Indians be-
lieved it to be the portent of the destruction of
their city. You should read ' The Conquest of
Mexico,' by Prescott. You will learn all about
it far better in that work than from me."
" Prescott is an American 1 "
" Yes," returned the doctor, proudly ; " and
his writings are accepted as being standard
28 A LADY'S EIDE
works in all the civilised world. If you prefer
to select an English author on the subject, read
Kobertson."
" Certainly not," replied the girl hastily ;
" you Americans are so touchy. I only inquired
what Prescott's nationality was, to satisfy my
own ignorance."
" Come up here, all of you," shouted a voice
from the front the owner being perched on an
elevated ridge a little to the right, and taking
advantage of the height to look down upon us
with the air of a discoverer. This was the stu-
dent Paul.
We hastened to obey. The other students
helped up the girls, the Spaniard helped me, and
I hauled Mr Cookes, who was lame, with my
disengaged hand, the doctor propelling him in
the rear.
Hats off, shouting, and an improvised war-
dance on the part of the students, announced us
to be in the presence of Popocatepetl, that is,
as far as eyesight was concerned. Actually it
was many, many leagues away in the far
distance.
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 29
In the far distance true ; but well did we
discern this magnificent peak, shooting like a
monolith straight and fair into the clouds. Was
his form irregular ; had he gaping wounds, black
with cinder and burn, and disfigured by smoke ?
The rich soft mantle of snow veiled all these ;
and troops of smaller cones far and wide, more
sober in their greyer tones, clustered around him
to conceal his scars and his power for evil.
From the point whence we viewed him, he was
the giant grand and beautiful, and we ignored
the destructions which he had wrought.
" Let him not arouse," pray we ; for should
His hand unloose him, who can tell what miseries
the pent-up fires of a century may rain on the
earth ?
Some longing, lingering looks, and we descend
into the road which will take us back to the
town I Our tongues are free, for the weird
solemn scene had subdued the youngest of us
into silence.
Now we all burst forth into praise, and admire
ourselves intensely for undertaking this pilgrim-
age. Ere long it leaks out that some of us are
30 A LADY'S RIDE
tired, and all confess to feeling very hungry and
thirsty.
Good Senor Hernandez is equal to this
occasion.
" I have an old friend," said he, " whose
hacienda is very near the town, it will not be
many steps out of the way. If he does not
happen to be at home, some of the family will
be. They are kind, h'ospitable people, and will
make us welcome."
" But we are such a gang," one of our number
reminded Sefior Hernandez.
" Never mind ; there is plenty of room, and
my friend is a Spaniard of pure race." This
last expression meant many things ; amongst
which the declaration of there being no admix-
ture of Indian blood in the composition of Senor
Hernandez's friend was one ; another, that a
true Spaniard never quarrels with the number
of his guests.
So we hied to the hacienda of Senor Don
Can dido, and were admitted through a broken
gate into a piece of ground, half coffee planta-
tion, half garden, and whole wilderness,
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 31
brilliant flowers dotting themselves here and
there, mostly set on tall stalks. They reminded
me somewhat of some pert damsels I have seen,
who were determined not to be overlooked.
A long low building stood in the centre of
this enclosure ; and presently there poured out
from this men, women, dogs, unlimited in num-
ber as they appeared, followed by a very hand-
some lad who carried a gun in his hand. In-
troductions over, we were soon seated in the
broad verandah which is generally the place
of social gatherings in these Spanish houses.
Some handsomely netted hammocks and some
plain grass ones were slung between the several
posts of the verandah. Out of one of these a
head was raised up, and as quickly popped back
again.
" It is only Pepita," said the lady of the
house, in explanation. " Poor Pepita ! she runs
about too much. Sleep on," she continued,
addressing the bulge in the hammock; "these
good friends will excuse thee." And she gave
the hammock a swing, which, I suppose, sent
Pepita off to the land of Nod, but which effec-
32 A LADY'S EIDE
tually roused a cross parrot which had been
reposing with its mistress, and which flew out
of its enclosure, and without the slightest pro-
vocation made straight for me and attempted
to bite my feet. Failing in this, the bird clung
to my skirts, and attempted to climb upon me
beneath them. I tried to push the creature
away, but it seemed bent upon tasting European
flesh ; and as the O'H girls were afraid to
touch it, I had to rise to my feet and hurl it
from me. Just then the handsome lad who
was called, I heard, Jaime (this is pronounced
Ha-ee-may, and is Castilian for our ugly, abrupt
James) caught sight of what was going on,
and proceeded to put a stop to the parrot's
annoyance, for it was rushing at me again.
Don Jaime left the verandah-post against
which he had been leaning as he chatted to
Seiior Hernandez, and brought out from some
corner a long and very thin bamboo switch.
With this he administered four or five cuts
sharply across the back and wings of the bird,
reproving it as he did so just as if it had been
a child under correction.
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 33
"Ah, naughty Marquita! Take thy whip-
ping ; this is to teach thee manners. Wicked
bird I How dare you try to bite ! "
I had never seen a bird whipped before ; and
fearing that he might do it a mischief, I begged
the lad to refrain.
" She must be tamed," replied the lad, as he
desisted at once ; " she is of a very strong kind,
and her temper is that of the demonio. No, I
would not hurt her ; I know how much to cor-
rect her."
All this time the bird was yelling and
squeaking like a veritable demonio, and flew
to the roof of the verandah, describing wide
circles about Don Jaime's head, and making
as if she would attack him with all the strength
of her will. The bamboo switch was evidently
a factor in the case ; and at length she flew up
into a corner and contented herself with emit-
ting now and then some peculiar sounds, which
possibly might be hard bird-swearing.
The party at the other end of the verandah
talked calmly on, and never appeared even to
notice the hubbub which this had occasioned.
c
34 A LADY'S RIDE
I suppose in these parts it is not the correct
thing to expend unnecessary strength upon
being surprised.
Some excellent coffee and fruit were handed
to us, and at the same time cigars were offered
to all who would accept them. The lady of
the house presented her own to me, first light-
ing it and giving it two or three puffs at her
mouth as she did so. This is the most compli-
mentary manner of presenting a cigar, and I
felt sorry that natural and national prejudices
obliged me to decline the civility. The hostess
soon found a grateful recipient in one of our
fellow-travellers, and then she and her daugh-
ters smoked away as hard as any three London
cabmen.
The Misses O'H - proposed to stroll out
into the garden, and the handsome Jaime put
down his coffee-cup and attended us. He
plucked some fine China roses, and placing
these against a background of coffee-tree stems
laden with berries, produced three beautiful
and unique bouquets. This young gentleman
told us that he was a nephew of the owner of
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 35
the house, and that he was paying a visit at
this time to Acapulco. We were all very much
taken with the appearance of the youth, and his
kind unaffected manner was truly charming.
" What a lout the ordinary British youth of
the same age would be in this position ! " said
the eldest Miss O'H to me, as we walked
behind the others. " He would be wishing all
of us in Japan, and suffer the extreme of misery
in his own mind."
" True," I answered ; " but remember, when
the ordinary British lad arrives at maturity, he
generally remains in the plenitude of strength
and manhood for many years. When Lubin is
fifty, Antonio will be looking, and probably
feeling, sixty-five. The Spanish women, you
know, are considered to be old at thirty ; but
they are formed and lovely at fifteen."
"I do not understand why this should be,"
continued my young friend.
" Nor I either. I suppose it is in some degree
a fulfilment of the doctrine of compensation."
"Ah! that is my father's favourite theory,
don't you know ? "
36 A LADY'S RIDE
" No, dear Hibernia, I did not know ; but I
agree with your father. I confess to being a
great believer in the doctrine of compensation."
" Have you had any compensation in your
life for your early troubles ? None of us have,
and papa has been done out of a lot of money/'
said the girl.
" So have I also ; but compensation may not
come in the way we-expect. Good health, hap-
piness, getting married, my dear, on your part,
and not getting married on mine, may perhaps
be a compensation for the loss of money."
So preached I ; and the kind-hearted girl
pressed my arm, and said she only wished that
I had a large fortune, and that I could finish
my journey with her and her family. This
could not be, for the O'H a were on their
way to New York.
Now were gathered together our forces, for
we must be back on our way to the vessel.
The doctor was missing. Somebody surmised
that he had already returned to the ship. How-
ever, we unanimously decided that he would
turn up somewhere ; and then we all took leave,
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 37
having well enjoyed our simple and cordial
entertainment.
" Ah I there you are, doctor ; we could not
think what had become of you," exclaimed
Mr Cookes, as he caught sight of that gentle-
man sitting on a step busy overhauling the
contents of a candle-box-looking article. " We
thought you had turned back for metal more
attractive the Mexican shell- worker."
"You thought wrong, then. I strayed out
of the way to look for some marine plants, for
I aspire to be a little of a botanist. Not having
the faintest idea where you had got to, I walked
straight here ; for you would be obliged to pass
this place to get to the pier."
" This place " was a large and well-stocked
store, hung without and within with a wonder-
ful collection of articles, and kept by a veritable
Englishman. I wanted some large white hand-
kerchiefs wherewith to cover my shoulders dur-
ing my proposed ride, as the back of the neck,
at the juncture of the head with the spine, is
the part which should be more carefully covered
even than the head itself under a burning sun.
38 A LADY'S RIDE
The girls, too, wanted the .gayest handker-
chiefs they could find, to remind them of Mexico
when they arrived at home.
We were supplied with what we required at
a terrific prioe. The shopkeeper must have
netted forty per cent on an average upon our
purchases.
" We pay very high for the privilege of deal-
ing with a countryman/' remarked Mr Cookes.
"The French, Greeks, and Spaniards certainly
do bleed foreigners pretty freely, but it is re-
served to the English all over the world to
overcharge and swindle those of their own
nation. Other peoples are considerate to their
own, but we are above the weakness of making
any exception."
" Really ? "
" That is my experience in these countries.
Depend upon it, the worst people to be encoun-
tered in any part of the world are the low
whites," went on Mr Cookes. "They get all
they can out of the natives, and then, in some
cases, go home and cant about the wickedness
of the heathen."
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 39
This is in a measure true, as I knew by ex-
perience in the Fiji Islands, and from statements
of friends on whom I could rely.
Eeturning in the boat to the vessel, I found
myself again seated near the doctor. He asked
me to spare him a stem of the coffee-berries.
" I want them," said he, with a little hesita-
tion, " for a ' school marm.' She is a good girl,
and, though an American, she has the low soft
voice so beautiful in woman." Here the doctor
looked very valiant, as if he would not recede
an inch from what he had averred.
I handed him the stem of coffee-berries, and
with it the finest of my roses. "The ' school
marm ' will be the doctor's wife some fine day,
I predict," said I, shaking him by the hand.
" Now, do you dry that rose, and some far-off
time you may chance upon it, and remember
our little excursion in Acapulco."
The good gentleman returned the pressure of
my hand, and merely replied, "Yes; this has
been a red-letter day."
" May all go well with you. Good-bye."
The boat had touched the ship's stair, and
40 A LADY'S RIDE
the doctor, after placing me on the lower step,
ran rapidly up on deck. Thus vanished out of
my sight, probably for ever, one of my pleasant
travelling friends.
The captain was standing on board as we
ascended. " I have not had time to say much
to you," said he, addressing me ; " but I hear
you are going to the Honduras. Surely it is
a terrible journey for -you to take alone ! "
" I do not fear a little hardship," said I,
perhaps too confidently. "I am the daughter
and sister of English soldiers, and my bringing
up has never been luxurious. Circumstances
in later years have compelled me to depend on
myself."
"It is a wonder to me/' continued the cap-
tain, " that your relatives allow you to go.".
" I have no near relations, and I go to make
a home of my own. "We have all of us our
troubles, captain ; do not discourage me. Hith-
erto I have got on very well, and the world in
general is kind to lone female travellers."
" Yes, the civilised world." The captain here
shook his head.
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 41
I turned aside to answer a summons. The
speaker was a bedroom steward. " Mr Smith
sends me to ask you to get together your things,
please, for the boat will be ready in twenty
minutes to take you on board the Clyde."
I looked at my roses and my beautiful bunch
of coffee-berries, and handed them silently over
to the youngest Miss O'H ; for the truth
must out I was to say good-bye, and leave
these friends of a few days "for ever and a
day," as the saying goes. Yes ; there stood the
vessel alongside of the Colima, the steamer
which we had seen in the harbour before we
went ashore. She was called the Clyde, was
smaller than the Colima, and warranted slow.
This vessel had been all day taking in and
discharging cargo, and now was ready to re-
ceive the last of the passengers of the Colima
who might be bound to the intermediate ports.
The future mission of the Colima was to dash
down to Panama without a stoppage ; whilst
the Clyde was to dawdle leisurely along the
coast, stop at every port, and to cast anchor
every night from sundown to sunrise.
42 A LADY'S RIDE
" Why is this ? " I inquired of Mr Smith, the
head steward, that kindest and most courteous
of head stewards, wherever the others may be.
"The navigation is particularly dangerous
along that coast, and in some places the water
is very shallow and abounds in shoals. The
steamers always lay-to at night. The voyage
down there will be very tedious, and the heat
terrible, you'll find," returned Mr Smith. " Do
not be startled at the lightning. It is very
alarming to a stranger, but you will soon be
accustomed to that. This is the season for it."
" We have had a pretty fair share since we
left San Francisco. . Will it be worse as we go
further south ? " I inquired.
4 'No; but you will think more of it, as you
will be lying still, and the steamer also. I
mention the subject, to assure you that I have
never heard of any vessel being struck ; and
although moving objects, they say, run less risk,
the lightning on this coast seems to respect
vessels at anchor."
"Are any more of our passengers changing
for the Clyde ? " I inquired.
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 43
" One steerage passenger, a gentleman in
every sense of the word. He goes only as far
as La Union, but he is willing to be useful to
you if he can. I am sorry to say that terrible
'lady/ Mrs C., and her children, will be your
only companions. I transferred them to the
other ship three hours ago, and they have been
shrieking ever since. By the way," continued
Mr Smith, with his good-natured laugh, " the
captain of the Clyde is in a terrible fright as
to what you may be like, as these C/s are the
only specimens he has of the Colima's passen-
gers, and Mrs C. talks of her friend the English
lady 1 "
I had only spoken to this individual once.
She was a demi- semi -gentle worn an, and her
manners and appearance were very unfortu-
nate. Her hardness to one of her children,
and the brazen way in which she had informed
the passengers in general that she had come
away in debt, and evaded her tradespeople in
San Francisco, had caused us to dislike her
thoroughly.
We found that her husband was captain of
44 A LADY'S RIDE
a mine somewhere on the coast of Guatemala,
and that she and her family were on the way
to join him. According to her own account,
she had left San Francisco in disguise ; but
from various discrepancies in her narrations, I
was led to think that she preferred being taken
for a vagabond than to pass as one of w^hom
there was nothing particular to be said.
Here they are, the boat and Mr Smith wait-
ing to transfer me to the Clyde. He brings in
his hand a glass of champagne, which is sent,
he says, " with the Colima's compliments/ 7
The O'H 's and students say good-bye with
all the kindliness of their nature ; and gentle,
unassuming Senor Hernandez tells me not to
keep him waiting, for he is coming on board
with me to introduce me to the captain. And
so I get away, with a benison in my heart on
these kindly strangers. This was all my adieu,
for I could not speak. El buen Dios los guarde
muchos anos ! (May God grant them many
years !)
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 45
CHAPTER III.
THE steerage passenger described by the head
steward as being a thorough gentleman was
already seated in the boat which was to
convey us on board the Clyde. I saw at a
glance that he was one of Britannia's sons,
very poor, perhaps, but bearing withal that
unmistakable air of "breed," which neither
wealth, nor education even, has ever succeeded
in imitating with success. The true stamp
of nature's gentleman, the best of all, is ever
inborn. This fellow - wanderer assisted us to
seats, and then we exchanged a few words as
we were being rowed to our new vessel. I
gathered from these that this passenger was
bound for the mines in Guatemala ; and he
added to this information an avowal of his
determination never to set foot in England
46 A LADY'S EIDE
until he should return rich, or at least inde-
pendent.
" I am going to work as a common miner,"
continued this young man, with great decision,
" whether my family like it or not. They sent
me off to make my way as best I could in the
colonies ; and because I could not get a situa-
tion as a clerk in an office the moment I
landed, it is assumed that I am idle and all
the rest of it ; and so I am going to take my
own way of it, and stick to the work that has
JM
been offered to me on this side."
Mr Smith, who sat opposite, listened to all
this, and then said : " You came from Sydney,
sir, did you not ? "
" Yes ; I worked my passage to 'Frisco, and
am now on my way to join a mining camp."
From what transpired further, I found that
this young man was but one of the many who
suffer from the extraordinary delusions under
which many patres familiarum, uncles, and
widowed mothers of our nation labour with
regard to the demand and supply of educated
labour in the colonies. Generally speaking^
ACROSS SPANISH HONDUEAS. 47
when a young gentleman betrays, or has be-
trayed, a proclivity for spending too much
money, or cannot get what is called genteel
employment at home, or has perhaps com-
mitted himself in an act of grave misdoing,
there is always some fool at hand to suggest
his being sent out to the colonies. If he may
consent to enter farm or domestic service, to
learn a trade, or undertake any manual labour
well, let him go. " But no," says pater-
familias; "Dick has had a good education, he
must go out as a gentleman. What he has
learned in the office here will suffice to place
him at once; and Crammer, the emigration
agent, assures me that young men are sure to
be provided for at once in the colonies." And
so, with perhaps one respectable introduction,
and much oftener without any, young hopeful or
hopeless is sent on his way. He perhaps makes
some inquiries on his journey, and falls in gen-
erally with those who note only the successes.
" Look how well have succeeded MacWuskey
and O'Scamp ! and they landed in the colony
without a pound, sir ! "
48 A LADY'S RIDE
Very true of forty years agone ; but now are
changed days, and the field, in the older towns
at least, is full; besides, the sons of the colon-
ists must have their innings.
Thus it is, that when Dick and Tom Clerk,
London, first arrive in Sydney, for instance,
they walk, poor fellows, day after day, from
office to wharf, and from wharf to store count-
ing-house, seeking work in all honesty, and
finding none. In some instances they get
promises, but in general they are recommended
to betake themselves to the bush ; and in some
few cases they are roughly repelled, and re-
quested not to bother. Desperation, as they
find their small means diminishing, leads them
to invade the offices of the governor, the in-
spector of police, and the immigration agent.
Each and every one of these would do his best
to help, but he has already a list of applicants
as long as his arm. The answer to inquiries
for employment is invariably the same. "You
must wait. I will try and help you, if you
can stay for a month or so ; if not, I advise
you to go into the bush as soon as you can."
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 49
There it is ; Clerk, London, cannot wait.
He was sent out with a very small sum, and
most of this is already spent for everyday
wants. He would go into the bush now, but
he cannot command the railway fare.
In nine cases out of ten, the family of the
clerk has never supplied one shilling to enable
him to exist until work is found. So deeply
rooted is the idea that a man can get into a
merchant's office (this is the favourite vision)
the moment almost that he lands in Australia,
that provision for a month in advance is
seldom thought of. And so the family feel
very aggrieved when they get the intelligence
that Dick is hauling coals on a wharf, and that
Tom is driving cattle at Tumberumba.
Ah ! how often comes the news that the
one is dying in hospital, dependent upon the
benevolence of a citizen and a sister of mercy ;
and that the other, not finding employment,
has disappeared, no one knows whither I
Our boat is dancing attendance now, for we
have to wait till a barca from the shore, un-
lading fruit, sheers aside. This conversation
D
50 A LADY'S RIDE
is Greek to Senor Hernandez, but he smiles
good-naturedly, and tells the young man that
a great deal can be done in mines. This much
the Senor has gathered.
Mr Smith here asked if the mounted police of
Sydney were not a very efficient body of men ?
" Very," I replied ; " the force is chiefly
constituted of young men who have originally
emigrated with the -intention of filling very
different positions. They are well off, for
the inspector of police takes great interest in
those who buckle cheerfully to their work, and
he always employs a fit man when he can.
The mounted police, however, has its limits,
and cannot be regarded as a refuge for the
destitute. I strongly advise every man who
emigrates to the colonies to learn a trade, or
follow some manual labour. Clerks and school
teachers abound there ad nauseam, and it is
neither wise nor honest to advise one to add
to the number."
"You are quite right," answered the steerage
passenger. " I suppose you have had some ex-
perience in the matter ? "
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 51
" The sad experience of being applied to by
more than one gentleman's son to lend him a
few shillings wherewith to purchase a meal."
" This must be very often the result of their
own imprudence," said Mr Smith.
" In some cases, unfortunately ; but bad
management and ignorance on the part of
people at home have a good deal to do with
it. If the lad is not to be trusted with
money, why cannot parents or guardians send
it out to some bank or responsible person ?
This, I am told, has been urged both publicly
and privately. You know as well as I do that
banishment to the colonies has been a favourite
remedy for ne'er-do-weels at home. Happily
the colonies will no longer put up with our
scapegraces and incapables ; but work cannot,
at first, be got for even the most deserving."
Space is now made for us, and we clamber
up the iron steps of the Clyde. Mr Smith has
something to say to his confrere in that
vessel. I hear later on that it is an injunc-
tion to take care of me. A Chinaman comes
to tell me that my baggage is in the cabin
52 A LADY'S EIDE
No. 2, which I am to occupy alone. This
last news is very pleasant, and I am com-
forted also when I see that No. 2 is a deck
cabin, and that the berth is furnished with
white curtains. This will enable me to keep
the door open during the night. Mrs C. and
her children are to occupy No. 1, so there
will be just companionship enough without
too near proximity. -
The sunset is over, and Senor Hernandez
and I sit on a bench and watch the lightning.
It has become quite a familiar object now ; and
we both admire this wonderful feature of the
nights on this coast with deep interest. We
talk about Old Spain, I remember, and my
good friend is delighted to find that I am
the daughter of an officer who fought for
that country in the last Peninsular war.
Now Mr Smith comes to say good-bye, and
to carry away this kindly gentleman. The
parting is quickly over, and I plunge into
my cabin and become "Soltera" once more.
Four o'clock A.M. is the correct hour for
rising at sea in Central America. After a
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 53
night of great heat, I had just fallen asleep
as the vessel moved out of port ; ten minutes
afterwards I was roused by a succession of
shrieks. The cause proved to be Mrs C. cor-
recting one of her children with a box-strap ;
and so my intention of remaining in my berth
was completely frustrated, as far as sleep was
concerned, for, to drown the child's yells, the
elder sister had commenced a series of dismal
tunes on an accordion. Sam the Chinaman,
who had brought me a cup of tea, was dread-
fully scandalised.
" Very bad lot," remarked the Celestial, as
he handed in my tea through the window
which looked out on to the deck. " Ole
t
gentlemans other side, he swear awful at the
noise, and me don't wonder. Ay ! wait till
captain come on deck, he soon see. Come
again soon." This last promise was in ref-
erence to bringing me more tea, I suppose ;
for my friend had shot away like an arrow
at the sound of a voice which was inquiring
for that " heathen Sam " in anything but
dulcet tones.
54 A LADY'S RIDE
There were few passengers present at the
usual hour of breakfast, and of these I alone
represented womankind. What were called
gentlemen were anything but attractive speci-
mens of their order. They all ate and drank
in silence, fed with their knives, and never
had the civility to pass a single thing on the
table to me. They certainly knew what was
the business of the table-steward, and, I con-
clude, did not care to interfere with it. The
captain, of whom I had heard most favourable
report, was ill, and confined to his cabin.
Here was one of the varieties of travel with
a vengeance ; but we cannot have everything
couleur de rose; and as no company is better
than uncongenial company, I tucked myself
into a shady corner on deck, nursed the
purser's cat, and read Jules Verne's 'Twenty
Leagues under the Sea/ If anything dis-
tracted my attention, it was the remembrance
of the Colima and her seafarers : but the copy-
book slips of my early days impressed upon me
that comparisons are odious ; and so I tried
very hard to put everything but the present
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 55
out of my mind, and in a sort of way I
managed to succeed.
A day and a night certified each other with
regular monotony, the heat becoming more in-
tense. At length we made Port Angel. The
port presents a fine bold coast, but it bears the
reputation of being extremely unhealthy. An
enormous old lady of colour got in here : it
was quite a work of mechanism to get her
hoisted up the side. This was the first and
last I ever saw of her, as she went straight
to her cabin, and remained there till I disem-
barked at Amapala. She was accompanied by
a nephew, who seemed to be very nervous and
shy; so these were no great acquisition.
A laughable mistake had caused me to be
sick and qualmish on this day. Mrs C., who
treated me very civilly, asked me to divide a
bottle of congress -water with her, both of us
looking upon it as a kind of effervescent, such
as lemonade or soda-water.
The Chinaman who had brought it up of
course made no explanation. Mrs C. divided
the contents of the bottle into two glasses, and
56 A LADY'S RIDE
we both drank off a good portion of the most
abominable decoction I ever tasted, at a gulp.
Simultaneously, we put down the glasses, and
glared at each other.
" What have you given me ? " I at last gasped
out.
" It's poison ! I am sure it's poison ! " shrieked
Mrs C. " Sam, Chinese fool, come to me this
minute ! You have brought poison here ! "
Sam was not within hail ; but one of the
hitherto dumb male passengers was passing,
and he was startled into opening his lips.
" Why you have not been drinking this
to quench your thirst, have you ? " said he, as
he took up a glass.
" Yes ; we thought it was a cooling drink.' 7
The man could not restrain a laugh. Who
could ? This beverage was a strong medicine
diluted Epsom salts, and something more
and ranked among the ship's remedies for bilious
attacks and other ailments. We had taken
enough for four people, and we naturally must
expect to feel the effects of the medicine severely.
" If you had wanted to ward off fever,
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 57
you could not have managed it more effect-
ually," continued our interlocutor. " Let me
advise you to eat something substantial, and
avoid tea and soups for a day or two." So
saying he turned on his heel, and we had the
satisfaction of hearing him laugh like a fiend as
he went down to the saloon.
Mrs C. hurled the congress-water bottle into
the sea, and sent for some brandy. We took
about a teaspoonful apiece, and were not, after
all, made very ill. Possibly the dose was good
for us ; but we both, I think, will " squirm " to
the end of our lives at the mention of congress-
water.
The next day being the " glorious Fourth of
July," some recognition of the event must take
place. Early in the morning, the C. girls' awful
accordion was in full play, the purser following
suit upon another, till we were nearly all made
wild with the noise; for the music had been
supplemented by a fire of crackers, and human
yells were added to these.
Happily the captain, though an American,
did not appreciate this manner of celebrating
58 A LADY'S RIDE
the national glorification day. He was pos-
sessed of great taste and refinement, and he
would do a thing well, or leave it alone ; so
these rejoicings were put an end to, and a very
good dinner was served in the saloon in honour
of the day. Captain C. was a remarkably hand-
some and agreeable man ; and I always look
back upon him as being my model American.
Of course there are many such, but I have not,
hitherto, been fortunate enough to meet them.
Three days passed wearily away, as the heat
in the day had become most oppressive : it was
a dull, sickly kind of heat, which seemed to
permeate through the system and absorb all
strength. The sea-air, and a violent thunder-
storm which took place one night, kept us
alive.
We stopped at one or two ports ; passengers
coming and going by units, and twos and threes,
as the case might be. The C. children became
so unmanageable as the days went by, that I
really could not help feeling some compassion
for the mother. To keep these rioters a little
quiet, the officers of the ship supplied them
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 59
with oranges, nuts, and other fruit, in unlimited
quantity. The heaps of peel, skins, and other
debris at our cabin-doors testified to the justice
done to these refreshments, and Sam the China-
man had to come and sweep " twice a-day," as
if he were cleaning up after a herd of swine.
This extra office, it may be supposed, did not
tend to increase his admiration for the family.
It was a great incident in our career when
we reached a small port, the name of which is
not in my journal, to see a boat come off shore,
bringing towards us two passengers, some bales,
and a heap of cocoa-nuts. These last were the
special attraction, for nothing quenches the thirst
more quickly than the water which is contained
in the cocoa-nut before it turns to milk and
kernel. The ship's store of cocoa-nuts was ex-
hausted ; and we were not only thankful to
see a new supply, but hugged ourselves in the
opinion that they might be fresh.
An unlocking of the door of an unoccupied
cabin on the other side of mine announced that
we were going to have a new neighbour. Sam
informed us that a gentleman was going to
60 A LADY'S RIDE
occupy it who was sick, " very muchee sick.
He waitee in boat now got own servant; he
waitee for more mans pull him up side."
Mrs C. became violently excited at this piece
of news. " Very ill, is he \ " exclaimed she.
" Speak the truth, Sam, he has got the fever
you know he has. Don't contradict me ; it can
be nothing else than fever."
" No, not anything like that, missee," returned
the patient Celestial. " Him have fever ? No,
no ; captain know better ; captain no let fever
in here, eh ! "
There was some reason in this ; and though
Mrs C. had replied, " Then it will turn to
fever," my fears were instantly allayed. I re-
membered how strict were all precautions taken
on board against even a suspicion of " El Vom-
ito," as is called the terrible yellow fever of these
coasts. A family of five children, however, fully
justified Mrs C/s alarm.
Presently a scuffling and shuffling of feet
approached our quarters, and on standing aside
we gave place to an exceedingly large stout
gentleman who was leaning on the arm of his
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 61
servant. Behind these came a sailor with a
portmanteau and a canvas sack, tied in the
middle like a mail-bag, minus its seal. Sam
darted to the front in order to show the
cabin.
The gentleman was a Briton without a doubt.
He was dressed in a suit of white linen, and a
long pugaree dangled from his green hat. His
face was ghastly pale, and his head was laid on
his servant's shoulder. He evidently was suffer-
ing greatly, and appeared to be almost insensible.
As I looked at him it occurred to me that he
might have had a sunstroke.
The servant got his master into his cabin, and
presently one of the ship's officers came to assist
in getting this stout gentleman into his berth.
The servant, who was a ladino (mixture of
Spanish and Indian), was but a lad, of at
most seventeen years, and must have been
quite unable to deal single-handed with so
inert a load.
During dinner Captain C. told me something
about this new passenger. " He is travelling,"
said he, "for a firm at New York, and, like
62 A LADY'S RIDE
most men down here, he is looking after
mines."
" He seems to be very ill," I said.
" Oh, that will pass off during the night.
He is merely suffering from giddiness from
exposure to the sun, and from getting into
an awful rage to boot. Just fancy ! he stood
in the boiling heat for about two hours dis-
puting a charge on his baggage ! The custom-
house officer came on board with him to explain
how he appears to be so ill. It's a mercy that
he escaped a sunstroke. Will you take some
curry ? It is very good."
I got the curry, and the captain went on.
" And only about two pesetas " (less than two
shillings) 1 " This is just like the usual run of
Englishmen ; they will bear an overcharge of
pounds with fair equanimity, but when the mat-
ter is one of sixpence, they swear and tear till
they have scarcely a breath left ! "
" Two pesetas seem hardly worth while to dis-
pute about," said I.
" The principle of the thing is always the rea-
son given when the sum is a trifle ; and it is so,
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 63
but it is lost labour to rave at these people ; they
do not understand, as a rule, one quarter of what
k said to them. I have seen men stand whilst
a foreigner, an opponent, is telling them, in the
strongest of mixed idioms, that they are fools
and villains, quietly stand, with a half-pitying
smile on their faces, as if they were disputing
with a child, and must make allowance."
" But if they don't understand 1 "
"It would be much the same if they did.
They know well enough that they are being
abused, and bow and flourish between the lulls
in the conversation in the calmest manner. That
is so aggravating to the English and Americans !
These take it as meant for impertinence ; I, who
have had experience, know that it results from
pure indifference and the languor induced by
the climate."
" I have been told that these Central Amer-
icans stick very closely to the point where
money is concerned," said I.
"That they do. Our friend up-stairs had,
after all, to pay the two pesetas, or leave his
baggage behind. And so, what with the excite-
64 A LADY'S RIDE
ment and exposure, he nearly succeeded in
bringing on a fit. However, the physicking he
has had will set him up all right by to-morrow."
This was cheering news, and Mrs C. retired
to rest with a peaceful mind.
On the morrow the stranger was reclining in
a bamboo-cane chair beneath the awning. He
did not look quite well, but his appearance was
certainly more comfortable than that presented
on the preceding day.
I bade him good morning and inquired after
his health. Mr Z.'s fine grey eyes lighted up as
I addressed him.
" Ah ! " he exclaimed, " I could not be mis-
taken; I was sure that you were an English-
woman ! "
I confirmed his opinion.
" You are not belonging to that woman and
those horrible children \ " he continued, speaking
with much disgust, and indicating the C. party
with his thumb.
" No ; I am only acquainted with them by
the accident of travel."
" Excuse me, I am a plain man ; what on
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. Co
earth brings a lady such as you in this part of
the world?"
I told him, as briefly as I could, what my
position was. He snorted and grunted, and fin-
ally said
" I hope you won't get murdered. By the by,
San Pedro Sula, that is not a bad place when
you get to it ; I should very much like to go
there myself, but the travelling
The ladino boy, with a polite " Con permiso,"
stated that he had been at San Pedro Sula. It
was "a beautiful place," he said.
" He was there," continued the master, " help-
ing to build that confounded railway. There's
a mess 1 A lot of rascals in London set that
floating. It ought to have paid ; yes, paid well ;
but in these places there is no one to look after
things, and the whites are quite as ready to
swindle one another when there is nothing to be
got out of foreigners. Would you believe it,
ma'am," continued the poor gentleman, " that a
wretched Scotchman, one of my own country-
men, actually upheld the custom-house clerk,
through thick and thin, in the matter of
E
66 A LADY'S RIDE
an overcharge which was made on my bag-
gage ! "
I expressed my regret to hear this, but
ventured the observation that perhaps the
Scotchman thought that the official was ri^ht.
o o
"Nothing of the kind," replied my friend
with great energy ; " he only wanted to curry
favour and stick to his berth. Fancy their
having the audacity to charge me wharfage
dues for that bag of cocoa-nuts there ! " con-
tinued Mr Z., warming with his subject; "a
few cocoa-nuts that I had bought and sent down
the night before only ! The thing is mon-
strous ! I could have done without the fruit,
as I am going to La Libertad only; but they
threatened to detain iny portmanteau if I did
not pay all the dues. So I was obliged to pay
two pesetas, as I had not time to waste. They
got a bit of my mind, though ! "
Here we both laughed ; and as Mr Z. was
in the main a good-natured person, his wrath
quickly evaporated in the safety-valve, which
I, as an unprejudiced listener, seemed to re-
present.
ACEOSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 67
" La Libertad is the next port that we stop
at," I say, in order to ward off any further
reference to this gentleman's annoyances.
" Yes ; I get off thexe, as I have to go up
into the interior on business. You will have
a terrible time of it going across to San Pedro.
I have often thought of going there ; but from
what I have heard about the roads, and the
starvation, and the chances of attack (chances,
mind, I say for I don't want to frighten you,
but there is nothing really to eat), and other
discomforts, I have decided to give up the idea.
I should like, however, to accompany you/' he
added, after a short pause.
" Why not \ " say I, catching at the opportun-
ity of securing a travelling companion. " You
and your servant and mules joined with mine
(for I am to hire a lad and muleteer at Ama-
pala), would make quite a respectable company.
We should protect the one the other, if needs
be. I have little fear, and surely there must be
something to be got to eat. How do the people
live themselves \ "
"A plantain and a cigarillo is all they re-
68 A LADY'S EIDE
quire/' replied Mr Z. " You will suffer very
much from want of food. Take w r hat you can
with you. For myself, I could not do without
my dinner more than twice a- week. I have
always been accustomed to live well. No, no
at my time of life it would not do. Glad the
consul at Amapala will look after you. Have
you got a revolver ? " .
" A revolver ! No. I never fired one in my
life," I replied in terror. " I would much rather
be without one."
" Wait a moment," replied Mr Z. He rose
and went into his cabin, returning with a ma-
hogany case. He opened this, and displayed
reposing therein two revolvers, one a large
weapon, the other some sizes smaller.
" This is the jewellery I travel with," he con-
tinued ; " but the smaller revolver is of no use
to me. I bought this, intending it for a wed-
ding present to a girl in the interior; but the
poor thing died suddenly, and so I have a re-
volver to spare. This is for you," he said, put-
ting it into my hand.
I thanked him for his kindness, but I put it
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 69
back, saying that I could never make up my
mind to fire it.
" Do you think," he asked, " that a man dies
any sooner because he has made his will \ "
" No ; what do you mean ? "
" I mean that danger will not come upon you
because you possess a revolver. Come, don't be
proud, take this from an old man and a coun-
tryman. We are in a strange land, and we
ought to help one another if we can."
Set before me in this manner, to refuse would
have been worse than impertinence. I therefore
accepted the revolver, lamenting only, that I
could not there and then enter a shooting-gal-
lery, and there make my mark. So I said.
Mr Z. replied, " You are a sensible woman,
and I am very much obliged to you for your
company. Wish I was going with you ; but
can't can't see my way." So saying he plung-
ed into his cabin, and I was left in the warlike
attitude of holding a revolver.
70 A LADY'S RIDE
CHAPTEK IV.
No wonder that Master C., who had bundled
himself towards the end of the deck whereon I
was standing, looking, I have no doubt, ruefully
upon this acquisition, should exclaim as he saw
me " You have got a revolver there, stranger,
and you are in a jolly fix, ain't you now, how to
fire it off?"
That was just my difficulty, so I replied meek-
ly, " Can you tell me if it is loaded ? "
" Why, don't you know ? " replied the youth
with great contempt.
" Mr Z. has just given it to me, and I forgot
to ask him if it were loaded or not. Do you
know anything about revolvers ? "
" Should rather think I did," was the response.
" Let us have a try." As he spoke he took the
weapon out of my hand, and soon solved the
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. VI
doubt, as he discharged a ringing shot over the
ship's side.
The report brought two or three of the stew-
ards to where we stood, wanting to know what
the noise was about.
" Did ye think I had killed yer grand-
mother \ " answered the youth very rudely.
Then as he saw the purser coming along, he
changed his tone, and commenced to explain the
situation, asseverating very strongly that the re-
volver would be in far better hands if the lady
would give it to him.
As no one made any reply to this, Master C.
addressed himself directly to me. " It is a jolly
good revolver," he said, " and no use to a woman.
Come now, I'll give yer five dollars for it ; that's
a fair deal ! "
" I have told you that Mr Z. has made me a
present of this revolver ; pray restore it."
As the young gentleman seemed more than
unwilling to part with this, his neighbour's pro-
perty, the purser intervened, and speedily sim-
plified the proceedings.
He rapped the boy's head, hurled him aside,
72 A LADY'S EIDE
and held the revolver in his own hands, within
a minute of time ; and then in a calm, deliberate
manner he showed me how to manage this mur-
derous little instrument.
"You had better let your mozo carry this
for you," said this good-natured gentleman.
" I think I have a little case somewhere which
this will fit into. I will look at once, as early
to-morrow we reach La* Libertad, and I shall be
busy/' So saying, he withdrew.
The day and the night passed, and the early
morning found me fast asleep when the port of
La Libertad was reached and left. As soon as
I made my appearance on deck, one of the
stewards accosted me, as he pointed to the can-
vas bag which had come on board with Mr Z.
"The gentleman left his compliments for you,
madam," he said ; " and I was to give you
these cocoa-nuts. Mr Z. thought you might like
them. Mr Z. would like to have shaken hands
with you, but he would not have you called.
He told me to say that he hoped you would
have a good journey, and to be sure and get
provisions wherever you can."
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. V3
This was the first and last I have seen of
Mr Z., but I shall always have a kindly remem-
brance of this sympathising eccentric fellow-
traveller.
La Union was to be our next port, and in
consequence the whole of the C. family were in
a state of high excitement, as this was their
point of debarkation. Great was the scrubbing
and dressing ; and as some of their old clothes
were cast into the sea, I rescinded the wish of
my heart, viz., that the accordion would be
assigned to the deep in their company. Much
as we all had suffered from that instrument, and
often as we had vowed vengeance against it, I
don't think any one even shivered as the eldest
C. girl performed " Home, sweet home " for the
last time. It was an " adieu " to us in a man-
ner, and they were going home to "father."
The children looked softened, too, as they were
put into fresh raiment ; and Master C. was so
civil to me that I made over the bag of cocoa-
nuts to him and his on the spot.
Amapala was the next port, so I made my
arrangements, and we were all in marching
74 A LADY'S RIDE
order when, some hours later, we stood opposite
La Union.
Like most places on this coast, La Union
appeared to be an assemblage of red-tiled roofs,
built in groups, the gaps being filled up by
dwarf, green shrubs, and here and -there by a
tall palm-tree : the shore low and sandy, and
looking as if quite ready to slip into the sea on
the smallest provocation. This is a place of some
magnitude, however, and is more regularly built
farther in the interior. A good deal of trade is
done here, and La Union holds the reputation
of being an improving and progressive town.
The boats going to and from, the port to a
ship is, I think, always an object of interest to
the seafarers, even if there is nothing concerned
but a passing interest in the scene. On this
occasion I looked across the water with more
than ordinary curiosity, as the anxiety displayed
by the C. family to greet the husband and
father had quite enlisted my sympathies. Sev-
eral boats had come to the ship's side, convey-
ing merchandise and visitors, but no Mr C. put
in an appearance.
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. To
The patience of the younger girl was becom-
ing exhausted, and she had just fetched her
breath for a scream, when a sailor came on the
poop, and presented a letter to Mrs C., the
mother. This was to tell her that Mr C. was
far away up the country, but that he had de-
puted the vice-consul to meet her and her chil-
dren, and that apartments would be ready for
her in La Union.
The poor woman was at once disappointed and
relieved. Very soon a large boat was waiting
at the ship's side. A nice pleasant-looking man
stepped on board, and it was announced that he
had come, as requested, to fetch away Mrs C.
Whilst the luggage was being put in the boat,
the consul held a little chat with me, and offered
to take me over with them to see La Union, and
partake of the hospitality of his house. There
would be a difficulty about my return, and the
time was very short, so I was obliged to decline
the favour. All over the world the American
men are particularly kind to lone females, and I
scored this gentleman as one example more on
my list.
76 A LADYS RIDE
After a short conference with the captain, the
consul and his charges took their departure.
Mrs C/s blue feather and the redoubtable accor-
dion perched on a mountain of baggage were the
last we saw of this family. Now for Amapala.
" I shall order a particularly good dinner on
your account, as you will dine before you leave
us," said Captain C., laughing. "What do
you like best \ You know it will be long before
you get a decent meal again."
This hard fact had by this time been pretty
well impressed upon me ; but as I am not one
to " suck sorrow through the long tube," I
replied, " Do not discourage a lone female, if
you please ; other people have passed through
rough travelling, and why should not I ? "
The captain was too kind-hearted to inten-
tionally cause me any alarm, but recommended
the only working part of the Honduras railway
that which runs from San Pedro Sula to
Puerto Cortez as the most direct route to get
out of the country.
We were seated at the promised good dinner
when the port of Amapala was reached. " Mr
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 77
Bahl, the consul, will come on board," somebody
said. " Don't hurry ; he will take his time, and
so will we."
Apparently the consul did take his time, for
we waited long before the custom-house boat
put off from the shore. As it came nearer, we
saw that two persons occupied it, a little white
man, and a very large and very black man.
" The consul is not coming this time," said
an officer ; " here's his clerk and the captain."
" Captain who VI could not help repeating.
" Oh," laughed the purser, " that black fellow
is called ' captain ' on account of his warlike
performances. He has fought, he says, in three
of the revolutions in which this country de-
lighted to revel some years ago ; and, according
to his own account, he was the means of routing
the enemy on more than one occasion."
" Do you believe this ? "
" Not a word. The captain is an awful fel-
low to brag, but he can work and does work ;
I will say that for him."
" What brings him here ? " I ask.
" He is the consul's servant, and I daresay
78 A LADY'S RIDE
has been sent to fetch or carry something for
the custom-house. I hope to goodness he has
brought some fresh fish," continued the purser.
" Have you your letter of introduction to Mr
Bahl 1 As he is not here, you had better send
it to the clerk. That gentleman is transacting
some business with Captain C. just now, but I
will see about it."
Presently up came the clerk. He was a dap-
per little man with a large white face, which
did not impress me very favourably as to the
salubrity of Aniapala. I found, however, on
conversing further, that he was ready to voucli
that Amapala was a perfect sanitarium. " Fever !
yah no ! " exclaimed he, in drawled out Eng-
lish. " People die I Yes, some time all must ;
but fever here ah, no, no ! "
" Nor snakes neither," interposed the chief
engineer, with a wink at his neighbour.
" Nor yet snakes no, no ; mountain-leopards,
one or two never seen all nonsense."
" But these mountain-leopards used to be
called tigers," persisted the engineer. "Why,
that mountain over there is still called the
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 79
Mountain of Tigers La Montana de los Tigres.
You have it in both languages."
The little clerk would not admit the tigers,
and knew nothing about the reason why the
mountain indicated should bear such an ominous
name. I was now told that my departure would
be a matter of five minutes only ; .and I em-
ployed these in bidding farewell to the captain
and officers of the good steamer Clyde. God
bless them all, wherever they may be now.
They were very, very kind to " Soltera."
When I was seated in the boat, the little
clerk told me that I would have to spend a
night, or perhaps two nights, in Amapala. The
consul was a bachelor, and his sister-in-law was
unfortunately away on a visit. " I will give
the note when we land ; I don't think the office
will be closed," said he.
When we did land, it was quite dark. The
black man took the luggage out of the boat,
wading with it to the shore, for the boat could
not come quite up to the landing-place. This
done, he seized me as if I had been a cat,
without word or sign, and from his strong
80 A LADY'S EIDE
arms I was deposited on the strand of Am-
apala.
" Wait, wait a bit, ya-ar," said this huge
porter. " Clerk him gone into office to talk
to consul, let him read letter. You brought
letter 'troduction, eh ?"
"Yes. I hope I shall not have to wait long."
" No ; consul read Jetter, and send him
ar-ders."
I suppose the consul did read the letter, for
the clerk came out, and, poking in the dark
to find me, said
" The consul will write or send to you early
in the morning : the only decent posada in
Amapala is close here. You had better leave
your heavy luggage in the office ; I will take
care of it. Now, captain, take the lady's port-
manteau."
My black friend shouldered the portmanteau,
and with " You follow me close ; I all right ;
you trust me ; I as good as English," I threaded
my way through what in courtesy must be called
the streets of Amapala. The posada was not
quite so near as I had thought ; and as soon
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 81
as we had quite quitted the shore the black man
said, " You wa-ant to go into the country, over
the mountains'?"
"Yes, I wish to get off as quickly as
possible."
" Have you got serva-ant ? I know good
serva-ant, speak English wa-al ; he knows all
over the country is strong good cook. But
it will cost you money, ah."
"Will if?" I replied quickly, for I saw at
once what he was driving at ; " I do not intend
going beyond a certain sum, and "
" Wha-at will you call that Sum in dollars ?"
" Never you mind, you are the consul's cook,
and this is of no import to you."
" Ah, ya-as, ya-as ; but if you make it worth
while to ta-ake me 'long, you find it will be
good. I know country I respettable serva-
ant."
We had arrived at the posada by this time.
Only one door was open, and within could be
seen, by the light of a solitary candle, a long
brown table on which some glasses stood.
A figure came forth from behind this barrier.
F
82 A LADY'S RIDE
He was a nice-looking lad, and was, moreover,
that rara avis, a very clean-looking lad.
" Oh, it's you," he said to the black.
" Ya-as. I bring this lady here. Consul sent
me with her, 'cause I speak English so well.
Great comfa-art, have man about you that knows
well how to speak English I" continued this
conceited fellow, turning to me.
" Will you arrange for me to have a decent
room and some refreshment presently ?" said I.
" Where is the woman of the house ? I wish
to speak to her."
" Oh no, I arrange," continued the black man.
"You see I speak English."
" But I suppose the hostess speaks Spanish,"
I replied, cutting him short ; and in that lan-
guage I asked the lad to go and find her.
He did so, and a tall pleasant-looking woman
returned with him. She said she could sup-
ply me with what I required, and then the ques-
tion of charges came under discussion.
The " captain " here intervened and meddled
to such an extent, that the lad, evidently an-
noyed at his bad manners, said, " Hold thy
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 83
tongue ; the Senora understands pretty well the
language ; she knows what is right to pay."
I really did not know, but I felt grateful
to the youth for endeavouring to quench this
nuisance, and so answered that the consul knew
that I would pay what was just. Then I gave
this very disagreeable porter a peseta (English,
tenpence) for carrying the portmanteau, and
very heartily gave him good-night.
Two men came in as the " captain " went out,
and we were much amused to hear him inform-
ing them of the charge he was taking of the
English lady. " Grand thing to speak English,"
I heard him say in that language, as he finally
took himself off.
The men naturally scanned me after this re-
mark, but respectfully and without showing any
curiosity. They ordered " vino bianco," and sat
themselves down to smoke.
" Pray excuse our taking you through the
wine-shop," said the landlady, " but we have
mislaid the key of the other door. It will be
found to-morrow. See, Eduardo, take that box
into the room for the lady."
A LADY'S RIDE
A lantern was brought, and we passed through
the back of the bar, and came out upon a wide
verandah, which was bordered by a narrow strip
of garden bounded by a high wall.
We entered the guest-chamber. Had I been
qualifying for prison life, here was an oppor-
tunity for commencing an apprenticeship. The
room was large, the aperture for the window
closed by a heavy shutter with a bar across it ;
red tiles, discoloured by dirt and grease, com-
posed the floor, and the dust lay in little heaps
in some of the ridges of the most uneven ones.
A bed covered by a bull's hide in place of a
mattress, and a leathern pillow, were the cor-
rect thing here to serve as a place of rest. A
wooden table placed against the wall, and
a rockiog - chair in fair condition, completed
the furniture. Not a vestige of toilet -ware
of any sort ; not a drop of water nor any
towel.
The lad deposited the portmanteau on the
floor, and as this cheerful apartment was per-
vaded by a frowsy smell, I asked him to open
the shutter. He hesitated, and looked inquir-
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 85
ingly at the landlady. Not understanding the
reason of this, I said
" There are iron bars, or a lattice, behind the
shutter ; nobody can get in ; I want air."
" No, no," answered the landlady ; " but at
night, it was possible very rare once in a
lifetime a serpiente (snake) might crawl
through."
" Keep the shutter close then," I replied with
energy. " I did not think snakes came so near
the houses. How dreadful ! "
The boy explained that about a fortnight
before a small serpiente had crawled one hot
night through the lattice-bars, and descended
into this chamber. " There was a large growth
of thick damp herbage under the wall on that
side," he said, " and it might be that a snake's
hole was' there."
" But why on earth is it not cleared or burnt
out ? " said I ; "it is very dangerous for every
one to let the herbage remain there/'
" Quien sabe ? " he replied ; and then the
opposite door was pointed out to me as being
the one through which I could enter from the
86 A LADY'S RIDE
street. This was a very strong door, but it was
unlocked, the key being missing, as I was told
on my arrival. There was a latch, by which
the occupant could open it when the impedi-
ment enforced by the lock should be removed.
The landlady proposed to fetch a sheet and
a pillow-slip, and then she added, with an air
of triumph, "I shall bring you some tea only
think tea. I know* the English like that.
What I have is very good, a present from an
Englishman : he was hard to wait on, and he
abused everything, but he had a good heart,
Senora, and he gave me two pounds of beautiful
tea."
" That was for your own drinking 1 "
" No, I don't like it much. The Englishman
said, he was a coarse man, Senora, he would
leave it for me to give to any poor devil of his
country who might come to stay here."
She laughed as if it was the finest joke, and
never seemed to perceive the sarcasm which
might be veiled in the guise of this speech and
present : under the circumstances I was very
glad to represent the " poor devil." She went
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 87
out laughing heartily, and the boy and I and
the lantern were left alone.
" Can you get me a little water 1 " I asked
him, and a here I could not summon the
Spanish for basin, so I had recourse to signs.
" Oh yes, I know wash face ; leave it to me,
I will bring what you want. I waited on an
American lady once in travelling, and she liked
much water," and as he spoke, he darted off
with the lantern. I sat down on the bed,
hoping that the tea would be brought quickly,
and wondering what the beverage would be
like.
The landlady returned with a candlestick in
one hand in which was set up a large wax
candle ; under her arm was bundled the pro-
mised bed-linen, which, rather to my surprise,
was clean and fine, the upper hem of the sheet
being bordered with wide lace. The pillow T -slip
was trimmed in like manner ; and when the
bed was made up and a scarlet coverlet thrown
over all, the bedplace really looked like 'a bright
spot in this desert, and I began to expect other
improvements.
88 A LADY'S HIDE
Time brought the tea, and very good it
proved. The English gentleman had evidently
taught the hostess how to make use of his gift.
The boy, too, brought toilet-ware piece by piece
in spasms, and lastly a large red earthen jar
full of water. He had fetched it from a well
close at hand, and it was delightfully pure and
fresh.
The lad withdrew, and then returning to the
door summoned the landlady. A great whisper-
ing went on for some minutes : at length my
hostess returned, and said in rather a mysterious
manner, " You are going to Comayagua, are you
not ? "
" I shall pass through that town," I answered ;
" but why do you ask ? "
" Oh, the boy comes from that part, and he
does not want to remain in Amapala. Why
not take him as your mozo ? He is a good lad,
and I would like to get him a place."
" He is in your employ, is he not ? " I asked.
" What you may call employ, yes ; but there
is nothing to do for a lad like him. He sells
wine for me, true ; but I cannot pay him
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 89
trade very dull, and very few come to stay at
this posada. The lad only lives by doing a
little tailoring here and there."
I thought this plan might do, as the landlady
seemed so independent of Eduardo's services.
She proceeded to give him a good character,
and I promised that the consul's opinion should
be taken on the matter. Good night was given,
and I went to the door to fasten it after the
woman's departure. It was closed by a latch ;
but it was perfectly innocent of either lock or
bolt. There was nothing for it but to put the
handle of my tooth-brush across the latch, and
within it ; and retire to bed with trust in Pro-
vidence.
The next day came a note from Mr Bahl,
telling me that I must wait one day at the
posada, and he would arrange everything for
my travelling onward ; the lad Eduardo was
required to attend at the office, if I would
signify my intention of engaging him ; and
would I call early the day afterwards?
Little to do, nothing to see ; heat and mos-
quitoes to endure, such was the portion of the
90 A LADY'S RIDE
waiting-hours. At the dinner-time I went into
the dining-room, thinking it would be well to
eat something substantial, and a number of
dishes on the table seemed to offer a choice.
Variety there was, and very unappetising
variety. The soup, called chicken -broth, was
nothing better than drowned hen ; and the
meat, cut in strips, looked like leathern sandals
from the remotest antiquity. Everything that
could be chopped up was chopped up ; veget-
ables which would have passed muster had they
been served whole, were tormented into squash,
and little black beans in yellow dishes were the
only edibles which, owing to their small size,
had escaped the universal carnage.
Some persons present, however, did justice to
this feast. Long may there be found some to
do so ! For myself, I was thankful when the
time arrived to pay a visit to the consul.
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 91
CHAPTER Y.
THE consul's office in Amapala was a comfort-
able edifice, composed of whole store, half office,
and half court of justice.
It was situated near the water's edge, and
entered by a broad flight of stone steps. These
gradients were very much the worse for wear,
being persistently embroidered by detachments
of the loungers of Amapala, which consisted
generally of idle young lads who stuck like
mussels, and peered within, and smoked and
spat without, with intolerable pertinacity. A
sortie made from the interior sometimes suc-
ceeded in dislodging them ; but this effort on
the part of the consul's clerks more usually
ended in strong language and violent perspir-
ation than in any satisfactory result. I believe
an earnest hope is daily avowed, that somebody
92 A LADY'S RIDE
coming in may effectually clear away impedi-
ments by treading the life out of some of these
human pests.
Unfortunately also for the business public,
a large ceiba tree fronting the right side of the
building spread wide its arms of dark leaves,
and beneath this shade were clustered mules,
water-carriers, citizens in various styles of dress
and undress, water -jars, melons, and naked
brown children.
The grouping certainly was picturesque.
But how Consul Bahl has stood for so many
years, as he has done, the nuisance of a con-
versazione and debating club combined, held
within four feet of his house of business, sur-
passes my comprehension.
Through a part of this assemblage I wended
my way in the early morning of the day pre-
ceding that on which I was to start for Aceit-
ufia. The youths on the steps made room for
me with some alacrity ; and it was whispered
among them that perhaps it was not so sure
that Eduardo Alvarez was going with me.
There had been no agreement drawn up by
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 93
El Consul, they knew ; perhaps the Senora
would choose some other mozo (lad). The
meaning of these remarks was simply this :
Eduardo was a little in arrear for his lodgings
and other matters, and unless I would advance
him a part of his wages to pay his debts, he
could not leave Amapala. Concerning this, I
thought it well to consult Mr JBahl, and further,
to ascertain whether that gentleman would
recommend me to engage him.
The little white-faced clerk who had brought
me from the ship was on the look-out for my
visit. A curtain was drawn aside at a corner
of the office a few minutes later, and Mr Bahl
stepped forth. He was tall, gentlemanlike,
and very kind in his manner. (The American
men, all the world over, are always kind to
women.) He said I had a long journey to go
certainly, but I must not believe all the non-
sense I may have heard about robbers, and all
the rest of it. Common caution, and to refrain
from travelling at dusk, were recommended.
" I sent you word last night," continued the
consul, " that I cannot provide you with the
94 A LADY'S RIDE
mules you require here ; and as for a muleteer,
there is not one in the place I can recommend."
"You are sure that the custom-house officer
at Aceituna can get these ? " I inquired
anxiously.
" A man has gone over there to fetch some
things I want from the custom-house. I sent
a note by him to Mr Z. asking if he can supply
your requirements. If he cannot, which I don't
think likely, there is nothing to be done but to
send or go to La Brea : very good animals can
be got at La Brea."
" Why are they so scarce here ? " said I.
"Just as it happens; there are plenty when
not wanted. I hope you will cross to Aceituna
though ; it will save you some leagues of rough
road travelling. My large boat will take you
across in rather more than an hour, and you
could start as soon after landing at Aceituna
as you choose."
I acceded gratefully to this proposition, and
then made inquiry concerning Eduardo Alvarez.
" He came down to speak to me last night,"
replied Mr Bahl. " I suppose he has told you
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 95
that he wants a little money in advance, should
you engage him ? "
" Yes ; he wants to pay a few little debts, he
tells me. The people of the house give him a
good character, and I like the lad's appearance."
" As far as I know, the lad is decent enough.
Like all his race, he is apt to be idle ; but really
there is little employment here for a tailor,
and that is the trade by which he supports
himself.
"By the by," continued the consul, "as he
comes from Comayagua, I certainly advise you
to engage him, as you will have to take that
route, and it is a great thing to secure a guide
who knows some part of the country."
Then a lounger on the steps was despatched
to summon Eduardo Alvarez. This youth soon
made his appearance, and entered the office with
a whole train of his confreres peeping in at the
door. A rush was made at them by the little
clerk, which frustrated them, evidently, in the
intention of being within earshot. A chair was
o
handed to me, and the consul and the lad carried
on a conference behind the curtain.
96 A LADY'S RIDE
The result of the interview was to this effect :
I was to engage Eduardo Alvarez as my servant
from Amapala to San Pedro Sula ; to pay him
fifteen pesos (something under three pounds
English money), and to allow him at the rate
of a peseta (tenpence) a-day for his maintenance.
I agreed to advance eight pesos, to enable him
to pay his debts' ; and so that arrangement
was concluded.
" I will draw up the regular official agree-
ment before you start," said the consul; "it
will be better for Eduardo not to be too sure
of the engagement ; and I must be satisfied
that he does pay what he owes. Never mind
about the money ; I will give him the eight
pesos, and you can settle with me to-morrow."
" Have you a hammock in your store ? " I in-
quire ; "it will be such a comfort in the places
through which we may have to pass."
U A hammock will save you many annoy-
ances, as you will not be obliged to rest on the
horrid bed-places of the country ; and the lad
can look out for a verandah to sling it in. I
would advise you also to take a mosquito-net.
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 97
A coarse green net is best. White attracts the
flies at night."
We go into the store, and I select these
articles. "Then," said the consul, "you have
brought your side-saddle with you, of course ? "
" Side-saddle ! No ; I never thought of it.
Can't I hire that with the mule ? "
"I am afraid not here. A lady's saddle is
private property, generally speaking. You may,
perhaps, purchase one from some of the women
about. Some one may like to make a little
money. Eduardo, go out and ask among the
women whether they know of any one who has
a lady's saddle to sell."
As he went off Mr Bahl added, " I cannot
come with you, but be sure and don't give more
than twelve pesos." The lad very soon exe-
cuted the consul's bidding, and in a short
time were collected ten or twelve persons,
declaring they all possessed the very thing.
Eduardo found himself suddenly an important
personage.
" Bring all of you the saddles you have to
sell, and put them here," said he, indicating
G
98 A LADY'S RIDE
a vacant spot, which looked like chocolate-
powder. " I must see what they are like be-
fore I advise the Senora to purchase."
Away flew the women, and in a very short
space of time several very extraordinary speci-
mens of the leather trade were exhibited. In
the general excitement, the lad had overlooked
me altogether, and the others did not know
that I understood the idiom.
" What do you think she will pay for this ? "
asked one, as she held up an enormous side-
saddle, which was deficient in girths and stirrup,
and which burst out in all directions with lumps
of hair and padding. " Say fifteen pesos ? "
An indignant " vaya, vaya " (get along) was
the only attention bestowed on this candidate.
"Here is a saddle a splendid saddle," said
another, as she clutched the article from the
head of a boy, who was carrying it into the
ring. " See here ! real Mexican ; look at the
embroidery. The English lady can have it for
eighteen pesos. Too much ? " continued she ;
"no; these English can pay. Say eighteen
pesos, mozo, and there will be one for thyself."
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 99
Eduardo stooped down and examined this
last offering. " This might do ; but, see, the
pommel is half broken through. Is there any
way of getting this repaired ? " he inquired.
"Ah, without doubt," replied the owner.
" I can take it to Ignacio Gomez ; he will make
it all safe by manana " (to-morrow).
The indefinite space of time indicated by
manana was known well enough to Eduardo.
He might very likely see no more of that saddle
for a week. He, however, said nothing to this,
but assured the woman that the lady would
not give that price.
"Ah, but tell her that there is no other in
the place," suggested a bright spirit.
"That won't do, woman/' retorted Eduardo.
" The consul told the Senora that he knew there
was a side-saddle belonging to the custom-house
officer's wife at Aceituna."
" She would not sell it," suggested a man.
" She might hire it, though," interposed a fat
woman, crowned with a bright yellow handker-
chief. " No, no ; the saddle must be bought
here, good lad : the widow Niccoli has a
100 A LADY'S RIDE
woman's saddle. Wait here : I will go and
look for the widow Niccoli."
She sped away, and returned with a side-
saddle, it is true ; but such a rag ! It could
hardly hold together on the woman's head.
Yes, it wanted this and that, she agreed,
as Eduardo pointed out its shortcomings. " Ah,
yes, the rats must have eaten this piece of the
flap, and there are no girths. Well, we will
put these on. Mozo, this saddle will last for a
little way ; and then, you know, you can buy
another farther on. The English lady won't
mind. They can pay, these English I Ah
What answer Eduardo was prepared to give
to this free - and - easy proposition, I do not
know ; and as my patience was getting ex-
hausted, and my back was beginning to frizzle
with the heat of the sun, I determined to cut
matters short. Walking into the circle, I said
in the best Spanish I could command, " I will
not buy one of these ; and, moreover, I will not
give more than twelve pesos for the best saddle
in Amapala."
Such an interruption in most places, and with
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 101
most people in any other part of the civilised
world, would have called forth some excuses,
or necessitated a speedy retreat, on the part
of even the most hardened. Here, if the
effect were electrical, it was in quite another
way.
" Ah se habla nuestra idioma ! " (she speaks
our idiom) exclaimed the fat wretch who had
proposed to cheat me so unblushingly. " Como
es ella bonita, ed pequenita para una Inglesa"
(she is nice-looking, and small for an English-
woman). The others crowded round me, some
taking and stroking my hands, expressing re-
gret that they did not know that I understood
their "idioma."
It was difficult to know what to say, but I
thought it right to express my surprise that
they should combine to take advantage of a
stranger, and that stranger a " Soltera," I added
with great emphasis.
" Ah, they were sorry ; they did not know ;
and all English have gold. No, they were
wrong ; a Soltera should have sympathy.
But ah, they were so poor 1 It was so hard to
10.2 A LADY'S EIDE
live ! &c., &c. Have we not to live in all
countries, Seiiora \ "
I told them I was poor too, and that to pay
a fair price was all I could do. So saying, I
left them, and went straight to the posada.
The sun was now so powerful that it was a
relief to undress and lie down. Hardly had I
settled for a sleep, than a thud resounded upon
the outer door, the one which opened on the
street.
" Who is there ? What do you want ? "
" It is Antonio. He has a word to say."
" I do not know Antonio. Has the consul
sent you 1 "
" No, Senora. I want you to take me as
' wiozo de mano,' for your journey."
" Thank you ; but I have engaged Eduardo
Alvarez."
" Think it over again, Seiiora. I should suit
far better. I am a man of confidence, of matur-
ity. Eduardo is only a boy, and ah ! he knows
nothing. Let me see you, Senora."
" It is impossible," I replied, " I am going
to rest for a few hours ; I cannot talk more."
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 103
"Well, then, I return again," contested the
voice of Antonio.
" No, no/' I called out ; " once for all, I have
engaged Eduardo."
" I know the agreement has not been signed ; "
persisted my tormentor, "will you see me be-
fore you sign the agreement, Senora ? "
"No, don't come again," replied I, in a very
decided tone. There is a lingering at the door,
and at length Antonio takes himself off.
" Evidently no business is private here," say
I to myself, as I roll the mosquito-net round
me, and fall into a refreshing sleep.
A long time after this, as it appears to me,
three gentle taps are heard upon the opposite
door, opening into the garden of the posada.
This is free from public intrusion, and I call
"Come in" through the mosquito-net. Edu-
ardo appears, carrying on his head a side-
saddle. He brings it towards me, and I put
out my hand to touch it. There is no question
of this : it is a beautiful, nearly new, lady's
saddle, and it appears to be in excellent
order.
104 A LADY'S RIDE
I ask Eduardo whence he has procured this
treasure ?
"From the widow of the consul's brother.
Senor Bahl thought of her just after you
left the office, and he sent his mozo to see
about it."
" The lady," he added, " would come and
visit you, but she lives a little way in the
country ; and we go to Aceituna to-morrow
morning."
" I am really very much obliged to the lady,"
I answered, as I looked at the pretty saddle of
scarlet leather, handsomely stitched over with a
flower pattern ; " what am I to pay \ "
" Twelve pesos, the sum the consul told you,"
the lad replied; " and, Senora, the lady is to
give me a peso for carrying, and going to her.
You do not object, Senora ? "
" Certainly not ; you have earned the money
fairly. Am I to pay you now ? "
" No, Senora ; you are to pay to-morrow to
the consul. We have to go to the office early,
to get my agreement made out, I was desired
to tell you. Will you go into the comedor
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 105
(dining-room), or shall I bring you something
here?"
Kecollecting what was the fare on the pre-
ceding day, I elect to stay where I am, and ask
the lad to bring me some coffee, and, if possible,
a roll of bread with it, and some bananas.
Directly after I had discussed this meal, which
was all very good of its kind, I dressed and
went out to sit in the verandah on the garden-
side of the posada.
Hardly had I sat there many minutes, when
a lad belonging to the house announced that
the consul's black cook wanted to see me.
" Ask him what he wants ? " I rejoined.
" Does he bring a note from Senor Bahl \ "
In these countries, the most trifling commu-
nications between English-speaking people are
always effected by note or letter. To trust to
messages here would be the height of madness.
" No," answered the mozo ; " the cook wants
to see you himself." Before I could resolve
whether I would receive him or not, the man
stood before me.
Pulling off his cap, he said, " Very faine night,
106 A LADY'S RIDE
ma'am very fa-ine. You comprehend me
English ? "
" Yes ; what do you come here for ? And,
please, stand a little aside ; I want all the air I
can get." He smelt of fish and black man very
strongly ; and this, combined with a soup p on of
kerosene oil, somewhere near, was too much for
my olfactory nerves.
" Oh ya-as, ya-as, suttingly. What I going
say is very private. You go way to-morrow ? "
"Yes; what of that?"
"Wa-ay, you know, you want servant,
ma'am, strong, fight the way, 'sperience, a
very 'spectable servant, eh \ "
" I have got one. Your master has made the
necessary arrangements with Eduardo Alvarez.
You need not take any trouble about this," I
answer.
" Eduardo Alvarez. Bah ! He worth nothing
't-all ; poor trash only boy in wine-shop ; go
about country mending clothes ; he suit you I
No. Besides, Consul Bahl has hot drawn out
'greement."
"That will be done to-morrow morning," I
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 10 7
said ; and, to get rid of him, I rose to go into
my room as I spoke.
The fellow, however, was too quick for me,
and he planted his square, powerful frame in
my path.
" Look yaare," said he ; " you take me along.
I sa-arve you well good fight good cook. It
will cost you money, but I am good serva-ant,
ah. I quite fit to take care of a lady."
What I should have done I can scarcely say,
as there was no one that I could call, the house-
hold being all within doors, or clacking on the
other side of the verandah. Most unexpectedly
I got immediate and efficient aid in the advent
of " Lobo," one of the dogs of the house.
Now Lobo was a very delightful little beast,
and we had become great friends. He bore the
character of being such a fool, that he would
put up with anything. Great, therefore, was
my surprise when I saw him fly towards the
" captain," every nerve in his body shaking with
rage.
With a yell the "captain" bounded past me,
and was away down to the shore before I could
108 A LADY'S EIDE
speak. I had not been informed that Lobo
had a special dislike to black people ; and to
the " captain " in particular. I felt very much
obliged to the dog also, for giving me an oppor-
tunity of seeing the " captain's " good fight ;
the insertion of the letter "1" describes the
thing much more accurately.
Once more we go to the consul's office at an
early and punctual time. Eduardo meets me,
arrayed in a clean shirt and a large Panama hat.
Kind Mr Bahl takes me into his store, and gives
me one or two edible matters, to help out the
rations ; amongst which, two tins of portable
soup were particularly acceptable.
The boat is being got ready, and time passes,
so that we are already nearly an hour late in
starting.
Mr Bahl asked me if I had not been a good
deal pestered by lads " applying personally "
for the situation which Eduardo Alvarez now
filled.
I said that there had been some other can-
didates, and that one of them was a personal
friend of his own.
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 109
" A personal friend of mine ? I have not the
faintest idea to whom you can allude."
" A military character one who has done
wonders in three revolutions."
" Ah ! I see now ; you mean that black ras-
cal, my cook."
"The very person. He has tormented me
nearly out of my senses to take him with me,"
I answered.
" I wish you had told me this before, the
fat rascal. What I have done for him for
he quarrels with most of his employers would
take too long to tell. He gets good wages, very
good wages ; and now that he is used to the
place, he wants to go off."
" I think this sort of thing is the fashion
all the world over ; but I should never have
taken the man. I don't like him," I
replied.
" When you are fairly gone, I will speak to
him about his conduct. He never asked my
permission, or hinted, even, that he wanted to
leave," returned Mr Bahl, with great indig-
nation.
110 A LADY'S RIDE
There was not a chance of our being fairly
gone yet awhile ; for the boat was not in sight,
and there were no preparations going on either
in office or store, as far as I could see, to expe-
dite matters. I ventured to remark that it was
getting late.
" Oh yes," returned the consul ; " we don't
mind for an hour or so here. You will soon
fall into the custom of the country. There is
no fuss and flurry, and things, in the long-run,
turn out just as well. One of the boatmen has
not come round, but it will all be well. Just
sit down in the office, and wait a little/'
So I sat in the office, and Eduardo hied to the
steps, and was soon in high gossip with all the
loungers in Amapala.
Another half-hour passed, and then the little
clerk, seeing that I was getting impatient, came
from behind his railed-ofF space, and informed
me that the boat would be ready very soon ; he
had heard the boatman's voice. Would I not,
in the meantime, take a glass of beer ? Mr Bahl
had desired him to offer it.
I was very hot, and drank the small glass of
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. Ill
Bass's ale with relish ; and I svas further quite
mollified on seeing the boat at the landing-place,
and Eduardo pulling in the luggage. There
was a good deal of delay before all was ready ;
but at last everything was on board, and we
were seated in the boat and bound for Acei-
tuna.
" You will not be able to get on to-day," were
the consul's last words ; " better stay at Aceituna
for the night, and start at daybreak to-morrow.
Good-bye. Take care of the lady, Eduardo."
So saying, the kindly gentleman turned into his
office.
Eduardo showed me his contract paper as we
went along. I had the original in my pocket,
having signed it, as well as he, the first thing
after, arriving at the office.
" Mine is a copy, I know ; but the consul
gave it to me, because I want to show it to my
friends when we arrive at Comayagua," the lad
said. " I hope you will stay a day at Coma-
yagua, Senora."
" I hope so : you will be able to go to your
friends for a few hours," I replied.
112 A LADY'S RIDE
" And if I serve you well, will you keep me
when we arrive at San Pedro Sula ? "
" That I cannot promise ; but you may be
sure that I will do what I can to help you. If
I cannot retain you, I daresay other people will
require your services."
We had now got into the open sea, and only
the red roofs and tufted palm-trees of Amapala
could be seen in the distance. There was a light
wind, and the fresh air was most invigorating,
as we skirted some mountainous land, which in
some parts was thickly overgrown with brush-
wood and dark herbage ; in others the coast was
nearly bare.
The place looked so bleak and solitary, that I
was prompted to ask one of the boatmen if any
wild animals existed there.
" Oh yes/' he replied, "there are some; muy
malos, muy malos " (very evil, very evil).
" What are their names ? " I inquired ; for I
thought here might prove the solution of the
tiger question.
" Serpents one or two very bad kinds and
other creatures."
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 113
" What are the names of the 'other creatures ' ?"
" Tigers of the mountain. Ah ! I should not
like to walk in that brushwood ; would you,
Candido ? " said the man, appealing to his fel-
low-labourer.
I afterwards learned, from reliable authority,
that what are designated " tigers of the moun-
tain," are, in reality, small leopards. But they
are fierce enough, and in many instances have
taken human life. The skin of these animals is
very beautiful, and forms sometimes the chief
ornament of a Hondureian house.
After an hour's good rowing, the boat was
turned into a narrow creek, bordered on either
side with overhanging trees. This was, in a
measure, a relief from the heat of the sun,
which, in spite of the awning, was beginning to
penetrate through my hat. Here was little to
interest us, save sometimes the having to exert
ourselves in order to keep the boughs of the
trees out of our faces. The creek grew nar-
rower, and at length a short point of land gave
evidence that we were in front of the custom-
house at Aceituiia.
H
114 A LADY'S RIDE
CHAPTEK VI.
MR Z., the custom-house officer, handed me out
of the boat and conducted me into his dwelling.
This was a low thatched house, separated only
by a mound and a damp patch of grass from
the edge of the creek. The entrance opened
upon the principal room, which was a combina-
tion of reception and store room. The sides of
the boarded walls were fitted up with tiers of
wooden shelves, and on these lay packages of
all shapes and sizes. Bales of cocoa-nut fibre
seemed to predominate ; and several layers of
cow-hides made great show on the low shelves.
Bushels of what I supposed to be grain, or
seeds, were huddled here and there ; and a
great heap of white beans, and a measure on
the top of it, entirely filled one corner.
The ground was the usual earthen floor,
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 115
stamped as hard as iron, and depressed here
and there; so much so, that it required some
attention to walk safely over it.
A handsome hammock, slung from the rafters
of the roofing, and a wooden table, were all the
furniture of this department. For ornament
there was hanging on a nail a large-sized em-
broidery frame ; upon the canvas of this was in
course of representation a very gay macaw con-
templating some remarkably fine grapes. A
Berlin-wool-work pattern was displayed open on
a nail higher up, and thus could be seen in its en-
tirety the magnitude of the macaw's temptation.
The custom-house officer, following the direc-
tion of my eye, said "Mi sposa, that is her
work/' Somebody came to the aperture which
divided this apartment from an inner one. This
was mi sposa, a pretty Indian girl, who appeared
to be many years younger than her lord, and
who was followed by a still younger girl, whom
she presented to me as her sister. They both
wore the nagua costume, though it differed a
little from the strict Mexican style. The nagua
costume consists of a chemise, very fully plaited
116 A LADY'S RIDE
at the arms and round the shoulders, leaving the
throat bare. A thick strand of hair generally
furnishes the back expanse between the nape of
the neck and the shoulders, and a shapely bodice
of some bright colour covers the person to the
waist. The Mexican girl here indulges in pet-
ticoats of various lengths till the feet are reached ;
but these Hondureian women were content with
one short garment, comely enough, but not so
picturesque ; and they lacked the silver orna-
ments and embroidery which add so much to
the " make-up " of the Mexican lady.
The beautiful eyes and shapely feet of the
custom-house officer's wife, however, were at-
tractive enough ; and her cultivated voice and
elegant pronunciation showed that she had re-
ceived some education. I pointed to her work-
frame, and asked her where she had learnt to
embroider.
" A la escuela, muy buena escuela," she re-
plied (at school, a very good school) ; and added,
in her beautiful idiom, " my husband is English;
he married me because I have had some edu-
cation."
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 117
Arid for more than that, thought I, as I
glanced at this elegant creature ; but I looked
very serious and practical, and remarked in
reply that " education is a grand thing for
everybody."
" Ah, yes/' cut in the younger sister, " when
it is properly applied."
I was so astonished at this remark, from such
a person and in such a place, that I was startled
into asking her what she meant.
" I mean that very wicked things are often
done by educated people," returned the damsel,
with a jerk of her head. " I have my reasons,"
she continued, " but I will not say more."
" Very wicked things are often done," I re-
plied, " by people who profess much religion ;
we must not judge by individuals. These
matters must be viewed in a broad and general
way."
" No doubt the Senora is right," was the
answer ; " but I have my reasons. Ah, I have
heard some fine tales, about people from Europe
too ! "
I daresay she had ; but the subject dropped
118 A LADY'S RIDE
as the sister asked me to go into her room
and take off my hat. " You will sleep here,"
said she, indicating the hammock with her
hand, " and the guarda costa will look to your
mozo.*'
" The guarda costa what is that ? "
" See here," she answered, opening the door,
which had been kept fast closed for coolness'
sake; "these are the guarda costa" (coast-
guard).
A few very fine-looking men, some in shirts
and drawers, some with jackets in addition, and
all bearing muskets of a very old-fashioned
pattern, were walking to and fro. One of them,
a remarkably strong-looking man, kept regular
pace, and tramped up and down with the regu-
larity of a British sentinel.
Mr Z. here joined us. He said, " This is the
man I propose to send with you to - morrow.
Will you speak with me when you have taken
off your hat ? I want to tell you what I have
done for the journey."
I retired with the Senora. Her bedroom
was boarded off from the room we had quitted,
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 119
and quite as miserable in its accommodations as
the rest of the dwelling.
On returning to the outer room, Mr Z. asked
me to buy the animals required for the journey,
and named a price, which even I, in my inex-
perience, knew to be exorbitant, and said so.
" The price of mules has risen considerably,"
urged Mr Z. ; " they are so much required in
the mining districts now."
" Very possibly, but I will not buy any mules;
I shall be happy to hire those you have as far
as Arimesine. Mr Bahl told you in his note
the price I ought to give."
There was no more to be said to this, and the
wife proposed that we should go out and see the
animals.
A coast -guard -man brought round a small
chestnut mare, a nice-looking creature, but
" weedy " withal.
" There," said the custom-house officer, "is
the one I have arranged that you shall ride.
That belongs to mi sposa ; it is a great pet ;
mi sposa often goes long distances on her with-
out attendance."
120 A LADY'S RIDE
In the meadow was a very nice-looking macho
(male mule), which was pointed out as beiog
the one for Eduardo's use.
" Where is the baggage-mule ? " I inquired.
" Oh, he will come round in the morning.
He is resting in a stable close by." Abel,
the man who was to go with us, grinned. I
thought there was some mystery here.
The early dawn, which is lovely in this
country, brought with its first glimmer coast-
guard-men, the mare, the mule, and the baggage-
mule ; the latter we were particularly delighted
to see. To my amusement Mr Z. offered to sell
me the three at a considerable abatement of the
price urged the day before. Fortunately I ad-
hered to my resolution of hiring only.
On being mounted, I found that the pommel
of the saddle was fixed immovably on the left
side. There was no time to alter this, and in
consequence, on setting off, I began to realise
that it was anything but pleasant to ride faster
than a walk at first.
"Never fear, Senora," said Abel at length;
" we have a long way to go, and if we are to
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 121
arrive at Arimesine to-night we must get on a
little faster."
Being accustomed, or nearly so, to the motion
induced by the difference between the English
and Spanish way of mounting, 'my confidence
returned, and I declared myself ready to increase
the speed.
" Wait till we turn off to the left, Senora ;
there will be more shade, and then we can get
on well," Abel remarked encouragingly.
Eduardo had ridden a good deal in advance ;
as he neared the road turning to the left, we
saw the baggage -mule suddenly break loose
from his hold, and dart at full speed among
the trees, Eduardo following as hard as he could
gallop.
This made the mare a little restive, but
Abel's strong arm subdued her. " Let us turn
into the left path," said he; "you will have
to dismount and wait whilst I go on. The
baggage-mule has bolted."
Turning into the road on the left, which was
little more than a bridle-path through shrubs
and nice soft grass, the man dismounted me,
122 A LADY'S RIDE
at the same time tying the mare to a low bush.
There was plenty of grass, and so this one of
the party, at least, was very much at ease.
" You won't mind being left a short time,"
said Abel ; "it is quite safe. I had better
follow Eduardo quick. Ah, it was time," he
said, returning with something in his hand. It
was my dressing-comb, in two parts, and full
of dirt and sand.
I accompanied him a little way, and had the
pleasure of picking up one of my slippers, part
of a little book, and many other things with
which my handbag had been packed. Further
on lay my long tin box, unfastened, indeed, but
stove in by what was unmistakably a violent
kick in the wrong direction.
" Ah," said Abel, contemplating this, " the
mule is wild ; he has rushed against the trees,
and the baggage has got loose ; I hope there is
no accident. Sefiora, I am sorry to leave you
alone, but I had better get on to Eduardo."
So he sped away at a flying swing-trot, and I
was left literally to pick up the pieces.
A little further on was what I recognised to
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 123
be a shirt which I had bought at Senor Bahl's
store to present to Eduardo. The boy was so
delighted with it, that he had said he would
wear it when he arrived at Comayagua to visit
his friends. Here it was, then, in pieces, and
a part of it torn quite out. The ground bore
marks of hoofs in all directions.
All the little things I had collected for re-
freshment on the road were destroyed without
mercy. Here some biscuits ground to powder,
and amalgamating freely with mother earth ;
there some plantains and bananas reduced to
pulp ; in another place was my tin of portable
soup, stove in, and almost unrecognisable.
Fortunately, perhaps, I had so much to do
in getting these fragments together, that I had
scarcely time to think how unlucky this first
start of mine had been. Two hours at least
would have been wasted, and there would be
no time for rest in the middle of the day. Hav-
ing gathered together all I could find, I sat
down on a large stone close to the mare, with
the collection by my side, and with anything
but satisfaction in my mind.
124 A LADY'S RIDE
Half an hour must have passed, and then the
mare began to fidget and look about her. She
had heard voices, and she almost tried to put
down her head on my shoulder. It has been
said that she was a pet animal ; and really her
action seemed to say, " Don't you hear that ?"
I by this time had heard the voices distinctly;
so I stood up beside the animal and waited for
the speakers.
Eound a little winding projection, which jutted
out on the principal path, came two quiet-look-
ing men towards me. Lifting his sombrero (that
ugly thing, the hat proper, is unknown in Hon-
duras), the elder of them said, " We are sent
to help you, Seiiora, English lady. We have
met Abel and the 771020. Mule very bad very
savage ; won't allow itself to be loaded again.
Abel thought you would allow us to take you
on. We are woodcutters, and Abel knows us."
I turned to mount, the younger lad helping
me. As I did so, I expressed a hope that
Eduardo was not hurt.
" No ; he is a good rider, and the other mule
behaved well. But how are you to get on
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 125
quien sabef That mule is el demonio him-
self."
The men took the long box between them,
and a parcel was made of the debris. We soon
reached Abel and the lad, who were sitting on
a little bank. The riding-mule was browsing
calmly enough; the baggage-animal was tied
to a tree, and was still stamping with rage.
" What are we to do V I inquired in de-
spair. " Had we not better go back?"
" We will try and see if the baggage-mule
will bear loading again," said Abel ; "it would
be such a loss to return. We will try."
The four men approached the offender, and
were most gentle in their treatment. All was
to no purpose. As soon as he felt the load
on his back, he started violently, and rushed
against the tree, with the determined purpose
of pushing it off. Abel now pulled out his
handkerchief and. blindfolded the animal.
This had the effect of quieting it, and as it
was nearly exhausted from kicking, the load
was replaced without much exhibition of feel-
ing on the sufferer's part.
126 A LADY'S RIDE
Everything being packed, we went on our
way, one of the woodcutters undertaking to lead
the refractory mule. As long as we went slowly
all was satisfactory ; but the moment we at-
tempted to get out of a walk the mule showed
fight. Even the baggage was of no avail.
The woodcutters were obliged to leave us ;
they had their work in another direction, and
they could not lose time. " I am very sorry
very much ashamed," said the elder, with em-
phasis on the last word, " that the custom-house
officer should have let you hire that beast. It
is a robbery; the mule is not half broken; it
is quite young, and I do not think it has carried
a load more than thrice in its life."
" Abel has not told me that," said I.
" How should he ? He is a soldier, and he
has to obey the customs officer ; he must not
speak ; but he knows as well as I do that
the creature does not belong to the customs
officer. Senor Z. has hired it from a charcoal-
burner who lives near him, and I have no
doubt he has made a good thing of it. You
have paid beforehand?"
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 127
" Yes ; I Lave hired these three animals to
take us to Arimesine."
" May you get there to-night ! Adios, Senora;
muchas gracias" as I put a trifle in his hand.
Thus speaking, our two assistants wended their
way.
The situation was certainly very unsatisfactory,
and Abel's replies to my inquiries did not tend
to enliven matters. " At this rate," the man
said, " we shall never reach Arimesine to-night ;
and I am under orders to bring back the ani-
mals early to-morrow morning."
" But the delay is entirely your master's fault;
he had no right to give me an unbroken animal
to carry the baggage. If we cannot reach Arime-
sine to-night, what are we to do ?"
" We must stay at a place called Goascaron;
the head man there will take you in. He is
an Italian doctor, and keeps a store. Oh, muy
bruta muy bruta ! " (horrid brute) broke off
Abel, as the mule turned sharp round and liter-
ally ploughed the earth with its feet, refusing
to stir, though Eduardo dragged it with all
his strength.
128 A LADYS RIDE
Here was a nice state of things 1 It was
equally impossible to advance or retire. For-
tunately, as we were consulting whether we
really ought to return to Aceituiia, we met a
countryman, who was riding a nice-looking
mule. To him Abel hastened with all speed.
A short conference, and matters were to go on
well-oiled wheels I hoped. The baggage was
transferred from the refractory baggage-mule to
the consul's riding-mule, and the countryman
lent his animal for our use. Then our ram-
pageous friend was given over to the man's keep-
ing, and some arrangement was made as to
how this treasure was to be restored to his
owner. It was disgusting to see him go off
as meek as a mouse the moment that he was
led away.
" These creatures are very wise," Abel said ;
" that brute knows as well as I do that he
has had the best of it. I know that man : he
is going to take it to a stable." Then he con-
tinued with a grin, " The master won't like our
turning Carlos into a baggage-mule, though."
" The master has behaved very badly through-
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 129
out. Are you really obliged to take the mules
back in the night V 1
" I must obey orders, Seiiora ; I am a soldier."
" We have lost so much time, that I am
sure I cannot ride to Arimesine; under the best
circumstances it would have been a long stretch.
Very well ; I will stop at Goascaron, and I
shall write to Consul Bahl and tell him how
badly Mr Z. has behaved. He must have known
that we could not reach Arimesine to-night."
"I cannot say, Seiiora; but it is a great
many leagues off."
" How many ?"
Abel could not tell. In this country it is
equally impossible to ascertain correctly either
the length of a distance or the time of day. A
wholesale importation of clocks and milestones
would certainly prove a national benefit in
this direction.
The sun was now fierce, and we had quitted
the shade of the forest and scattered trees.
Eduardo dismounted and offered Abel his turn
to ride ; but this strong, cheery man declined.
" Let me ride when I am tired," he said. " I
i
130 A LADY'S RIDE
will stay by the Senora; it is very tiresome
for her to use a saddle with the pommel placed
on the side opposite to the one she is accus-
tomed to ; the mare, too, is fidgety."
So she was. A passing bird, a stray cow
tearing at a hedge, all startled her ; and farther
on, when we met a drove of mules, she rushed
into the middle of it, turning round and round,
and exhibiting a strong inclination to bolt.
Abel explained that horses have in general a
very strong dislike to stranger-mules; for this
reason they are seldom stabled together. The
mare agreed very well with the mules at home,
because they were accustomed to each other and
had been reared together.
We got on, however, at a fair speed, halt-
ing two hours afterwards by a pretty running
stream to take some refreshment. Eduardo
sought among the huts of the country village
near, and succeeded in obtaining some milk,
tortillas, and a delicious water-melon.
The men went to a little distance to smoke,
and I took advantage of the opportunity to
bathe my feet in the lovely stream. They
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 131
were burning from my wearing black boots,
a most unwise article of dress to adopt in
tropical countries. 1 had a little tin case,
containing a square of soap, which, fortunate-
ly, was in my pocket, and so it escaped the
devastation caused by the baggage-mule ; and
with thankfulness for this comfort, I revelled
in the pebbly delicious water.
The painter of river scenery can nowhere in
the wide world find more charming subjects
for his brush than the lovely water-courses of
Spanish Honduras. The cascades among the
mountains are simply magnificent, and deserve
to be classed among the finest in any land.
The lowest and dirtiest of villages in the in-
terior can generally show a beautiful running
stream in its midst ; and it is, I think, in con-
sequence of this, that typhoid fever and blood-
poisoning are unknown.
These pests are not at this time the correct
thing to die of in Honduras, as appears to be
the case in our own land. Can it be that
polluted water is in reality the mainspring of
half the ailments of the English people ? My
132 A LADY'S HIDE
fervent wish for Honduras is that she may ever
deserve her name. Hondo, being interpreted,
means a pond or brook ; and the brooks of
this fair region are so pure and health-giving,
that when the iron hand of progress penetrates
here, may its mission be other than that of
tainting, for commercial greed, the life of a
country.
Ah, how many in our own England turn to
spirits and to beer, because the only water to
which they have access is poisoned by chem-
ical drugs, or is made the receptacle of all
foul things 1
A weary ride in burning sun and over rough
road brought us to the outskirts of Goascaron.
My strength was nearly spent, owing to the
badness of the road and the uneasy motion
caused by the manner of riding.
Strong, kind Abel more than once carried
me over the smaller streams ; for, as the dark-
ness came on, the mare plunged unsteadily,
and sometimes carried me into very deep
water. The heat, too, had been very pros-
trating ; and so it was with a feeling of
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 133
relief that I heard a clear incisive voice call
out, " Is that the lady from Aceituna ? " Ed-
uardo had ridden on in advance, and the Italian
doctor was standing at his side waiting to re-
ceive us.
134 A LADY'S EIDE
CHAPTEE VII.
WEARY and wayworn on the outskirts of Goas-
caron, and depressed by my misadventures with
the baggage-mule, I was right glad to hear the
voice of the doctor calling out, "Is that the
lady from Aceituna?"
" Senor, si," responded Abel on my behalf;
" and a very weary day the lady has had. I will
tell you about it presently. Come, Eduardo, hold
the mare whilst I lift her from the saddle."
The Italian doctor, however, anticipated the
attention ; and somehow (for the power of as-
sisting myself had left me) I was seated in a
rocking-chair, and a short man with finely cut
features was looking steadily in my face.
" You are faint from over-fatigue," he said ;
"there is nothing more the matter. You want
a little cognac."
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 135
He went to fetch this, and I was soon revived
by swallowing a portion of the stimulant. But
I was aching with a dull pain from head to foot,
and it was with difficulty that I could speak.
It was as from a long distance off that I heard
Abel recapitulating all our misfortunes, small
enough, perhaps, in the temperate zone, but
with the sun at 102 in the shade, otra cosa
(another thing), as the Spaniards say.
" You should have rested in the middle of
the day," the doctor added decisively. " It
was a shameful thing to send an unbroken
animal; and you don't mean to tell me that
you are going to take the cattle back to-
night 1"
" Such are my orders," replied Abel.
"But the lady has hired them, and I suppose
has paid for them, to take her as far as Arime-
sine ? "
" She has, Senor ; but, you see, she has not
got there. I am ready to go on now, but I
think it will be too far for the lady. I am
very sorry. What can I do ? "
The doctor pondered a moment. " You had
136 A LADY'S EIDE
better return : stay, and refresh for a couple of
hours. There is a good moon too. I can pro-
vide mules here to carry the lady on. Better
that she should lose a little than get ill. By
the way," continued the doctor quickly, " was
this lady "told that she had hired animals by
time, or did she understand that you were to
return with them to-night under any circum-
stances ? "
" She says, Senor, that she understood that
the mules were at her disposal until she should
arrive at Arimesine."
"Ah, well, I am glad it is a Briton, and not
any one of this country, who could behave so
badly to a woman, and to one travelling alone
too."
" Trust the British for cheating and swindling
one another whenever they can get the chance
in an out-of-the-way country; mind I say in
an out-of-the-way country," shouted a voice,
which was undoubtedly an English one, though
employing the Spanish language with more force
than accuracy.
" I wonder who on earth this can be ! "
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 137
thought I to myself, as the speaker went on
to question Abel with more or less bad Spanish,
garnished with a round British oath here and
there. It was not long before the mystery was
solved ; for a large, red-faced, choleric-looking
man, with a merry twinkle in his eye, stood
before me. He looked what he eventually
turned out to be a retired captain in the
British merchant service.
" I beg your pardon, madam," he said ; " but
I heard that travellers had come in, and
one of them an English lady. I am sorry
you have had such a day of it very sorry.
Now if you would like to go on with the
animals in a few hours, I will take precious
good care they don't return to Aceituna till
you have done with them. I am a match
for Abel, though he is a big fellow/'
" Oh no, thank you," I replied hastily ;
" Abel has been so good, so attentive to
me, I would much rather not go on. In
fact, I am so tired that I am thankful to
rest here."
" All right, then ; but if I were you, I would
138 A LADY'S EIDE
write to Consul Bahl, who is an honest man,
and tell him how this precious custom-house
officer has behaved. Bah ! what makes Eng-
land send all her rubbish out here \ "
" Not all, surely," I replied " there must
be many exceptions."
"Just you look at that Honduras railway,
madam," he went on. " That railway was
planned and carried out* by a parcel of fellows
sitting in their offices in London. The pros-
pectuses they issued were all deceptive ; people
were deluded into investing their money and
taking shares in it ; a great crash came, and
many of the best people here were utterly
ruined. Some of these fellows, I know, sub-
scribed to the Society for the Propagation of
the Gospel, and others for the Conversion of
the Jews. Bah ! yah, yah ! bosh ! "
The doctor intervened. He remarked that
the captain had lost greatly in this Honduras
railway himself, and the very mention of the
subject made him nearly bola.
" Bola ; what does that mean?" I inquire.
" Drunk. He is morally so now ; and
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 139
perhaps/' added my new friend, "he may be
a little so physically : it is his weak point."
A very pretty Indian girl, with sweet eyes
and a timid manner, now came forward. She
said, " We cannot make you very comfortable
to-night, Senora, but to-morrow it will be
better. Don Graciano says you must stay
over to-morrow."
I went with her into the house, and there,
partitioned off, in a corner of the long low
store, was a comfortable bed, screened from
the public view by some clever arrangement
of blankets and coverlets. Eduardo, by desire
of the host, had put in some toilet-ware. This
was a great comfort; for the Hondureians, as
a rule, are quite independent of this necessity
of life : indeed, in the interior of the country,
to possess even the meanest article of crockery,
is to be accredited with more than the usual
means of supporting life. Thus, in the opinion
of many, Don Graciano would be accounted a
well-to-do (hombre de bien), if not a rich man.
Abel came to take leave of me before I re-
tired, and it was with real regret that I parted
140 A LADY'S RIDE
with this honest, kindly guide. I pressed a little
remembrance into his hand, and thanked him
sincerely for the help he had given me.
" I shall keep this for my next little
daughter," the stalwart fellow answered. " I
will put it round her neck, and call her
Inglesa. Adios."
The tramp of the mare and the mules told
us that Abel was on the way back to his
gracious master; and so we all turned to our
beloved sleep. It was strange on the next
morning, in looking through the blankets, to
find myself lying in bed in a general store.
Yes ; there were the shelves laden with jars
of pickles, bottles of wine, tea -canisters, and
kerosene -lamps. Other shelves held a variety
of articles, all suited to the requirements of
country life; and a compartment was entirely
fitted up with drugs and medicine -bottles,
supported at one end by a pestle and mortar,
and at the other by a large glass machine,
which in shape was a cut between a hot-
water bottle and a pillar post-box. A curling
projection, also of glass, rendered this article
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 141
a subject of my earnest scrutiny. A small chair
in the angle of this compartment, and a tiny
table before it, seemed to announce that this
was the professional part of the establishment.
A knock from somewhere brought me to
my manners ; and I had just time to close
the loophole in the curtains when I heard a
voice from somewhere follow the knock from
somewhere.
" Excuse me, Seiiora," called my host, " but
you had better rise now. We open very early
in these parts, and people may be coming into
the store earlier than you may like. Are you
better ? "
" Much, thank you/' I called out in response,
"but still very tired, and my bones ache."
"I have prepared some medicine for you to
take "later in the day. Your mozo will bring
some water." Almost immediately a large red
pitcher, of the form they used long years ago
in old Egypt, was poked under the blanket,
and I quickly proceeded to avail myself of
this, to me, the greatest comfort in life viz.,
cold-water ablution.
142 A LADY'S BIDE
I got dressed in time to avoid coming in
contact with some men who had entered by
the large oak door of the store ; they were
all talking " mule," and were smoking like
limekilns.
The doctor had been hovering about some-
where, and finding me ready, took me, sans
ceremonie, into an inner apartment. There,
on an iron bedstead completely covered by a
mosquito-net, lay the young girl I had seen
the night before, fast asleep, with a naked
brown baby of about three months old lying
on her bosom. Don Graciano, with a smile
which singularly softened his hard well -cut
features, put his hand beneath the curtain
and brought out the little creature, which he
hugged with the fondest pride. " My little
daughter my first-born/' said he. "Look,
Senora, she is plump and very clean. I
follow the English fashion, and my little
one has her bath night and morning. Is it
o o
not so, my pearl ? "
"My pearl," who was as brown as a berry,
danced and kicked and looked great things.
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 143
This infant had certainly much " speculation
in its eyes ; " and its dark nature's costume
never seemed to make me aware that this
little specimen of humanity was entirely " in
the nude."
Passing through this room I was conducted
to the back verandah ; here were tables and
chairs, and some coffee-cups put out in array,
apparently for immediate use. In an incred-
ibly small space of time the mother of the
infant was at my side : she seemed to be
washed and dressed by a feat of legerdemain.
She called a mozo, who was evidently in the
service of the house, and handed the child to
him, speeding her way with great alacrity into
the cocina (kitchen).
The cocinas are always built apart from the
dwelling-house in these countries ; they are
composed principally of the baked mud called
adobe. The batterie de cuisine is not extensive,
the chief utensils being, usually, a small furnace,
a portable grate, a stone for rolling and baking
tortillas, a plate or two, and a coffee-pot. The
smoke may escape from the hole in the roof, or
144 A LADY'S RIDE
it may gush out at the door, just as it happens :
nobody cares for such a trifle as this.
Don Graciano came out on this verandah.
" We shall have coffee directly," he said ; " but
the regular breakfast is a little before mid-day.
Mozo, place the chairs/ 7 And he took the
infant as he spoke.
Some delicious coffee and maize-cakes were
brought, and we sat down to the table. I
hesitated a moment, and then said, "Should
we not wait for the Senora \ "
" Oh no," replied the husband ; " she is busy
in the kitchen ; she does not take her meals
with me. Now I want to tell you I think I
can get mules and a muleteer for you : I have
been speaking to Eduardo. Not a bad lad, but
he is idle ; mind you keep him to his work,
and make him wait upon you. Well, as I
was saying, there are some very good mule-
teers in Goascaron just now, and I can re-
commend one especially. He is a good walker,
and a first-rate man in his way. Will you
allow me to see him for you '( "
I reply gratefully, "Yes, by all means."
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 145
" Possibly I may be able to manage for you.
Marcos is not cheap, but his mules are thor-
oughly good ; and as you have some awkward
rivers to ford, his strength and his knowledge
you will find valuable. M ozo ! mo zo ! "
"Estoy aqui, Senor" (I am here, sir), gasped
the little lad, as he emerged from the cocina
with his mouth crammed with tortilla, and his
hands full of some mess of cake and honey.
He was ordered, as I gathered, to summon
Marcos somebody, and Vicente somebody else,
and above all the " Sir," and to be quick about
it. The rapidity of the Italian must have been
like an electric shock to the semi-Hondureian,
semi-Spanish lad ; but he was evidently accus-
tomed to it.
Eduardo had a lazy, lounging, happy-go-
lucky way of going about his business, which
made him appear to be more indolent than
he really was. The doctor fell upon him as
he observed him lounging beyond the ver-
andah, " Have you looked after the lady's
baggage 1 " said he.
" I have received no orders," replied the
K
146 A LADY'S RIDE
mozo. " What am I to do, Senora \ " with a
slight emphasis on the Senora.
I looked at Don Graciano, who remarked,
"Your tin box is very dirty, and the rest of
the baggage looks as if it had been rolled in
clay. It is in the stable ; and you," added
he, turning to Eduardo, "had better go and
clean it ; you have nothing to do."
The youth bowed himself out of the way
with the usual placid composure of the Spanish
race. "Ah," said Don Graciano, with an air
of disgust, "these fellows won't hurry them-
selves for anything under the sun : this is one
of the true breed. Now mind, Senora, mind
you make him stick to his work."
Don Graciano here left me, being inquired
for from outside ; and presently I heard his
voice in full swing short, decisive, and in-
cisive taking the lead amongst several others,
whose numbers seemed to increase as the min-
utes passed on.
" No ; once more no, Enrico," said my host ;
"you will not do. Your animals are bad, and
you are idle in starting. The Senora must not
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 147
take you. Ah, here is El * Sir.' What do you
say, ' Sir ' ; do you advise this man to travel
with your countrywoman ? "
A rampaging and snorting, together with
the answer, instructed me that the individual
addressed as El "Sir" was no other than the
English captain.
" My goodness, gracious, patience, no ! " re-
sponded El " Sir." " There is only one of these
fellows fit for this kind of journey ; that is
Marcos. Where is she ? "
The " she " was supposed to indicate me ;
and Don Graciano came out, and brought me
into the little coign of vantage which served
o o
as the consulting-room.
The present business being " mule," the
company were convened at the lower end of
the store. There were some respectable-look-
ing men among these ; they had evidently
been summoned to hold this convenio, and I
felt sure that the Italian doctor would do his
very best for me. Somehow I relied more
upon him than upon El " Sir," although the
latter was an Englishman.
148 A LADY'S RIDE
" May I go beyond the price you mentioned
last night I " asked the doctor, in a low tone.
" Marcos is here : he demands more than any
other muleteer, but his mules are far superior
to those of the others, I think/'
I thought the matter over, and gave the
doctor full authority to arrange as was best.
"Kemember," I added, "that money is an
object to me."
By this time the man alluded to as Marcos
had entered the store, and seated himself on
the low counter in a free-and-easy manner.
The rest stood round, and, with cigar illos in
their mouths, talked and bargained and ges-
ticulated in a manner which would not have
disgraced a market-place in Paris. Here and
there a man would make some reference to "la
Senora " ; and one fine fellow made a short
run at me, in order to impress upon my mind
that El "Sir" knew nothing about the busi-
ness, and, in fact, would be very much better
in the sea.
The Hondureians, I observed, consign their
obnoxious or troublesome acquaintances to El
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 149
Mar (the sea), very much as we consign our
own "objectionables" to Jericho or to Hong
Kong.
About half an hour passed in this way : no
actual business was done, and some of the men
left, promising to come back and resume the
subject later in the day. "The Senora does
not set out till to-morrow morning," one of
them said.
" And not then, if she is not quite rested and
well," said the kindly host.
One by one the muleteers left, talking outside
upon the subject of my journey.
Marcos then sprang off the counter and came
towards me. Taking my hand, he brought me
to the principal door of the store. {l Senora,"
said he, " look at that mule ; she is a noble
mule. Luisa will carry you till she drops. So
gentle, too," the man continued, as he stroked
her head. " La querida ! " (The dear one.)
She was a handsome beast, mouse-coloured,
with black ears and large intelligent eyes. I
really admired her, and delighted Marcos by
repeating after him, "La querida."
150 A LADY'S RIDE
" You will take me 1 " said the man. " I am
half Indian, and the Indian always has the fine
ear and the rapid tread. I can write too, and I
can read," added he. " A good priest held an
Indian school. Some of them are bad here,
Seiiora, but this one, Seiiora I he was good
to the Indian race/'
" I will speak to Don Graciano. He thinks,
however, that you ask too much."
" Then, Senora, I will put it like this. You
shall pay me the sum I shall agree on, and you
can ride at leisure ; no hurry. I will bide your
time ; and if you like to go quick one day and
slow the other, all the same to me. I should
like to go with you. 3 '
"Will you be careful in crossing the rivers,
and assist me in the difficulty of passing the
rough places ? I am afraid you may be impa-
tient with me, Marcos, for I am not a bold rider."
"By the dear Christ that died for us," said
the man, making the sign of the cross, " I will
serve you faithfully and well."
I felt that he was sincere.; and so, on going
into the house, I requested the Don to draw up
the necessary agreement.
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 151
" Now take this draught I have prepared for
you/' said this active man, who never seemed to
forget anything or anybody. "Best a little
now, and after that I hope you will accompany
me to the bull- chase."
" What ! a bull-fight \ " said I, in astonishment.
" I said a hull-chase, Senora ; quite a different
thing."
" What is the difference ? "
" It is the custom here annually to allot three
young bulls to the hamlet, in order to improve
or raise the farm stock. On a certain day the
bulls are let out of the corral, and the young
men of the parish chase them, the bulls having
a fair start.
" The animal, when caught, is brought into
an enclosed space, garlanded with ribbons, and
adjudged publicly to the victor. It is a pretty
sight ; for, whilst the chase is going on, the
other men dance with the girls to the sound of
a very fair brass band. I want you to see how
well we can conduct our fiestas among the
mountains."
This fiesta was the cause of the presence of
so many muleteers in Goascaron : they were to
152 A LADY'S RIDE
take part in the dance, but none of them, I
think, entered for the chase.
Late in the afternoon the doctor, in gala cos-
tume, knocked at my enclosure, and was ready
to escort me to the meadow where the dance
was to be held.
" Where is the Senora ? " asked I.
" She is not coming. She must remain and
attend to the infant. Our female servant is to
go to the general ball in the evening, and all
the mozos are gone to see the chase."
The sound of a clarionet and horn playing a
lively measure announced that we were near
the scene of amusement ; a rushing noise, and
voices shouting from afar, proclaimed that el
toro negro (the black bull) had been loosed, and
was far away, flying up the hill, with a score or
more of young men provided with lassos tear-
ing at full speed on mule-back after him.
The first dance was the graceful ronda of the
muleteers.
This is called ronda, because the dancers are
surrounded by their mules, which are all decked
with their gayest trappings ; some of these bear-
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 153
ing panniers, sometimes filled with flowers,
sometimes filled with babies. These last gen-
erally accompanied the band vocally, and ad
nauseam.
It was very interesting to watch the evolutions
of this graceful dance, and the unerring precision
with which the men and women mazed between
the quadrupeds, waltzed back, formed a ring in
the centre, and finished all by the head muleteer
raising his machete, as he stood alone in the
centre of the ring and shouted, " Evviva la ron-
da de los mulateros ! " (Long live the muleteers*
dance ! ) After that there was some very good
waltzing, the step being accurately turned, al-
though the men wore their mountain boots,
which are heavy. The dance was held under
two immense trees, just in the hollow formed
between two slopes; but still the heat was
great, and I wondered how they could work
away as persistently as they did.
The women and girls wore the white mantilla,
in honour of the day, short white dresses decked
with some bright embroidery worked in the
material, and all wore flowers. The elder
154 A LADY'S RIDE
women and chaperons were dressed usually in
dark raiment, with the graceful black mantilla
thrown over the head. I grieve to say that this
elegant article of dress is giving place to a
style of horrid little hat, which a French com-
mercial traveller, some two years ago, had in-
troduced into the country. A young stumpy
girl, arrayed in one of these, I saw pegging
away with a mozo of Don Graciano's ; and as
she appeared to have put everything she pos-
sessed in the way of ribbon and flowers upon
the said hat, I earnestly hoped that the awful
spectacle she presented would alarm the be-
holders into declaring for the mantilla for ever.
Shouts and huzzas and a rush of the dancers
to an enclosed space, announced the capture of
the black bull. He had run well, it was said,
and therefore all the more merit for the captor ;
and so they both received a wonderful ovation.
As the stranger, I was requested to place the
red cord, which is usually thrown round the
bull's neck after the chase, into the hand of the
victor. As I did so, some one in authority pro-
claimed that this toro had been fairly chased
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 155
and lassoed by Trasquito Gomez, and was now
his lawful prize. Did any one deny it ? No ;
and so Trasquito and the toro went off to their
dwelling-place. Another bull was let out of the
corral, and given seven minutes' start. The
young men and the mules and the lassos were
hard at work, and the dancers and the band re-
turned to the great chestnut-trees.
I was getting tired, so after drinking a glass
of mountain wine to the health of Goascaron,
Don Graciano conducted me back to his home.
On the way he told me that he had made a fair
arrangement with the muleteer Marcos, as to
my journey. "He is as wild as a hawk," said
Don Graciano, "and will have the uttermost
farthing; nevertheless, take him, for he is a
splendid muleteer, and his beasts are first-rate."
The Indian girl with her baby this time
covered by the white linen scarf which de-
pended from the mother's head opened the
door. She told me there was to be a dance
on a large scale in the evening, for the gente
ordinario (common people), and that Marcos
and Eduardo would both be there.
156 A LADY'S RIDE
"You will not start very early, then," said
Don Graciano with a smile.
At break of day I was out, as I wanted to
look at the scene of the dance and the chase,
but to my disappointment a heavy mist hid
all from sight. I had not been in the village
church, so I wended my steps to it, and push-
ing the door open, I walked in. Small and
poorly furnished ; but kneeling before the little
altar were two or three worshippers gathered
together. That half-hour was sacred to them
and to me.
The mist by this time had entirely cleared
away, and now, behold the sky ! a sea of opal
light, upon which floated minute masses of soft
pink colour. One of the largest of these rested
for a time upon the summit of one of the lower
mountain-peaks, as if a rose had fallen thereon
and waited to be kissed.
A few moments later and the whole of the
rosy tufts had faded away like a shower of
leaves, and a blue-green light shimmered in
their wake, the herald of the sun.
He rose at once in the full glory of his
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 157
strength, enveloping cloud and colour in his
golden robe ; flushing high mountain and lowly
canon with his regal tints, and upon all things
making his presence to be felt. I wondered
not, at the moment, at the devotion of the
ancient Persian, nor at that of the Indian,
whose morning " prime " was the worship of
El Sol.
My own (weak woman's) tribute was a gush
of tears. It could not be restrained, all was so
beautiful and so grand ; and Nature seemed to
greet, with a mother's love, one who was alone
in the world I
A hot day was imminent ! The prearranged
hour of starting was already long past, for I
had wished to be in the saddle before the air
became as heated as white steel. The axiom
that time was made for slaves, is very rigidly
enforced by example in these regions ; and
nobody ever is or can be punctual to an exact
or specified hour. Forty minutes' " law " is by
no means considered to be a liberal allowance.
Doubtless the ball of the previous evening
had been late, and both Marcos and Eduardo
158 A LADY'S HIDE
might be sleeping the sleep of the "danced
out." I remember, too, that I have been young
myself, and how often a servant has had to wait
up for me and mine till we should return from
a friendly " hop " or a county ball. Poor fel-
lows ! they have a hard life, and a dance to
them only comes once or twice a-year. Let
them sleep on.
Thus musing, I refrained from tapping on
the wooden shutter, beneath which Marcos was
stretched on a bench, prone and motionless.
Presently there arose sounds of hurry-scurry
in the little piazza in front of Don Graciano's
house, a stamping of mules, added to the
chatter of some four or five women who were
full of gossip, probably about the preceding
day's fiesta.
Opening the shutter full wide, and looking
through the iron bars which did duty for a
window, I saw that the muleteer had risen,
scared awake, no doubt, by the women's
tongues. Nobody had aroused him intention-
ally, for the Spaniards and most others allied
to them by blood have a particular objection
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 159
to awakening a sleeper. The most important
business can and must wait : El Senor is asleep,
and cannot be disturbed. No matter whether
the slumber be in regular course ; whether of
fatigue and exhaustion, or merely the temporary
siesta induced by heat and languor, or idle-
ness. " Se duerme " is conclusive : leave the
sleeper in peace, till Nature in her own time
shall unclose his eyes.
There was plenty to attend to ; for to load
a baggage-mule requires some skill and great
care. Much suffering is often caused to ani-
mals through carelessness in this respect. It
was very interesting to watch the proceedings
of Marcos. How carefully he arranged the
cloths which are first placed on the animal's
back before the luggage is strapped on, and
how cleverly he weighted every article, in order
to give the burden an equal poise ! Eduardo
assisted in this, and Don Graciano looked at-
tentively to the saddling of the mule that was
to carry me.
" I will now go and take leave of the Seiiora,"
I said, and betook myself to the back verandah.
160 A LADY'S RIDE
The girl had her little naked baby on her arm ;
I took it from her, and kissing it, said, "You
will have so much pleasure in rearing this little
one ; and from what Don Graciano has told me,
you must be in the way of making a nice for-
tune for her before many years have passed
over your heads."
" Perhaps so," she answered, her quiet equable
tones being somewhat broken, as I patted her
naked shoulder and pressed her hand, to thank
her for her hospitality. " I shall never forget
you," she went on to say " never. The sound
of your voice, Senora, falls like the drop of cold
water when one dies of thirst."
This elegant compliment, expressed so simply
in the loveliest language in the world, touched
me much more than it flattered me. It was
the outcome of woman's sympathy with woman.
I had taken her hand with marked respect, and
treated her as the mistress of the house ; and
the avowal of my indebtedness, addressed to
herself directly, seemed to give her the utmost
satisfaction. " Va con Dios," she said, after a
short pause, and turned into the cocina, evi-
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 161
dently not venturing to accompany me to the
front court. A thought flashed into my mind
like lightning ; I wonder it had not occurred to
me before. This must be the case. Don Gra-
ciano is evidently a man of superior station
and education, and a pure white ; the girl is
as unmistakably of Indian blood. Here is an
example of following out " el costumbre del
pais" / (the custom of the country.)
Whether my conjectures were ill-founded or
not (and I only based them on the state of sub-
jection in which this young woman seemed to
live), I had no time for speculation, as the
object of my rumination was waiting, hat in
hand, to assist me to mount. To lift a lady
guest into the saddle, and to walk at the head
of the mule and conduct it and its burden
some way into the open, is one of the duties of
hospitality in these far-off hamlets. It is a
remnant of the courtesy of the ancient races :
the lowest as well as the highest all rigidly
observe this custom.
The last arrangements for departure were
soon made, and I, a timid rider, felt that Luisa
L
162 A LADY'S RIDE
the mule, and myself, would travel amicably
together. Gentle, handsome beast ! It says
well of her that she carried me nearly one hun-
dred and sixty miles without hap or hazard.
This happy result, on my part, was more of
good luck than of good guidance.
The macho was a little tiresome to start, and
he danced about vigorously, with Eduardo on
his back. It then transpired that he was a
young, high-couraged animal, and that Marcos
was taking him this long journey in order to
tame him and complete his education. It came
out afterwards that Marcos intended to sell him
on the return journey, and would no doubt be
able to do so at a high price. I was glad to hear
this, as it secured good treatment to the animals ;
not that I think Marcos was naturally cruel, but
he was a hard man, and I do not do him injus-
tice in saying, that to make money by the ser-
vice of his mules was his first and paramount
consideration.
" Marcos is a good muleteer," said Don Gra-
ciano, in allusion to him in our parting words,
" but he dearly loves money. Mind everything
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 163
is included in his contract with you ; and be sure
you do not give him a cuarto to pay for forage
or stabling of the mules in the places you may
have to stay in. He will try this, probably; but
be sure there is generally plenty of grass and
water, and the animals are always better when
they feed out at night."
Marcos and Eduardo then came up, and re-
ceived from me & peseta each for their daily
expenses ; and it was agreed I should dispense
this sum to them every morning on starting, and
thus save difficulty in the accounts. We were
now fairly on our way to the mountains, and,
in a few words more, Don Graciano gave me
" God-speed."
" Marcos will bring me word of you when he
returns home with the mules," he said lastly.
This hospitable stranger now bent his way to
his dwelling-place, and I felt as if I had left a
friend.
164 A LADY'S RIDE
CHAPTER YIIL
WE travelled a few miles in silence, for the
men were evidently languid from the want of
sleep, and I was too much engrossed by the
beauty of the scenery, and in admiration of the
glorious country through which we were passing,
to need conversation. Luisa, the mule, carried
me well, and her even pace left me at liberty to
enjoy the sweet air of these magnificent Hondu-
reian mountains, so little known to the outside
world, and so little appreciated by those who
dwell around them.
Here, rock, wood, tree, shrub, and water are
on a grand scale all, so to speak, the best of
their kind ; and the humble wild flowers, adorn-
ing the far-stretching fertile valleys which slope
between the clefts, are rich in colour, and far
from wanting in perfume. The varying lights
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 165
the glimmering opal and the deep purple haze
alternating with the fairest blue of the heaven
and the blackest depth of the cloud as we
passed on our way, presented a scene, the like
of which I had never seen before, and never
expect to see again.
I may write, perhaps, with some partiality ;
for what the sea is to many, the mountains are
to me. I was born amongst them, in the grand
Pyrenees, and so I am their daughter. When
sickness of body and sorrow of heart fall upon
me, I will arise and flee to the mountains. My
strength surely comes from them.
We ascended higher, and in the elastic air the
men became refreshed, and as hunger and noon-
day approached, we agreed to halt. There was
a hacienda picturesquely built in a cleft of the
ranges. To this we wended our way, and were
glad to see the chestnut-trees stretching grand-
ly in front of this demesne. Here was shelter
for the animals, since the grass and shade were
deep all around ; and we human beings could
sling a hammock on the lowest branches of the
fine trees.
166 A LADY'S EIDE
The baggage-mule was disencumbered of my
hammock and the little bag of provisions only.
" We have only a short time/ 7 said Marcos ;
" and as it is her first day's journey she will not
be distressed if she is not unladen until night."
Soon after, the lady of the hacienda came out.
" My servants saw you camping," she said with
a charming smile. " We have illness in the
house, and so my cousin and I have come to pay
our compliments here. I regret that I cannot
ask you under my roof."
The young lady alluded to as " my cousin "
was a most lovely daughter of old Spain, about
fifteen years of age. She said little, but seemed
interested to meet, for the first time in her life
(it appeared), an English lady, travelling through
Spanish Honduras.
This simple courteous welcome quite relieved
me ; for I confess I had felt somewhat abashed
at walking, literally with bag and baggage, into
a stranger's territory, and using it as if it were
an inn.
" I will send you some milk and coffee," the
lady said ; " and after that, I would recommend
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 1G7
you to take a siesta. You seem to have good
guides and animals. Ah, you want them in
these parts I Adios."
The milk and coffee, so liberally promised,
came by the hand of a mozo of the place. He
told us that his mistress possessed large herds of
cattle ; indeed, as far as eye could range, the
fields and slopes were dotted thickly with kine.
Then after helping me into the hammock, this
mozo laid himself down between my two com-
panions, and the whole three of them slept sound-
ly with only the fallen timber for a pillow. I,
in my more elevated position, simply rested, and
bestowed a benison upon the soul who first in-
vented the hammock.
Exactly as two hours had passed, Marcos was
on his feet. A muleteer is warranted to awake
at any moment, and so he almost always does.
It is the only action of punctuality in the whole
republic.
The mozo gave us a helping hand, and we
started at a good round pace for Arimesiiie. It
was nearly dark when we rode up to the princi-
pal house in this place. The village was merely
168 A LADY'S RIDE
a broken square of thatched and yellow- washed
hovels ; the principal one was posada, general
store, and forage " emporium " combined. No-
thing of interest here, as my journal runs :
" Keached Arimesine at seven. Passed a
fairly good night, as the woman of the house
possessed some notions of propriety. Quite in
clover, for I had a railed-off space wherein to
swing my hammock, divided from the public
room by my travelling rug and a shawl hung
on a high clothes-horse. The men slept in the
verandah. There was a white basin in the
establishment, and Eduardo got this filled with
water, and in a manner I managed to wash."
We were on our way very early the next
morning, and travelled at a good pace. The
country had become a little more broken, and
foliage in great luxuriance was beginning to dis-
appear. Marcos gathered me some bunches of
the quinine tree, which is a graceful shrub in all
its stages. The flower is white, and is in shape
a cross between the pentstemon of our gardens
and the stephanotis. The latter lovely parasite
we saw at various intervals in great profusion.
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 109
The peculiarity in the growth of the stephanotis
is that it requires a background of some other
climber to support it, and at the same time give
it a slight protection from the sun. Thus aided,
the plant will reach to an immense height, and
I have seen it winding round the trunks of large
trees, and spreading rich bunches of its blossoms
far and wide, even if it have the slenderest stem
of some other parasite round which to wind
itself. Quite alone, the plant usually shrivels
up, and at best deteriorates.
As we rode onward the sandy ridges became
toilsome to the mules' feet, and it was here that
we first found a specimen of the water-giving
plants of the country. Eduardo recognised it
instantly, and as he cut its thick stringy stem
with his machete, a watery fluid oozed out,
which had rather a sweet taste. The mozo had
forgotten the name of this plant, but said it
was common in Honduras. He mentioned
another of rarer species, which he termed peli-
groso (dangerous) and which from its descrip-
tion must, I think, have referred to the Mimer-
sopa balata, an india-rubber water-giving plant.
170 A LADY'S RIDE
A story is told that a Frenchman passing
through Guiana met with this curious produc-
tion of nature. The coolness of the fluid as he
tasted it induced him, as a precautionary meas-
ure, to qualify it with some kind of alcohol.
The juice of the shrub coagulated in the unfor-
tunate traveller's stomach, and after a time of
intense suffering he died. An examination took
place, and it was found ~that the internal organs
were literally closed up by india-rubber.
Thus it should be well understood by travel-
lers in tropical countries that every care must
be taken in the use of these wonderful vegetable
alleviators of human misery thirst.
The increasing heat, and the disappointment
of not being able to meet with any refreshment
in any one of the cottages which we passed,
were making us all feel more or less out of
sorts. Passing a narrow rivulet, I asked Marcos
to fill me the gourd-shell, which wayfarers here
always carry at their girdle, with water. " I
am so thirsty," I said; "please attend to me
quick."
Instead of complying with my request, the
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 171
man turned round, and resolutely refused. " Not
a drop, Seiiora," said he ; " it would hurt you.
Your muleteer must not let you drink here ;
it would be bad for your health."
" Why, Marcos?"
" Because, Senora, the bottom of this rivulet
is muddy ; there is no sand nor gravel; and look
see ! you would not like to risk swallowing
one of these I" He pointed to a plant near the
mule's hoof : it was covered with dark-brown
blossoms, which turned out, on inspection, to
be leeches.
" No, no," said Marcos, " not of this for
you, Senora, nor for Eduardo, or the beasts. I
know my duty."
I was sure that he did ; and though my
thirst was great, I said no more on the water
question, but instead I proposed that we should
share a bottle of wine, which Don Graciano had
generously given me, as he said, "for emer-
gencies."
The bottle was soon produced from the can-
vas saddle-bags carried by the baggage-mule,
speedily uncorked, and a draught poured out
172 A LADY'S RIDE
for me. No sooner had I tasted it than I re-
turned the gourd to Marcos, with an expression
of disgust.
Marcos tasted, and then did Eduardo : wry
faces and sputtering were the immediate effects
of the taste of the potion on both.
The matter soon explained itself. The heat
of the sun and the jogging pace had turned
the wine into very strong and very stringent
vinegar. There was no help for it, and it was
decided that we had better get on to San Juan
del Norte as fast as possible.
We had met a peasant in the morning, on
his way to work in a maize-field : he directed
us to San Juan del Norte, as being a good station
whereat to pass the night and replenish our
commissariat, which was becoming very low. It
was therefore with great vigour that we pushed
on to San Juan del Norte.
The character of the land had now greatly
changed, and we passed through marshy grass-
land, which presented no interesting features,
and was very heavy for the mules' feet. We
travelled through this for some time, and a
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 173
thick soft rain, which fell with the dusk, did
not improve matters. At length, in a down-
pour, we did reach San Juan del Norte, Eduardo
having ridden forward to secure accommodation,
and search out the most decent dwelling.
I saw by the expression of the lad's face, as
we rode into a little square of mean houses, that
he was far from being delighted with the quar-
ters which necessity had forced upon us. " It
is a dreadful place, Senora," said he, in a whisper ;
" I have been to two houses, but this old woman's
seems the best."
I looked round before dismounting, and per-
ceived an old woman, who might be any age
she liked to call herself after seventy, with white
hair, and a very handsome pair of black eyes
and eyebrows. She was followed by a train
of men, who might be her sons and grandsons ;
and beyond these were several girls, mostly of
the lowest class, who stared with all their might,
but said nothing. These were waiting to see
me dismount.
Whether the cause was fatigue, combined with
the long fast and the damp, I never could ex-
174 A LADY'S EIDE
plain, for I had not felt ill ; but as soon as
Marcos had placed me on the ground, the whole
of San Juan del Norte seemed to revolve on a
pivot, and I fell down in a dead faint. A sen-
sation of being dragged forward, and the sound
of voices a long way off, was the last percep-
tion of my senses. For many minutes all things
were lost in utter unconsciousness.
The return to life was not effected in the
usual method of administering cold water, smell-
ing-salts, or other restoratives suitable to the
attack ; but the pungent aguardiente (brandy),
which Marcos not only applied to my nostrils
but forced down my throat also, was strong
enough to rouse a rhinoceros from the deepest
swoon.
My eyes quickly opened, and half raising
myself in the hammock, I gasped out, " Oh,
give me air ! Marcos, send these people away ;
and where did you get that horrid stuff ? "
The old woman here advanced, and stood on
her dignity. " Senora," said she, " do not be
offended ; these people come to receive you after
the fashion of the country; it is our custom
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 175
when the stranger enters our village for all the
inhabitants to come out and offer welcome. The
rain has prevented many from being here; but
see, there are still some few."
Looking past her, I saw that a number of
persons were standing in a group near the door,
and evidently with the intention of staying
there until something should be said or done.
So, getting out of the hammock, weak and
giddy enough, I managed to bow to the com-
pany, and say to the old woman in particular,
that I hoped the inhabitants would excuse me,
for I was really ill, and it was imperative that
I should be alone for a while.
The company in general seemed inclined to
linger ; but Marcos strode amongst them, and
with a sweep of one hand opened the door,
whilst with the other he signed to them to
make speedy exit. This was done with the
air of an emperor, and without the utterance
of a single word.
Marcos then asked Eduardo to go and look
after the mules, and turning to the woman
said
176 A LADY'S EIDE
" Hay leche aqui ? " (Have you milk here ?)
" Nada" (none), was the reply.
" Hay carne o tortillas ? " (Have you meat or
bread ?)
" No/' was the decided reply.
" Hay cafe ? " (Have you coffee ? )
" Tampoco." (Nor that either.)
Here was a state of things ; and though the
woman was perfectly civil, she did not make
the slightest attempt to alleviate matters.
The muleteer, with a shrug of his shoulders,
then went out, saying he must go and buy food,
wherever he could find it, and I was left alone
with the " lady " of the house.
" Can I not have some place where I can be
private ? " I asked her gently. " Any corner
will do, as I have brought my own hammock."
" You can sling your hammock from these
hooks," she replied, pointing to two large iron
bars which projected from the solid beam run-
ning along the roof.
" But have you no sleeping apartments for
the females of your family ? " I inquire.
" What for ? We all sling our hammocks
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 1*77
at night in this room. I have a bed -place,
because I am too old to move about much.
We lie down in our clothes, and when the men
go out to work in the morning, then we dress."
The guides coming in soon after the close
of this dialogue, I consulted with them as to
what was to be done ; and asked if my ham-
mock could not be slung in the verandah at
the back of this dwelling.
I was told that this was impossible. The
rain was pouring steadily down. I must lie
down in my clothes, and we would get away
as early as possible on the morrow. Mean-
while Marcos had been able to get some coffee
made, and he suggested that in the absence of
my guides to fetch this, I might change my
shoes and arrange my dress as best I could.
There was nothing else to be done ; and after
my hammock was slung, and the mosquito-net
thrown over it, I was supposed to be " quite
private," although in the course of the evening
six persons of different sexes stepped into the
other hammocks, and laid themselves down for
the night's rest. The old woman took off her
178 A LADY'S HIDE
upper garment, tied her head up in a cotton
handkerchief, stepped into her bed -place, and
without curtain or mosquito-net travelled off
to the land of Nod.
The rain had driven the mosquitoes into the
dwelling, and at a later hour these pests became
intolerable. A stir from without arrested my
attention, and presently a lad with an iron
brasier entered, lighte'd a candle which was
stuck against the wall, and returning to the
brasier, seemed to stir it up. At that instant
a smoke and a most fearful smell pervaded the
whole room, suffocating and nauseous in the
extreme. I drew my net over my head, and
lay wondering what this could mean ; but no-
body else seemed to be annoyed, or even to
take notice of the nuisance. A more miser-
able night I never passed ; and it was with
the greatest thankfulness that I saw a gleam
of the morning's light through the door which
opened to let the first riser out.
Eduardo soon entered, and expressed a hope
that I had not suffered from the smoke, a
flavour of which still pervaded the apartment.
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 179
" It is worse than peat," lie said, " for it is
the droppings of the stable and cow- shed,
which, when dry, are burnt, and are the most
effectual remedy known against an invasion of
mosquitoes at night ; but I know, Senora, you
must have been nearly poisoned by the smell."
Soon after, the 'mules and baggage were
ready, and Marcos informed me with great
satisfaction that he had been able to procure
a supply of queso (cheese). This " cheese " is
really nothing better than curd, very sour and
hard, turned up with yellow borders. Being
very much compressed, it takes up small space,
and is usually eaten with tortillas in all parts
of the interior.
We took leave of the woman of the house,
and as I pressed a small gratuity into her
hand, I thanked her for the shelter her roof
had afforded us. This was but right, as it
was quite in her power to have refused us
admission altogether ; and it was not for a
traveller to grumble when the entertainment
provided was such as the highest and lowest
in the country are accustomed to as a matter
180 A LADY'S RIDE
of course ; and, indeed, they know no other.
A bowl of milk had been procured, which I
drank before mounting, and thus I felt pro-
visioned for the day.
Our journey, after some miles of travel, began
to be on the ascent, and shortly we were far up
the mountains. Here, losing the luxuriance of
herbage and grass, we came upon rock, and
cedar and pine trees. Clumps of these last
grew in great profusion, scenting the air with
the peculiar healthy smell of the Aleppo fir,
which, alternating with masses of the elegant
deodara tree, gave a magnificent clothing to
tracts of land which might otherwise be bare.
The mountain was not a high one, but the
descent on the other side was so abrupt that
I was glad to get off and walk, notwithstanding
that the path was little else than an assemblage
of loose stones, mingled with gravel and dust.
Gradually this path narrowed, and we entered
a high defile, so full of rock, and holes, and
enormous roots of trees, that every step had to
be picked with care, and our wary baggage-
mule slipped for the first time, and more than
ACEOSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 181
once seemed on the verge of tumbling head
over heels.
Here I could not help admiring the wonderful
skill, and, I may say, the tact of both mule and
muleteer. Did Marcos run forward, and, by the
short rope which was attached to the head, guide
the baggage-mule to another part, or jump with
her from stone to stone, Luisa would stop, look
at what was going on in front, and imitate
precisely what her companion was being led
to do. The macho, being younger, required
all Eduardo's care, and it often displayed an
inclination to kick every stone to pieces that
came in its way. Sometimes the beasts would
decline to walk where Marcos guided them ;
and when they refused the path, it was always
because insecure stones or a hole were in the
way, or some obstacle which the muleteer had
overlooked. Marcos, on his part, never insisted
where the mules steadily refused to go onwards.
" They are very wise," said he ; " they know
better where to walk than I do. They like
my help when they really need it, poor
mules 1 "
182 A LADY'S EIDE
Then with a touch or a pat the mules were
told conversationally how hard it was for us
others ; and further on the man called, " Mulas,
mulas, do you not hear the sound of the water ?
On, my mulas, on."
A grateful sound we all heard, that of a low
rushing noise, rising and falling like the murmur
of the wind. It was the voice of a brawling
stream, which flowed at the outlet of the defile.
Save the rush of little children's feet over an
upper floor, there is no sound sweeter to me
than the rippling of a running stream over a
pebbly bed in the hot summer-tide. Weary and
travel-stained as we were, what in nature could
give us kinder welcome than the call of the
delicious water, with its wealth of cascade and
spout and gentle flow ? Water that here con-
tained within itself a myriad of loving voices,
one of which specially seemed to tell us that it
was waiting to lave our feet, and spread out
wide a veil of argentine drops, should we de-
scend further into its depths to bathe and live.
We had heard its call from afar ; and now
the mules quickened their pace and snuffed the
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 183
air, and we Human things pulled ourselves to-
gether, and marched bravely forward, for down
a winding path in front we had descried a glint
of the tossing stream a friend indeed.
Eduardo ran forward, and, boylike, dashed
into the brook, danced from stone to stone, aod
danced again, and plunged his head into the
water, and shouted, " La agua, la querida
agua / " (the water, the beloved water I) and
then, between him and Marcos, I was taken
from the saddle, and in their strong arms I
found myself seated on the bank on the opposite
side, wondering.
A moment or two afterwards a gourd-shell
was filled for my use, and I was asked to drink
to El Hondo, the water -god of this lovely
region, from whom old legend saith the name
of Honduras is derived.
Dear water-sprite, whoever you may be, or
whoever you may have been, I did drink to
you with a benison ; for did I not feel thankful
that at last in your sweet domain I could in-
dulge in the salutary life-giving bath ? I for-
got San Juan del Norte and all its woes, as I
184 A LADY'S RIDE
called to my attendants to search for a seclud-
ed spot in which I might wash and be clean.
Eight willingly did I drink to El Hondo.
The mules were taken across and unloaded.
There was plenty of grass, and we decided to
remain two hours in this shady spot ; for here
it would seem that the sun had retired in favour
of El Hondo, and we were willing to take
advantage of the comforts which were poured
upon us. Eduardo routed from among the
wraps an old blue bathing-gown, which had
generally served as a mattress for my hammock ;
and armed with soap and towels, I made my
way to the primitive bathing-place.
" Now, Senora," said this good young fellow,
" you will be as private as possible, and we will
go a good way off, and will be sure to watch and
prevent anybody coming near you. Marcos and
I will light a fire and make the coffee, and we
can eat our breakfast before you are finished.
And I will have your breakfast ready ; we have
got eggs ; and then when you breakfast, we can
smoke and sleep ; eh, Senora ? "
This arrangement suited me well, and I found
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 185
my way a little up-stream, to a curvature in the
bank, which served admirably for the purpose,
as it was screened by a mass of low-spreading
bushes, and in its centre stood a high stone, over
which a mimic cascade just made impetus
enough to act as a shower-bath. It would be
ungracious to pass over the enjoyment of the
delicious luxury, without a word to those who
sit at home, and perhaps cannot believe that a
bath can be taken in this wise in the open air
without some infringement of delicacy.
" My friends," I reply to such objectors,
" there is much more immodesty in the bathing-
places of Brighton, Havre, Dieppe, where the
meretricious costumes displayed under the name
of ' bathing-dress/ are enough in many cases to
strike terror into the most hardened beholder.
Witness the fat objects who crusade down the
beach in bolster-cases, short at knee, and de-
nuded at bosom ; and who know, and are not
unwilling to know, that their masculine acquaint-
ance are looking on with more or less of criticism,
according as their feelings may be benevolent or
malevolent."
186 A LADY'S RIDE
Here there was no gaping, grinning crowd,
and I felt strong in the conviction that my guides
would abhor the slightest attempt to look upon
me until I should be dressed. Had I gallivanted
about in a harlequin's attire, such as is seen
constantly on the persons of the bathers at fash-
ionable watering-places in England, they, in
their uncivilisation, would have regarded me
with the greatest contempt, and perhaps would
have called me mad. So my bath was begun
and ended in enjoyable ease and privacy; and
my bathing-gown being taken to a bush whereon
the sun did shine, I had nothing to do but eat
my breakfast spread on soft grass, about which
grows, in great profusion, many varieties of the
Digitalis.
The mules had also undergone a rubbing and
scrubbing ; the harness and baggage were neatly
stowed away under the trees ; and the men, after
attending to my wants, turned to a smoke and
a sleep.
They had earned the luxury well and fairly,
and so I promised to act sentinel ; and whilst
they slept, I sat under a tree, and arranged the
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 187
pages of my journal, a little grey bird, with scar-
let-tipped wings, just looking near now and then
to see that Soltera was doing the thing fairly.
The delicious coolness and silence of the
place were more than compensation for the late
wretched night; and it was with real reluc-
tance that I called out " Time," when the two
hours allotted for rest had passed away.
The sun was fierce when, after a careful reload-
ing, we again set out : the journey was to be all
hill- work, up the side of a grand mountain, which
in a short time became so toilsome, that it was
all I could do to keep my seat, and even Marcos
was glad to ride longer in his turn with Eduardo
than was his wont.
Our accommodation on this night was more
comfortable, it being at a farmhouse a little off
the highroad. The next day presented no par-
ticular features ; and the day after that I had
occasion to take advantage of Don Graciano's
caution with respect to Marcos' propensity for
making money in all shapes and ways.
We arrived at a small village, to find that the
public schoolroom had been most kindly placed
188 A LADY'S RIDE
at our disposal by the master. My hammock
was to be slung in the room, and the men were
to sleep in the verandah on benches.
I had just settled myself for the night, when,
to my surprise, Marcos lifted the latch and
walked in.
" Senora," said he, " I want half a dollar,
please."
"What for? Why do you come at this
time ? "
" I have put the mules into the stable of the
place, and I want the money to pay for them."
This with a very decided air.
"No, Marcos," I replied, "I will not give you
the money. In the first place, you had no busi-
ness to put the mules in the public stables with-
out consulting me ; in the second place, you
know you expressly promised never to do so
unless there were a scarcity of grass and water."
" There is a scarcity of grass and water here."
" That is strange, Marcos ; the schoolmaster
told me that there was abundance of both ;
besides, I saw Luisa feeding in a meadow not
an hour ago."
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 189
" Then you will not pay for stabling, Senora."
" Most certainly not ; you can do so if you
choose," I replied.
" Senora," answered Marcos, " if you do not
give me the money, I will leave you and go home
when we get to Comayagua."
" No, Marcos ; if you leave me, you will go to-
morrow morning. We can settle at the office of
the alcalde here ; you will have broken your en-
gagement, and so I must place the papers before
the alcalde, and he will arrange what I am to
pay you. Good night ; shut the door behind
you, and don't come in here till I call. Now go."
The man stared at me, but said nothing.
After waiting a moment, he turned on his heel
and went out, shutting the door with a clang.
The situation was uncomfortable enough, but
I was determined not to be victimised. The
matter certainly was small, but to accede to
this demand would only be to open the way
to further extortion. I plumed myself, too,
on the way I had dragged in the alcalde, as
I had not the faintest idea whether such a func-
tionary existed in the place or not. My sheet-
190 A LADY'S RIDE
anchor was in reality the schoolmaster, who
had promised to call upon me in the morning.
But alcalde sounded legal and formal, and I
felt sure that the word had vanquished Marcos
utterly.
Eduardo knocked very early in the morning,
and brought in a large red jar of soft water and
some nice towels sent by the worthy school-
master. The lad looked at me as if something
was to be said, but I resolutely held my peace.
Had I not heard voices in confabulation under
the verandah ?
1 'Go arid find out, Eduardo, where the office
of the alcalde is," I said at length ; " we cannot
start till I have seen him."
" Senora, the mules are saddled, and we are
going to take our coffee, and Senora, Marcos
would like to speak to you now Senora ; it
was the aguardiente."
" Let Marcos come in at once," I replied,
throwing my large shawl over me, and looking
as if I had never heard of the man in my life.
Marcos came to me. "Oh, Senora, do not
mind the foolish words I said last night," the
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 191
muleteer exclaimed, looking quite subdued ; " it
was all a mistake. I am ready to go. The
mules are saddled. Senora, I will take care of
you, and see that you cross the Juan."
" Very well, Marcos/' I answered, " you can
do as you- please, and I want to start early. Go
and get your breakfast now, like a good fellow
(buen hombre). I am sure you will take me
across the river safely."
This time the man went out with a laugh, and
I laughed in my sleeve, thankful to have escaped
the necessity of consulting the alcalde, and all
the annoyances which the interview would have
surely entailed.
We were soon on our way, led out for a short
distance by the courteous schoolmaster. He had
heard from Eduardo, it appeared, all the partic-
ulars of the little skirmish with Marcos, and he
congratulated me on my victory.
" The men tell me you are a brave little lady,"
said he.
" I ought to be. I am the daughter and the
sister of two brave men who fought and died for
their country."
192 A LADY'S EIDE
" God rest them ! Go you with God." This
was the schoolmaster's farewell.
Fairly now on the trot, our object was to cross
the river Juan before night, as reports from va-
rious persons had agreed as to its being much
swollen by recent rain, and that its condition
was not favourable for passing over. We there-
fore travelled fast, hardly waiting to take food.
After a few hours we found ourselves on the
banks of a wide river, in company with some
Indian women who were filling their water-jars
at the stream.
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 193
CHAPTER IX.
THERE was the river Juan. As the true Portu-
guese speaks of the Tagus as " El Senor Tajo"
(the Lord Tagus), so do the Hondureians, in
another form of speech, accord the greatest
dignity to the river Juan, although it is not,
by any means, the most important stream of
the country. " El hermoso ! el rey de los rios
de las Honduras " (the beautiful ! the king of
the rivers of Honduras). Mr Stephens, in his
' Central America/ alludes to this river as the
"tortuous river Juan." Well, there it was,
broad, turbulent, almost defiant. I felt that
this love of the Hondureians was likely to be
too much for me, as, on looking across, I dis-
cerned what might be a low hurdle of rocks,
standing almost in its centre, very irregular in
N
194 A LADY'S RIDE
form, and literally showing their teeth, for they
were jagged almost to a point.
The water leapt and swirled over and about
these in all directions. The very sound was a
laugh aimed against us, and the solemn dark
trees which bordered the side were very far
from being an enlivening feature in the pros-
pect. The sun had become overcast, and the
only colour in the scene was the strip of
yellow path down which we had wound, our
noble selves, and the crimson handkerchiefs
on the heads of two Indian women, who were
squatting on the river's edge watching their
naked children, busy making " mud pastry,"
much after the fashion of the small people
whose dwellings are on the banks of the Lea,
Trent, or Thames.
A cross macaw, whose frequent and discor-
dant screech fell on my ear like a "jeer in the
voice," was evidently secreted somewhere.
" Here you are ; the river is very much
swollen, you'll perceive, there is no ford,
and you will have to pass over how you can.
Ya ah ! " Thus croaked the bird ; and the
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 195
human voice of Marcos was of still more
dreary portent, as he exclaimed to his com-
rade, "No hay vado ; y mas, no hay canoa"
(no ford ; and worse, no canoe). Eduardo re-
mained silent, and walked to and fro, looking
at the water as if he had a personal quarrel
with everything around, and with it in par-
ticular. At length I said, " There ought to
be a canoe here ; where, I wonder, is the man
who owns it?"
A shrug of the shoulder and a flourish was
the only reply, and then Marcos solved the
difficulty with the usual Hondureian platonism,
" No hay remedio" (there is no remedy). The
action that accompanied these words further in-
timated " There is nothing for it but sink or
swim : the river must be crossed, ford or no
ford, and the sooner we go the better." Ob-
viously there was no remedy; and the men
turned their drawers up to their knees, folded
their jackets on their heads, and prepared to
walk into the water. The elder of the two
Indian women now came towards me. Placing
one small brown hand on the mule's neck, and
196 A LADY'S RIDE
almost caressing my knee with the other, as I
sat humped up to keep clear of being wet,
she said, " Es muy peligroso, senora, muy
peligroso ; no anda " (it is very dangerous,
lady ; do not go).
I knew instinctively, and as well as she did,
that it was very dangerous ; but what could
be done? And I turned to Marcos with this
inquiry.
The man replied in his usual incisive and
somewhat peremptory tones, " We must cross
at once, Eduardo, and I will go first; he will
lead the baggage -mule, and I will follow on
the macho. When Luisa sees the macho well
into the water, the creature will follow at once.
Now stick on hard" (this being expressed as
" apargate muy fuerte "). With this admoni-
tion he seized the hem of my dress, and
began to roll it up in a rough fashion, to pre-
vent it being immersed in the water.
The Indian interposed : " Let me do that for
the lady, you must not touch her in that
manner ; " and pushing Marcos aside she ar-
ranged my garments most comfortably. Then
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 197
she said, with oh ! such pathos in her voice,
"The river is so strong it is very dangerous.
You will go ; but ' ay di mi/ you have much
courage."
Much courage ! Had she felt my throbbing
pulse ; could she but know, kind soul, the
struggle that was going on in my proud
English heart not to appear to be afraid I
True, my words were measured, and I smiled
because I felt I must not give way one inch ;
but if this were courage, it was merely the
desperation of "no hay remedio " : nothing
more nor less.
The men, meanwhile, had driven their beasts
into the water. The mules here went straight
enough ; and having got them safely to their
work, Marcos turned round and hailed to me
to follow close on. I patted the woman on
the shoulder, saying as I did so, " Adieu, good
friend all will be well/' and gathered up the
reins to ride away. Luisa, however, would
not move, and as I urged her towards the
water, she trembled so violently as to shake
me perceptibly where I sat. The touch of the
198 A LADY'S RIDE
switch and all my adjurations, sole and com-
bined, here fell unregarded on mind and matter.
Luisa would not stir, but gathered her four hoofs
as close as she could beneath her, and stuck
them in the muddy soil. The fact that this
high-couraged and gentle creature continued
to tremble, and appeared to be paralysed with
terror, scattered all my resolution, and I turned
myself half round to avoid the sight of the
water.
The Indian woman now darted towards me
with a cry, followed by her companion, and
raising her arms in the air. " La muleta no
se va. Senora, por amor de Dios no anda ! "
(The mule won't go. Lady, for the love of
God remain ! )
Whatever I might have done it is impossible
even to conjecture, for the mule had taken all
power of action out of my governance. She
still stood like a rock, looking sideways now
and then at the water, and shaking with fear.
Marcos had turned round, and evidently un-
derstood the position. Coming back to within
speaking distance, he shouted " Stay where
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 199
you are; Eduardo and I will get to the other
side, and then return for you." So they went ;
and as they swayed from right to left, and in
their course across described a semicircle, it
was plainly to be seen that the current was very
strong. It was a regular buffet for a while.
At last we saw that the men had landed
safely, and soon I espied the macho tied to
a tree exactly opposite to where we were
standing for the especial benefit of Luisa. A
few shakings and a little further undressing,
and then the guides came across for me.
As they neared the shore, I took up the
tremble which Luisa had at this juncture dis-
carded ; but I managed to appear calm, and
to thank the Indian women for their com-
panionship, giving them at the same time a
peseta (English shilling) to remember me by.
The elder kissed my hand ; and in that glorious
language in which the Emperor Charles V. is
accredited to have said we should pray to God,
she took her farewell leaving me to God.
" Be not afraid, dear one " (her words may
be interpreted) ; " the good Father will take
200 A LADY'S HIDE
you over the river the Father whose love
will grant you many years. Go with Him.
Adios."
The love of the Father ! Ah ! fellow-men
and fellow-women, do we not somewhat and
sometimes, in our worship of the Son and in our
veneration of His Mother, totally pass over the
love of the Father? I repeated the Indian's
words, and I am not ashamed to add that I
learned a lesson from them.
The strong hand of Marcos was now on the
rein, Eduardo was ordered to the off side, and
the mule and her burden were dragged forwards
into the stream with but scant ceremony. Soon
the might of the waters fell on us, together with
the swirl and the swim of the rushing current,
as we neared the centre of the river. Luisa stum-
bles on a stone, the men prop her up lustily ;
but the mad racing of the current makes me
blind and dizzy, for more than once we are half
turned round; so I clutch the muleteer's head in
answer to his injunction of apargate bien, and
feel sure that this water is to be my last bed.
However, Luisa bears up, and seems to have
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 201
lost her fears, thanks to the supporters which
gave the animal confidence ; and this in its
turn, in some magnetic force, rouses me to ex-
ertion, and I hook my knee against the pommel
of the saddle, and sit as firmly as I can in obe-
dience to the reiterated command of apargate
bien ! Luisa staggered here and there, and at
one time it seemed as if we must be swept away.
We had not described a large enough circle,
it appeared, when passing the middle rocks.
There was a prolonged struggle on our part,
stimulated on the mule's part by a terrific bray
from the macho. In a few moments his bosom
friend, with her legitimate rider on her back,
was hauled safely to land.
A gasp and a sob, and I stood between the
men, as they dismounted me. My boots were
like soaked sponge ; and the smell of wet
leather was the pungent odour which recalled
me to my clear sense. We looked across the
water, to see the Indian women with their chil-
dren grouped around them, looking eagerly to-
wards us. One of them raised her arm, and
pointed upwards. Then every one of them
202 A LADY'S RIDE
waved their hands, and turned swiftly up the
path. Kind, simple people, I shall never see,
them again ! May the love of the Father keep
them ever from harm !
" We have passed a great peril, Seiiora," said
Eduardo, after a few moments' silence, as he
made the " holy sign." The men both bowed
their heads reverently, and I think we all
thanked the Lord in sincerity and truth. I,
however, could not help shuddering as I looked
at the river ; and to get rid of the feeling, I
took to walking up and down, telling the men
that I was very cold. We had nothing with us,
save a few tortillas, which the men ate as they
rubbed the mules and arranged their furniture.
Fortunately the baggage-mule had come off bet-
ter than any of us. This was owing to the
perfect manner in which she had been loaded,
and also from her being a very tall animal.
" You must mount quickly, for the sun will
soon be down," said Marcos ; " we shall scarcely
have time to get to Narango."
A little delay to arrange our own toilets, and
we were on the route again, the beasts and
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 203
their riders being none the worse for their
bath.
Marcos had soon returned to his usual
equanimity, and, as usual, he " improved the
occasion " to his own benefit.
"Senora," said he, as we rode along, "we
both got very wet, both Eduardo and I, in the
river, and you have nothing here to give us.
There is very good beer in Comayagua ; when
we arrive there, will you give us a bottle of beer
for getting you over the Juan ? It is a proud
thing to have forded the Juan ; that is worth a
large bottle of beer, Senora."
" Oh yes, yes," I replied hastily, vexed at his
cupidity, and not being inclined to talk. " You
shall have the beer when we get to Comayagua/'
It was a rash promise, for a bottle of beer in
Comayagua costs four shillings !
It was some time before we could find accom-
modation, however humble ; and it was only by
taking a side path and riding into the interior
that we could discover a single dwelling. At
length a thatched farm -looking dwelling of the
poorest description, but prettily situated on a
204 A LADY'S RIDE
rising knoll, came in view; and with some
trepidation we inquired if we could be sheltered
for the night. A pleasant - looking young
woman came out, followed by some fine chil-
dren and two lean dogs.
" My husband is over the mountain,' 7 she re-
plied, in answer to our inquiries : "if the lady
can put up with me and the children, we shall
be proud to receive you. Here, Vicente ! "
The individual so hailed was a wonderfully
handsome boy, more Spanish than Indian.
Without a word he began to unload the mules,
and by this act he secured the goodwill of my
attendants at once.
" Come into the kitchen, lady," said my host-
ess ; " oh, how damp your clothes are ! There
is a good fire there, for I have been cleaning up
since the man went away."
She led the way to a building a little apart
from the principal part of the house. It was
only an erection of baked mud and sticks, but
there was a bright wood-fire burning on one
side, and a kind of oven in the centre. The
woman brought out the only chair, and then
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 205
knelt down to help to draw off my boots, which
were really little better than pulp.
" If you will send the younger of my guides
with the little maleta (portmanteau), I shall be
very much obliged to you," I said ; " and can
you give me something to eat soon ? "
" Yes ; I will kill a fowl for you, Senora : for
the men there is dried venison (my husband
hunted it last year) and tortillas. I can let you
have some light wine, if you would think it
good enough."
" Thank you, but I would rather have some
coffee."
" You shall have it, Senora. Now you dress
here, and I will go and catch the fowl."
In a few minutes Vicente poked my portman-
teau into the room, and on looking about I
found a jar of water ; and so, with a little man-
agement, I made a decent, and certainly a much
more respectable appearance than before.
Whilst the fowl was cooking, I strolled into a
kind of orchard, where there was a round table
and a seat. This, I found, Eduardo had placed
for me, he knowing by this time how much I
206 A LADY'S RIDE
hated the usual household smells of these parts.
A small kerosene lamp was brought also, for it
was beginning to get dark ; and when the meal
appeared (the fowl stewed in rice), I ate with
such a relish, that I am afraid the two lean dogs
must have looked upon me at the time as a
very hopeless addition to the household. I
should add, however, that they did get the
remains of this feast.
The night was fairly comfortable, and it was
with a feeling of gratitude that I wished the
hostess good-bye. lc I would not accept any
pay, Senora," the simple creature said ; " but
we are so poor, and we have so many children
to feed."
We inquired about our way to Comayagua,
and she told us that we ought to arrive there
the day after at farthest. " Go to the Posada
Victorine," said she ; "it is a good place, and
Madame Victorine will make you comfortable.
Ah ! she has got money, has Madame Vic-
torine."
I was glad to hear of a comfortable, decent
place, as I was anxious to remain a day or
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 207
two at Comayagua, in order to refresh the
whole party. Eduardo, too, was anxious to
see his friends who lived there ; and as he
was to go on with me to San Pedro Sula, it
was but natural that a day or two's halt
would be especially pleasing to him. Marcos
was totally indifferent on the matter.
Our march being now entirely in the low-
lands, the heat had become most oppressive,
and to travel in the middle of the day was
a risk to health and strength. The mules,
too, were showing signs of fatigue, and grass
and water were beginning to fail, and had
become very inferior in quality. It was there-
fore imperative to get quickly into Comay-
agua.
It was a joyous sight, when, between rich
ilex trees, we saw the walls and fluted tile
roofs of the ancient capital of Spanish Hon-
duras. The city is picturesquely built, but its
silent, grass-grown streets, its air of poverty,
and the absence of busy stirring life, all
announce that its glory has departed. There
is consequently much jealousy of Tegucigalpa,
208 A LADY'S BIDE
the present capital, wherein the President, Dr
Soto, now dwells.
It was about noon when we wound in from
some pretty country by a circular path, and
arrived baked and weary at Madame Vic-
torine's posada. The great heavy gates were
closed, and a bell, ponderous enough for a
cathedral, clanged the intelligence that stran-
gers were waiting without. A mozo came
out, looked at us, speedily shut the gate, and
vanished.
In a few moments a plump, nice-looking
woman came through the gates, her head
covered with a pocket-handkerchief. "En-
trez, descendez, Madame ; descendez vite, je
vous prie. Le diner nous attend. Ah, ma
foi, le soleil vous a mal traite ! Mais entrez."
So saying, she nearly pulled me off my mule,
and took me through the court-yard into the
house.
A younger woman was seated at a table
upon which the noonday dinner was spread.
She gave me kindly welcome, and told me
not to talk, but to sit down and eat. " I have
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 209
looked at you through the little window in
the court-yard," she added, with the utmost
frankness ; " you are going to stay, so eat now,
and take a siesta afterwards."
There were stewed pigeons, I remember, and
some macaroni before me, but I could not eat ;
I only felt a longing to lie down on the floor.
The elder woman was equal to the occasion.
She went to a cupboard and brought out a
bottle of cognac. " That is what you want/'
said she in the French language ; " drink of
it it is quite pure ; you have been too long
in the sun." So speaking, she thrust a tall,
narrow glass of brandy -and -water into my
hand, and stood over me like an amateur
policeman till I had swallowed its contents.
" Now, eat of the pigeon ; don't refuse ; you
will be drunk, and that would be shocking,
you know," continued she, with a humorous
twinkle of the eye ; " shock -ing, eh, my friend ?"
I laughed, for the remedy had already
" fetched up " my spirits ; and I found shortly
that both pigeon and rice-pudding were, after
my late experiences, very luxurious fare.
o
210 A LADY'S RIDE
Some hours after we were again seated to-
gether, and then Madame Victorine informed
me that she and her sister were going away to
France in ten days, and that the establishment
was in some confusion, because they were pack-
ing up, and preparing to make over the concern
to a manager, who was to act for her for a
year.
" So you are welcome to stay for a day or
two ; but I cannot treat you well. We are
killing the old poultry and pigeons now," con-
tinued Madame, " and there are not many pro-
visions of any kind in the house."
I hastened to assure her that one day would
do ; but she insisted upon my remaining two
days. " Eduardo is with his friends, and Mar-
cos is at a muleteer's posada. The mules are
in my stable ; they cannot be turned out here.
Now, come into the verandah, and we will take
our coffee there," said she.
" I think," said the sister, whose name was
Mathilde, "you are the lady who is going to
San Pedro Sula ; indeed our mozo learned this
from your guides. Do you know the doctor 1 "
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 211
" Not personally, only in the way of business,"
I replied. I thought I saw a look of intelli-
gence pass between the sisters, but it was so
slight that I was perhaps mistaken. Then the
elder said : " You promised the men some beer,
did you not, after crossing the Juan 1 The
muleteer has been twice here asking for it, but
I would not have you disturbed, and he will
come this evening."
" Trust Marcos for forgetting to claim any-
thing that will save his own pocket," I thought ;
and then added aloud, " Can you supply me
with some, and allow me to settle with you ? "
" My stores are quite exhausted, but when
the man returns I will give him some of my
best wine. I am the only importer of good
beer in Comayagua, but your guides will be
only too glad to get wine. I will see the man,
and you can pay me for the wine. Do not let
the muleteer purchase it ; he will make you pay
a fine price."
A bath and a clean bed quite restored me,
and I was able to go out and look about. The
fine old church is in bad preservation, and the
212 A LADY'S RIDE
bells, which are said to be made of silver, give
forth anything but a musical sound. The edifice
was, however, clean, and it contained some
curious relics. On my return I found Eduardo
waiting to see me.
"I thought," said Madame, "that you would
like to pay your respects to the Bishop. The
palace is close by ; send the mozo with your
compliments, and inquire at what time his
lordship will receive you."
Eduardo was despatched, and returned with
a message to the effect that the Bishop would
gladly receive me at four in the afternoon. At
that hour Eduardo attended me to the palace,
which was enclosed within a high wall, and
entered by a plain handsome gate. This opened
on a court which was surrounded by a garden.
The centre part of the garden was laid out in
parterres, intersected by low cane fences. These
were interwoven and nearly hidden by large
masses of convolvuli in luxuriant flower, blue,
striped, white, pink, and the loveliest of all, the
pure white bell, with a touch of mauve colour
in the depths of its corolla. These spread them-
ACKOSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 213
selves in all directions, and a little clipping here
and training there would have been an improve-
ment. A splendid specimen of the date-palm
a tree which seems to be honoured above its
fellows in all parts grew at each corner of the
plot, and afforded plentiful shade. The court
was open to the sky, and a widely paved portico
ran round it : on this opened the doors of the
several rooms occupied by the establishment.
The roofing of these was composed of the usual
red tiles, fluted in wavy form, the common
covering of Hondureian houses. The building
was of one storey, the better to be able to with-
stand a shock of earthquake.
A youth, in resemblance something between
an acolyte and a gentleman usher, admitted
us. This official wore black knee-breeches,
and black silk stockings, which were partially
hidden by a black silk gown his robe of office
probably. He was bareheaded, and his hair,
which was raven black, seemed to grow from
the top of the scalp only, and hung straight
downwards like a large tassel. He reminded
me of a Christ's Hospital boy who had been
214 A LADY'S RIDE
dyed. This young gentleman's face lacked
refinement somewhat, but his manner was
very courteous without being in the least
servile.
" You are more than welcome," he said ; "El
Senor Obispo [the Lord Bishop] is always so
glad to receive strangers, and a lady from
England is a rare visitor indeed. You are
the first of that nation that I have seen, for I
have never been out of Comayagua."
He passed before us, and ushered me into
a room which seemed to serve as a place of
waiting for visitors to the palace, and others
who could not be left standing in the outer
court. The furniture of this apartment was
very simple ; but some beautifully woven
matting covered the floor. The book-shelves
contained works of devotion principally, and
on a side table stood a stereoscope, a French
newspaper, and some photographs. I think
the only picture here was a very fine en-
graving of the Cathedral of Leon in Old
Spain. A rocking-chair stood out comfort-
ably near the door ; and a bunch of lovely
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 215
oleander-blossoms was lying upon it, just giv-
ing a touch of colour to the cool tones of the
surroundings.
A few minutes elapsed, and the attendant
reappeared to take me into the Bishop's pres-
ence. Eduardo came forward and made as if
he would like to accompany me ; but he was
waived back, and told to wait till the Senora
should summon him.
We crossed to the opposite side of the court,
and I was shown into a large cool apartment,
which was very sparsely and poorly furnished.
A few pictures covered with glass were its
only decorations. Shortly afterwards a tall
spare man entered the room, vested in the dress
of a dignitary of the Eoman Catholic Church.
This was the Bishop of Comayagua a man of
gentle manner and peace - loving disposition,
but now bowed down with years, and a sufferer,
like many other unoffending persons, from the
ruin which successive revolutions had wrought
upon the country.
The first salutations ended, the Bishop con-
gratulated me on being an inmate of Madame
216 A LADY'S RIDE
Victorine's establishment, and then inquired if
I was going far ?
I replied, " I am on my way, my lord, to San
Pedro Sula," then seeing that this icformation
only caused a look of surprise, I continued : "I
wrote to your lordship announcing my intention
of going to San Pedro Sula, on the Doctor's
invitation, to superintend his school there."
" I never received that letter. He has never
either personally or otherwise mentioned the
subject to me."
" Perhaps your lordship will kindly inform
me whether the doctor had obtained your sanc-
tion to open a school for the colonists ; and
also, whether he was authorised by either
yourself or the Government to select the
teacher."
" Seiiora, I never heard of the proposition."
" But surely you are aware, my lord, that in
the pamphlet published, and, as I believe, sanc-
tioned by the Government, your signature ap-
pears to a document which tells the world that
you heartily approve of all that this person is
doing for the education of the colonists, and
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 217
you further pledge yourself to support him as
much as you can."
" That is true in a general sense; and eighteen
months ago, every one of the undertakings with
regard to the immigrants seemed in a prosperous
state. But things have changed, lamentably
changed."
" Why, my lord, what is the reason of this
change ? I have the letter, written to me at
Sydney, a very short time ago, which gives a
very prosperous account of the settlement."
The Bishop moved uneasily, and said some-
thing about some persons being possessed of a
sanguine temperament.
"It is true, is it not, that the Government
of Honduras gave a grant of land some time
ago for the express purpose of building a school-
room ? Moreover, the Doctor is written of as
being a personal friend of Dr Soto, the present
President," I affirmed decisively.
"You are right. Dr Soto was very ready,
when the colony was first settled, to afford the
promoter every encouragement. He looked
upon his efforts in introducing labour as a very
218 A LADY'S RIDE
great step for the improvement of the whole
country ; but I believe there is a diminution in
their personal friendship. This," continued
his lordship, " is what I hear ; I do not state
this last on my own authority."
"Has the Doctor influence to secure me a
plantation ; or does the assignment rest entirely
with the Government 1 " I asked.
" The assignment of land is entirely in the
hands of the Government, and the concessions
made are generally very liberal. There is plenty
of land to be had, but care should be taken in
selecting it," replied the Bishop.
" I should so like to have a place of my
own/' I replied. " I am fond of teaching ; but
it is not pleasant to live in other people's
houses, generally speaking. To make a home
of my own was the chief reason that induced
me to come to Honduras."
" You can, I assure you, be very useful," said
the Bishop, with more warmth of manner ; " the
mothers in the country are very anxious to have
their children educated. You might easily find
private pupils, should you prefer this."
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 219
"At present, my lord, I consider myself
under engagement to the person who wrote to
me ; I am only sorry that I set out without
hearing from you/'
" Will you have any objection to tell me
what position he offered you, and also what
salary ? "
" In answer to my letter saying that I must
secure pupils, or even boarders, if I took up
land in Honduras, in order to pay the first
expenses, he wrote that he would immediately
make me teacher of the colonists' school at a
moderate salary the amount was not given ;
and further, that I could increase my means by
playing the organ in his church."
At this the Bishop stared, but said nothing.
He might well be dumfounded ; for I found,
on arriving at San Pedro Sula, that neither
organ nor any other instrument of music had
been seen in the church since it was built long
years ago.
The Bishop might have given the Doctor the
credit of having lately introduced that " modern
innovation," the harmonium, into the church.
220 A LADY'S RIDE
This, of course, I have no means of knowing,
as the old gentleman persevered in the utmost
reticence, and he did not give utterance to any
speculative opinions. He looked down, and
then suddenly raised his head with the inquiry,
" Have you sent any money on to the Doctor \ "
" No, my lord; I am expending money enough
in travelling so far."
" True." And as if* anxious to change the
subject, the Bishop spoke of her Majesty the
Queen of England. "We, as Catholics," said
the gentle old man, " were so touched to hear
of the sympathy shown by Queen Victoria to the
ex-Empress of the French on the death of her
son. Ah, ah ! " continued he, " the old stay,
and the young are taken away. Your royal
family loved the poor young lad, and they did
the kindest thing of all they attended him to
his grave ! Ay di mi ! But your Queen makes
no difference between Catholic and Protestant
in her friends ; she treated the Imperial Prince
with noble kindness. I have prayed for her :
she has a large heart."
After some observations about the Ritualist
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 221
party in England, in which he seemed to take
an intelligent interest, the Bishop rose. He
passed with me to the threshold, pointing out
one or two pictures as he did so. These were
very old, and represented portraits of remark-
able ugliness. Then the old man gave me his
blessing, and I was again standing in the outer
court.
222 A LADY'S EIDE
CHAPTER X.
" WELL, Senora, how do you like our Bishop ? "
was Eduardo's eager inquiry, as the portal of
the palace was closed against us. " Is he not
good and gentle ? "
" I like the Bishop very much, Eduardo ; but
I think he appears to be rather old for his
important position."
" He wants money, like all in Honduras.
The revolutions and the Honduras railway have
taken all the money. I am glad, Senora, how-
ever, that the failure of the railway was caused
by British mismanagement, and not by ours.
My father lost much by it, and they say that
the Bishop held a great many shares in that
railway."
The Honduras railway had been so often flung
in my face whenever the subject of honesty had
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 223
happened to come under discussion, that I
always changed the conversation as soon as
possible. This time I said, " Have you seen
Marcos 1 "
" Yes, Senora ; and he tells me that he has
heard in Comayagua that you are a relative of
the Doctor at San Pedro Sula. Is that true,
Senora \ "
" Certainly not : I never saw the man in my
life. Tell Marcos this. I suppose he is living
with the gossips of the town, who invent news
for want of something to talk about."
We found Madame anxiously awaiting our
return ; and as I entered she darted forwards
and exclaimed, " Ah I the Bishop has told you
all about the Doctor ; ah ! indeed he must have
said a great deal about him. Do tell me, Senora,
I am interested for you, although I have not
spoken. I suppose his lordship told you much,
eh?"
" On the contrary, his lordship said very
little. That which renders me now very un-
comfortable, is what the Bishop did not say/'
I replied sadly.
224 A LADY'S RIDE
"Ah!" replied Madame, speaking as fast as
possible, in the French tongue, " he must have
the prudence, the caution ; you know so little,
and perhaps he thought that I was wise, and
had not informed you much. Did his lordship
ask you of me ? "
<f I told him that I was in your house ; he
said you were a kind-hearted woman."
" Ah ! no more : well he did not tell you, and
it is possible that it would be of much difficulty
to state the things in a foreign tongue. His
lordship not altogether comprehend you ; and,
on the other side, you not quite understand
him. Is it not ? "
This was more than likely, and would account
very strongly for the Bishop's reticence ; so I
replied, " I am afraid the Bishop did not quite
make out my Spanish here and there."
" Very possibly, yet you do well fairly well.
Confide to me ; the Bishop, did he not tell you
one thing about the Doctor ? "
" Only that the colony was not nearly so pros-
perous as it was at first, and that things are
changed. His lordship either could not or
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 225
would not say wherefore. One thing," I
continued, " the Bishop did assert, and that
was that your President, Dr Soto, is by no'
means satisfied with the Doctor, and seemed
to infer that he (Dr Soto) is not friendly with
him."
"Ah! how could he be? But I won't say
more. I don't want to gossip about the man in
my house ; and perhaps after all, Senora after
all, he may not be so bad. I don't know him,"
she answered.
" I wish you would tell me honestly what
you have heard about him, or what is your
reason for saying he may not be so very
bad."
" Well, it is for yourself to judge how to act.
He is no longer a priest of the diocese of Hon-
duras. That is what the rumour is. Myself,
I do not know ; but if this is true, the Bishop
would have said. Eh \ "
" His lordship certainly ought to have done
so," I replied, greatly startled at this news ;
" but why is he no longer a priest of the
diocese ? "
22f5 A LADY'S HIDE
" Ah ! that I cannot say. The Bishop was
obliged to suspend him, because the petition
from the people of San Pedro Sula was so
strong that his lordship could not act other-
wise. You see 1 "
"No, I don't see. If he be suspended, he
would hardly be living at San Pedro now."
"Oh! that is the difficulty. The church is
locked up ; there is no one officiating. I tell
you what ; you turn your mule's head and go
back, that is my advice."
"I cannot; I have not money enough," I
answered. " My expenses are all paid or pro-
vided for to San Pedro. The men's agreements
are signed for that. If things do not suit, I
will get private pupils, and return to England
as soon as I can."
" That will cost money," said Madame.
"Yes; I shall have to wait till I can get
funds sent from England to bring me away.
But I will not think that things are so bad :
the Doctor's suspension may be only temporary.
If otherwise, he would never have written and
engaged me to come to Honduras."
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 227
" I think he must have got into trouble after
he had written to you to come. That is very
likely. You have not put any money into his
hands, have you 1 "
" Not any ; I expect him to put money into
mine," I answered with a laugh.
"Oh 1 I am glad he has not any of your
money," said the kind-hearted Frenchwoman.
Thus, between Madame's knowing and not
knowing, added to the reticence of the Bishop,
I had learned enough to make me very un-
comfortable. I resolved, however, to act in
a straightforward manner, and so I said to
Madame, "There is a telegraph line between
Comayagua and San Pedro Sula, is there
not ? "
" Certainly not very good ; it breaks often,
but it does work. Do you want to send a
telegram ? "
" Yes ; I shall telegraph to the Doctor to
announce that I am setting off for San Pedro,
and to request him either to meet me there, or
send some one to represent him."
" Good very good ; write the telegram in
228 A LADY'S RIDE
Spanish. Stay I will do so for you ; I have
more experience : and let me add that you
request an answer."
" There will be scarcely time, I think ; but,
at any rate, he will have to prepare to receive
me. There is nothing for it now but to make
the best of the situation, and try and shake off
evil impressions."
With this resolution I buried myself in the
depths of a wide clean hammock, and rocked
away " dull care " till the call for supper came.
The lively chat at Madam e's table served
for a while at least to dispel a tendency to
a despondent state of mind, and after supper
I was too busy in making preparations for the
onward march to dwell upon what I had heard ;
and so night drew on, and in the early morning
afterwards I was fresh, and willing to continue
the journey to San Pedro Sula.
" One word more I have to say to you," said
Madame, as she stood with her sister in the
courtyard looking at the preparations for depar-
ture. " You may remain at San Pedro, or you
may find it wiser to leave it. Now Mr De Brot,
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 229
the consul at Puerto Cortez, is an honourable,
kind man, and he does banking business. You
write to him; he will know how to get your
money from England; but, dear lady, do not
allow any one but him to have anything to
do with business of any kind for you, whether
you go or stay. I mean money business/' she
continued, with a knowing waggle of her
head.
" Now I must transact my own little business
with you," I said. " Let me know what I am
indebted to you for my board and lodging."
" Ah 1 bah ! nonsense 1 " returned Madame.
" You pay ! No, indeed, you won't ; I am too
glad to see a lady. You can settle for the
mules in the stable ; but for entertainment
in my house, no, never never. See, too,
we are going away ; you have taken only the
remnants of food old pigeons, end of this,
scrap of that ; no, such is not my usual table
for strangers."
So I settled a very modest score for the
stabling of the mules, and then Madame in-
formed me that she and her sister would be
230 A LADY'S RIDE
a night in San Pedro Sula very shortly, on
their way to Puerto Cortez, from whence they
were to sail to New York. " We shall meet
again," said Madame Yictorine, "so I shall
only say au revoir."
We issued out at the great portal of the
shady court into a blazing sun, but we were
all refreshed and comforted by our rest ; and
Luisa was so frisky that it was difficult to hold
her in. I gave my grateful thanks to both of
the ladies for their hospitality; and the last
words I heard from the Posada Victorine were
the stringent tones of Madame repeating her
injunctions as to caution.
The macho was so wild that he and Eduardo
were sent on first, and enjoined to keep out of
Luisa's sight, as that animal seemed very much
inclined to " bolt " ; for she persistently imi-
tated her mate in all his ways, good or evil,
and he evidently had come into the world as
a racing character. Marcos placed the staid
baggage-mule in front of Luisa, and at a quick
trot we passed on our way.
Madame Victorine had put down on paper
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 231
the names of the places wherein it would be
best to stop. We had left the grand scenery
here, but still we passed through some fine
country very badly cultivated. At this point
my journal runs : " Halted for a few moments,
fifteen miles from Comayagua, at the house of
Don Somebody Navarro, a sickly man, who
hospitably gave me some milk and bread. This
Senor is reputed rich, but his surroundings are
most miserable. He spoke English, having
lived in Cuba. The men got provisions in
the village, so our store is ample.
" Crossed rather a dangerous but narrow river
in the afternoon. I managed the mule pretty
fairly and without help : in consequence, Marcos
condescended to inform me that I was much
improved in my riding. The fact is that Luisa
is getting to know me, and the kindly beast
does her best to travel gently. Arrived at a
place called ' Quevos.' Here we spent the
night ; and the house which we had selected
was quiet and respectable. It was kept by a
poor widow, and it was the cleanest house I
had seen. In the evening the woman asked
232 A LADY'S RIDE
ine if I would object to joining in the evening
prayer ?
" ' Object ! ' I replied ; * I am only too glad
to join with Christians in His praise and His
worship/
" She told me that the revolution had swept
away the church of the village. The late euro,
of the parish was dead, and there was no money
to pay another, as the present Government re-
fused all aid. 'So,' said she, 'a few of us join
in the morning and evening prayer. We will
not live like heathens.' The room was care-
fully swept out, and shortly afterwards about
a dozen persons of both sexes entered the room,
and dropped on their knees. A curtain was
drawn aside, and displayed a small altar on
which stood a cross, and before it a little vase
filled with lovely flowers. A few prayers were
said, and a hymn was sung, and then all silently
departed. It was a simple heartfelt service ;
truly that of the two or three gathered together
in Christ's name."
This from my journal, July 25 :
"A long ride was before us on the follow-
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS.
ing morning, as we were anxious to cross the
river Blanco by daylight ; and I was told that
the stream, though very narrow at the crossing-
point, was dangerous on account of a peculiarly
rapid under-current, which it required some
dexterity to fight against. It was a comfort
to hear, however, that a canoe was always on
the side of this stream. It was arranged that
we should sleep at Santa Yzabel after crossing
the Eio Blanco (White Eiver). The Eio Blanco
here is little more than a narrow and deep strait
reputed to be very dangerous. An Indian sits
all day in a canoe, to be ready to convey pas-
sengers and their baggage to the opposite side.
" The mules and cattle are sent into the
stream, and they swim to shore : the bath is
very refreshing to them, as they get but scanty
attention, generally speaking, in the matter of
cleansing. However, it is looked upon as a
great nuisance to have to take all the baggage
from off the sumpter-mule and the saddles from
the others, only to replace all, twenty minutes
later, on the opposite side.
" The crossing -place at this point is very
234 A LADY'S RIDE
picturesque, the bank rising to a mound on
one side of the path, whereon the interlaced
branches of two magnificent tamarind - trees
threw their arms far over the water. The
lovely crimson creeper, Prendas de Amor
(Links of Love), carpeted the ground in great
profusion. This creeper has no perfume ; but
it is an error to suppose that all the wild
flowers in these countries are scentless. At
this spot, too, the grass was unusually soft
and green ; and at the root of the trees grew a
cream-coloured flower, bearing a violet eye, the
name of which it was impossible to discover.
" Save the quinine-tree, I had never been
able to ascertain the name of any shrub or
flower, from either Eduardo or Marcos. The
former sometimes characterised a bird, and he
was always on the alert to gather any edible
fruit that might show itself from out of the
hedge or thick-growing foliage.
" Now, crossing the river Blanco is to be
undertaken, and remembering my experience
of the Juan, I look upon the canoe and the
Indian with the utmost satisfaction. Two
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 235
Spanish herdsmen with a flock of superb cattle,
a peasant with his wife and mule, and lastly,
a long string of charcoal-laden mules, attended
by their drivers, had convened here from other
directions, and waited to cross the stream.
One boatman and one canoe for the work I
It was lucky that the great proportion of this
assemblage could be independent of the In-
dian's aid.
" The personnel and baggage would cause
fetching and carrying enough, and, of course,
with so much business on hand, there must be
a convenio on the matter. So the men got out
their cigarillos, and we two women, after being
dismounted, bowed to each other and exchanged
some words, and then looked about for a
seat under the tamarind-trees. I had already
selected my spot, but Eduardo intervened.
' Not so near the roots, Seiiora ; there may be
snake-holes about them. Come farther down
here ; there is plenty of shade, and the grass is
short : there is nothing here wherein a serpent
can hide.' '
The trail of the serpent is over it all, then ?
236 A LADY'S EIDE
But I remembered that these reptiles are in
general very fearful of the human proximity,
and the most audacious culebra would hardly
dare to come among so many. There was
plenty of shade under the tree, as Eduardo said,
far away from the roots ; and the longing for
rest was strong upon me. No wonder that so
it was in such a place, so cool and secluded,
a spot, too, wherein, for a short time at least,
we were safe from the bite of insects, and where
myriads of butterflies of every shape and form
and size served to brighten the scene with
gorgeous colour, and add their quota of cheer-
fulness to the *hard work of life, round which
they whirled and fluttered. We deserved our
rest, for all of us had ridden many leagues.
However, before I seat myself under the
friendly tree, I must see that Eduardo unsaddled
Luisa properly. This supervision was necessary,
as the young fellow had a habit of letting the
saddle slip to the ground, pommel downwards.
What would become of me should this most
useful of projections become damaged or broken
off at this stage of the journey ? I was feel-
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 237
ing weaker, so every risk which would incur
discomfort was to be avoided.
The saddle was carried into the shade of a
shrub, and then I took my seat and signed to
the country-woman to come and sit near me.
A little brandy-and-water in the travelling flask
and a few tortillas were all the fare I had to
offer. This I proposed to share with the stranger,
to which she readily assented ; and on her own
behalf she produced some queso, and some dried-
looking green fruit which was far from invit-
ing. A few slices of roasted plantain rolled up
in leaves gave a better turn to affairs, and the
final appearance of a bottle of milk was really
to this feast creme de la creme.
The men meanwhile unloaded the mules, chat-
tering and gesticulating as they did so. The
delight of the animals as their packs disappeared
was curious to witness, and our usually staid
baggage-mule gave expression to her satisfac-
tion by kicking her neighbours right and left,
and lashing at everything she could lay heels on.
The first excitement of freedom being over,
she rolled on the soft sweet grass, and then
238 A LADY'S RIDE
walked in among the charcoal mules and began
deliberately to bite and kick at them. A shout
from Marcos and a tremendous whack from his
stick acted as a deterrent ; and with the ob-
jurgatory, "Ah, mula redonda !" (0 fool of a
mule !) our friend was " chivied" up a bank, and
made to wait there until her turn for the swim
should come. This was well for the human
as well as for the animal kind, for a stray blow
might have fallen upon some of us ; and it
is well known that a kick from a mule is far
more severe, in degree, than a kick from a horse.
My companion expressed the opinion that the
refractory beast had been bitten by the mule-
fly, for it was still running about, and rubbing
and kicking against the bushes. The agony
from the bite of this fly is very great, and in
passing through swamps the insect is sure to
be lying in wait. It is large in size, and bears
some resemblance to the bluebottle-fly ; gener-
ally it makes its attack near the eye. " I know
a little about the matter," continued my infor-
mant, " and I assure you a fly will hang about
one particular mule for many leagues after its
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 239
' habitat ' has been passed. A good muleteer
always looks out for this pest, and is careful
to take it off the animal, for not only does
it sting deep, but it also draws a good deal
of blood."
We talked and rested for nearly an hour.
The Indian who owned the canoe had been in-
vited to land and to partake of the men's rations,
and the poor fellow seemed to enjoy most thor-
oughly the kindness and good companionship
which he had fallen in with. The country-
woman told me that her husband bred mules
on a ranche in the interior, and that they were
on the way to Santa Cruz to receive the money
for a sale of animals which he had made to the
engineer of the railway works near that town.
" They would not stop at Santa Yzabel, as we
intended to do," she said, because they had
friends in the interior some miles farther on,
and they could reach the place before nightfall.
The crossing was effected, but it took a long
time, owing to the troublesome current. This
was so rapid, that even our audacious friend,
the macho, refused point-blank to enter the
240 A LADY'S EIDE
water, and had finally to be lugged forward by
the head, and pushed vigorously from behind,
to get him afloat. When fairly in the water,
he refused to come out, and amused himself
by swimming round the canoe, to the utmost
peril of that frail transport. The Indian, agile
as a monkey, at a sudden turn leapt on his back ;
and so, with the help of another man, this
wretch was hauled, braying and stamping, to
the opposite shore. The observations of Marcos
on this occasion are not fit to be recorded to
ears polite ; but nevertheless, he never laid a
finger on the beast.
Was not the macho a valuable animal, and
was not Marcos expecting to sell him well on
the return journey?
All being at length happily managed, we
friends of an hour took farewell of each other,
and sped on our several ways. A few miles'
distance brought my party to Santa Yzabel,
which, instead of being a village, as we had
expected, was merely a '" half farm, half hut,
lonely dwelling. It was particularly rich in
grass, and this delighted Marcos for his mules'
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 241
sake. I, on my own part, revelled in the pure
milk, in strolling among the cows, and inhal-
ing the air, which here was quite redolent of
wild thyme.
The woman of the house was very obliging,
but she possessed little wherewith to replenish
our commissariat. A tough fowl, and a few
tortillas which she baked expressly for us, were
all that she could procure. The night was
wretched, and this had the salutary effect of
causing us to strike our tents very early on the
following morning. A bowl of milk was my
own breakfast, and it was a chance if I could
get anything more for many hours.
My journal of July 27, may be admissible
here :
" We rode several miles, and passed some
glorious cedar-trees. Here, for the first time,
I saw that lovely bird the Cardinalis r ultra,
which is remarkable for being so nervous con-
cerning its own safety as never to build unless
it feels itself to be perfectly safe. It will some-
times choose five or six different places before
it finishes its nest. The highest and darkest
242 A LADY'S RIDE
cedar-tree is its usual habitat, and its song is
very peculiar, something between a warble and
a whistle. It derives its name from the splen-
dour of the crest, which is of a brilliant scarlet
colour, intermixed here and there with a few tips
of peacock-green hue. The female has no crest,
but she is an elegantly shaped bird.
" It was the peculiar note of this songster that
first drew Eduardo's attention to our beautiful
neighbour. As the ground was soft, and we had
been treading upon a thick layer of fragrant
cedar-needles, it was possible that there had not
been noise enough to startle the bird. His mag-
nificent crest glanced through the background
of dark cedar foliage with great effect. We
stopped simultaneously; and Eduardo, stepping
up to me, said ' Senora, will you lend me the
revolver? I can bring him down/
" ' No, Eduardo, it would be cruelty; besides,
the bird would be torn to pieces ; don't think of
shooting it.'
" 'But, Senora, I would like the feathers.'
" ' Very well, Eduardo, I can only say, if you
shoot that bird, I will not give you the revolver,
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 243
as I had intended to do, when we arrive at San
Pedro Sula.'"
This settled the matter, and Eduardo returned
the little case to the canvas bag from which he
had half withdrawn it.
We had never, as yet, had occasion to use this
implement as a weapon of defence, but I had
from time to time allowed the lad to discharge
it ; for, by the generosity of the officer of the
Clyde, suitable ammunition had been also sup-
plied with the little case. Eduardo had taught
me the use of the weapon, and I had more than
once discharged it for practice; but I never
was quite happy when handling it, and I rather
looked forward to the time when I could safely
get rid of it.
Marcos was beginning to be impatient at the
delay, and suddenly raised a shout. This had
the effect of scaring the birds, one or two of
which flew with a shrill cry to some more dis-
tant trees. We saw them more perfectly by this
means, and thus satisfied, I cared little for being
peremptorily hurried on by the muleteer.
My journal goes on to say that we arrived
244 A LADY'S HIDE
next at a place called Maniobar. Very pretty,
but the inhabitants were holding some races, and
this being the case, we could procure neither
food nor shelter. These were the most churlish
beings we had encountered. Nothing for it but
to ride to Coalcar.
In another way Maniobar was remarkable : it
was here that we saw a large poisonous snake.
The reptile literally crawled between the feet of
the baggage-mule ; and Luisa, with the instinc-
tive horror which all mules have of snakes,
nearly jumped her own height from off the
ground. The men drew out their machetes
quickly ; but the reptile was too quick for them,
and raising its crest with a hiss, it glided be-
neath some bushes. This was rather a narrow
escape.
The night was particularly wretched ; and the
place at which we halted was so uninviting, that
I proposed, as the moon was full, to travel at
night.
The mozos evidently feared, as they always
had feared, to travel after dusk, so this was neg-
atived. The result was " I had my hammock
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 245
slung outside, and made the best of it. Swarms
of mosquitoes, and very little to eat and drink."
The next entry records a far more pleasant
experience. " After a weary ride, we arrived at
Santa Cruz. This town is built with some reg-
ularity, and is far in advance of many that we
have passed. We went first to the principal inn,
but finding that the proprietor owned a farm-
house in the neighbourhood which was on our
route, we decided to go there. As Marcos
wanted to linger in the town, he readily agreed
to go to the farm with me and the mules, if I
would grant him and Eduardo leave of absence
till nine o'clock in the evening. I agreed to this ;
and by three o'clock in the afternoon I was left
in the hands of a cheery Spanish woman, who
was wife of the landlord of the inn at Santa
Cruz."
It was a great treat to meet with one of so
much refinement as this lady proved to be ; and
when I had bathed and dined comfortably, I
quite enjoyed the walk with her in the cool of
the evening. She was the very description of
woman which Honduras wanted, and as we sat
246 A LADY'S RIDE
in the veranda-h taking coffee, I could not help
telling her so.
" We have had many misfortunes of late years,
Senora," she said, " and many bad examples from
those who assume to teach us progress in com-
mercial transactions. Just look now at that
Honduras railway ! It might have made the
country ! Ah, Senora ! we have to thank the
British people for ruining our trade and com-
merce for many years to come. Ruin and loss
make women hopeless, Senora, and that has been
the case in Spanish Honduras. However, we
are hoping now for brighter days. America is
bringing in both labour and money. Yes, I
think better times are coming. God grant it ! "
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 247
CHAPTER XL
WHEN the hour came round for starting on the
following morning, I, for the first time during
this journey, evinced the greatest reluctance to
depart; for never had I been so comfortably
lodged, or enjoyed so much privacy.
I could not help saying this much to the
padrona, when she brought me a capital break-
fast, nicely laid out on a tray covered with fair
linen.
" Put off the start for an hour," said she ;
"your men are languid this morning, for they
made the most of their holiday yesterday, and
are disposed to rest. I will take you round the
farm ; the morning is cool as yet."
We went to the dairy farm, where there were
a large number of beautiful cows with their
calves, which gave plenty of occupation to four
248 A LADY'S EIDE
or five lads and girls, who, though poorly clad,
looked healthy and bright. Two young women
were busy in the laundry, from whence the
clean smell of wood-ashes boiling in a caldron
to make the lye announced that linen washed
in that establishment would get fair play, and
not be bedevilled with chemical soaps and
other abominations, the only use of which is
to save the necessary hand and arm work of
the washerwoman (so called), and destroy the
material.
Skirting a small bakehouse, we passed through
a gate into the garden. This was only in course
of formation, and was evidently the pride of
the padrona. It was delightful to find sweet-
peas and mignonette growing in a nicely laid
out border; indeed, in this delicious air and
at this elevation, many English flowers would
flourish luxuriantly. My hostess possessed a
large collection of garden seeds, and she was
trying experiments with all in their turn.
Among the deciduous plants, I was shown a
pretty flowering shrub called the " Spinarosa."
I perceive, by the way, that a perfumery-house
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 249
in London is advertising a new scent which
bears this name. May all success attend it !
for nothing can be more delicate than the fra-
grance of the Spinarosa flower ; and, like pure
water, its specific virtue is imperceptible, though
perfection is the virtue which characterises it as
a whole. The padrona had imported two of
these shrubs from Guatemala, but I believe the
plant is to be found in the Honduras also.
Time will not halt even in Vera Cruz, and
soon Marcos hunted me to the garden, with the
intimation that I must mount speedily. On
returning to the house to complete preparations,
I found amongst my effects some cotton print,
which I presented to my kind hostess, as it was
enough to make a dress for her little girl. I had
bought the material, together with some good
embroidery, to make a short dressing-gown for
myself so this, fortunately, made the gift a
respectable one. As to accepting any remuner-
ation in the shape of money for my entertain-
ment, the kind creature quite repudiated the
idea. " She was so happy to receive one with
whom she could converse," she said ; " and was
250 A LADY'S RIDE
I not a ' Soltera ' ? And why was this ? And
oh ! the world was so hard."
Thus speaking, the padrona walked at the
mule's head, and led me down through the
broken fences which bounded the untidy land
outside her domain into a lovely dell, down
which sparkled a running stream, babbling
musically, and seeming to cast up diamonds of
yellow light upon Luisa's hoofs, as she splashed
into the centre of its bed. There we parted,
with the sisterly kiss of peace, and I carried
away with me a very tender memory of Vera
Cruz. Ay di mi ! Vera Cruz ; True Cross.
May not its signification in part be realised in
all the realms of earth, where parting, even
with a stranger, gives the heart a pang ?
The path became very stony in a couple of
hours after leaving the dell, and we pronounced
it to be only inferior in disagreeables to a val-
ley of flint, some miles in length, which we
traversed after we had long left Comayagua
behind us.
Here Luisa was startled by a heifer which
plunged out of a hedge on hearing our approach,
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 251
and so took me into the depths of a thicket,
wherein I lost my veil and the brim of one side
of my hat. This loss may appear too insig-
nificant to record ; but the effect of this slight
accident was, that at night, the skin of the one
side of my throat and face was peeled away in
strips, and it was some days before the pain
quite left me. Such is the strength of the fierce
heat of the noonday sun in Honduras.
The penalty of our late start was paid not
only by having to suffer great heat, but also by
the necessity of rapid travelling. We had
literally wandered up hill and down stream.
As the evening waned we found ourselves enter-
ing upon a large tract of plain, upon which
nothing seemed to grow but tall grass of a pale-
green colour, and a few distorted shrubs.
What was that in the distance ? It appeared
like the monument of a woman placed on a high
pedestal, and nearer was another which bore the
form of a lion couchant. Now we passed a
group of enormous boulder-like stones, some of
which presented an uncouth and grotesque re-
semblance to lions and to dogs. Far away on
252 A LADY'S EIDE
the plain, detached and scattered, rose up those
enormous figures ; some without any definable
shape, others, again, gigantic and weird-like in
the deepening shadow of the evening. I re-
membered that we had to cross over a bend of
the river Palenque, and the thought darted
through my mind that these stones might in
some way belong to the curious ruins found
by Messrs Stephens and Catherwood in their
researches through Central America, and at
Palenque especially. But so far as I have seen,
these stones bear no sculpture, nor do they con-
vey the idea that they have ever belonged to
temple or palace, or that they have been con-
nected in one building of any kind.
Presently I halted with the intention to
examine a small stone, close to which I passed ;
but Marcos prevented this, with the strongest
determination expressed in the grip of his lean
brown hand. " Es un mal lugar" (it is a bad
place), said he; "un lugar de los muertos" (a
place of the dead). I attempted no more, for
the increasing darkness and the silence of my
attendants communicated a chill to my own
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 253
spirits. The only clear idea in my mind was,
that we were not far from Omoa, and Omoa is
not many miles away from Copan the place
whereat Mr Stephens, if I mistake not, met
with the most elaborate of the sculptured
idols.
My attendants, though they made no sign,
were evidently scared. They kept the animals
closer together, and we proceeded at a very
brisk trot. One of the shapes reminded me so
much of the story in the ' Arabian Nights ' of
the man who was transformed partially into
marble, that, in association with the surround-
ings, I began to wonder if this also were not an
Arabian Night's dream.
The rest were a little in front of me, for the
path had narrowed, and we were passing on the
side of a clump of trees. Suddenly a dark
mass, preceded by a rush, fell on Luisa's neck.
She nearly jumped her own height from the
ground ; and I mechanically drew the revolver
from the leather pocket which hung at my
girdle and fired, throwing the weapon down in
a fright at what I had done. The machetes of
254 A LADY'S RIDE
the two men were in the body of the mass
simultaneously, and I learned that I had fired
into the tail of what on inspection turned out
to be a coyote. A coyote here is said to be the
offspring of the dog and the fox. They are
dangerous if met with in packs. This turned
out to be a half-starved creature, which might
have been attracted by some dried venison-meat
which was dangling at the saddle of the macho
mule which Eduardo was leading just in front.
To my surprise, Luisa was not in the least
restive ; the macho, on the contrary, made
violent attempts to wrench the rein from
Eduardo and bolt.
" Now, Senora," said Marcos, as he picked
up the revolver, " you must ride quick, very
quick ; this beast may have a mate. They
are seldom alone, and that might be perilous.
Vamos, despacheo " (Let us go with speed).
We mounted accordingly, Marcos flying ahead
with rapid step, and we following at a good pace,
till we had left the p]ain behind us. It was
nearly dark when we drew up at the gate of a
maize -field, through which Marcos passed ; for
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 255
he had with his hawk's eye descried the roof of
a dwelling jutting out just beyond it.
Eiding through the field, we came in front of
the building, which was low and covered by an
overhanging thatch this serving evidently as a
verandah. The whole place looked so miserable
that I urged the guides to ride on, or even to
try and reach Potrerillos (our station for San
Pedro Sula), as the moon was full, and the road
perfectly plain. By this time an old man, fol-
lowed by his family, came to the edge of a wide
trench, which separated the garden and hut
from where we waited, and inquired what we
wanted.
Marcos told him to put back his three lean
dogs, which barked furiously the whole time,
and then he would tell him.
A discussion ensued, and the upshot was that
we must decide to remain where we were, at
least till daybreak.
" It is not safe to go on," the old man said ;
" the malagente (bad people, or robbers) are
about in these parts." It was for that reason
that he had dug this wide trench before his
256 A LADY'S RIDE
garden, and put his dogs to sleep in it at
dusk.
Discretion at this juncture was certainly the
better part of valour ; and the plank which
belonged to this excavation being laid across
it, we entered the dominions of Senor Juan
Masaveo. This individual prided himself upon
being a Spaniard of pure race, and told us that
he belonged to Catalonia. A cursory glance at
the premises convinced me that I had better lie
down, as I was, in my hammock ; and so this
article was swung in the cart-shed, which had
been newly thatched. The youngest dog turned
out to be a most friendly little beast, and a few
scraps which I gave him made him a firm ally;
whereupon, an intimacy being established, he
laid himself down under the hammock ; and
I think he was quite equal to making a dash,
on my account, upon any intruder who might
venture into the shed, or molest me in any
way.
At the earliest glint of dawn Eduardo thrust
in his face, and announced that there was
nothing to eat, and that the mules (which had
ACKOSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 257
certainly been better off) could be ready in an
hour.
" We cannot get any milk here, Sefiora," the
lad continued, " until the vaca (cow) comes
down from her pasture on the hillside."
"When is this vaca likely to appear 1" I
asked. " Does not the woman know ? "
The reply was conveyed in that inimitable
shrug of the shoulders and flourish of the hand
with which the Hondureians answer inquiries
and solve difficulties.
" What do these people live on themselves ? "
I persisted ; for I was weak from want of food,
and I thought the cow might be as necessary for
some of them as for me.
" Oh, raw plantains, dried venison, and a kind
of soup made of maize. The men had this
before going to work."
" Then there is nothing for us to depend
upon but this vaca" I said. "Can she not
be searched for? I would pay for it."
" She will come when she chooses," replied
Eduardo, never making the least attempt or sug-
gestion that he might go and seek the animal
258 A LADY'S HIDE
himself. " I have brought you some water,
Senora," he continued ; " they have a nice well
here."
The water was a blessing, and after using it
freely, I felt better, and able to start for Potre-
rillos. The idea of getting away was a tonic in
itself.
The men had fallen back upon a few strips of
dried venison, but the mules had been fully fed
and watered ; and I was pleased to find that,
by dint of good travelling, we might reach
Potrerillos by ten o'clock in the morning.
My host, old and poor as he was, accompanied
me over the chasm, mounted me, and walked a
short distance at the mule's head. I asked him
if he could tell me anything about the stones
and the plain we had passed through on the
preceding night. He shook his head,, and only
replied that it was a place of the dead dead
many centuries ago. That was all he knew, he
said.
At the parting, on a turn between two slopes,
Eduardo handed up the little dog, and the old
man literally glowed with pleasure when I put
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 259
a peseta (lOd.) between his paws, and gave him
a tender pat. His owner promised to be kind
to him for my sake, and then, with the benison,
" El buen Dios le guarde muchos anos ! " (May
God spare you many years !), the old man doffed
his cap and went his way.
Ten o'clock found us at Potrerillos, and after
making inquiry, we rode up to the house of
Monsieur St Laurent, who, it appears, held the
position of head-man of the town. This posi-
tion throughout Honduras is a post very diffi-
cult to define or explain ; and how the individ-
ual occupying it arrives at this dignity, I found
it equally impossible to fathom. It depends
neither on age, nor talent, nor length of resi-
dence in the place. I drew the conclusion, at
last, that some one individual possessing a little
more energy than usual, combined with some
commercial stake in the country, assumed the
leadership of the community, and the commun-
ity fell in with the arrangement as a matter of
course, it being a convenience generally, and a
saving of trouble to all.
Monsieur St Laurent received us very cour-
260 A LADY'S RIDE
teously, but he imparted a piece of information
which, for the time being, was highly unsatis-
factory to me, and this was that the railway
between Potrerillos and San Pedro Sula was
quite unserviceable ; in fact it had become so
broken down that for some months the railway
plant had been taken away, and nothing was
left but the rails and a broken-down bridge or
two. "We have now to ride to San Pedro
Sula," said M. St Laurent ; " the road is very
good, and it is under fifty miles' distance. Eest
here, if you like, to-night, and set off at four
to-morrow morning ; you will then reach San
Pedro easily in the afternoon."
But Marcos here intervened. He had been
engaged, he said, by contract to take the lady to
the railway station at Potrerillos. Well, there
was no railway station ; further, he was to be
paid in the head-house of Potrerillos in the pre-
sence of the head-man. Well, there was the
head-man; let the lady fulfil her part of the
contract and pay him, and let him depart."
In vain did Monsieur St Laurent urge the
muleteer to finish the journey, and take me on
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 261
to San Pedro. He was obdurate, and even an
appeal to his self-interest was, for a wonder,
quite superfluous. He had gained as much as
he wanted, the man said, and the lady could
hire fresh mules here. It was not worth his
while to cross the Palenque either; he wished
to return quickly, for he hoped to sell the macho
and the baggage-mule at Vera Cruz. So pro-
nouncing, Marcos drew his copy of our contract
from his pocket, and flourished it before Mon-
sieur St Laurent.
For the benefit of those who have not made
mule-journeys, I subjoin a copy of this contract,
which may prove useful to intending mountain
travellers. No one should travel far without
being provided with a form of this kind ; as it,
being stamped with the Government seal, serves
as a protection in out-of-the-way places, besides
acting as a restriction, if necessary, on the mu-
leteer.
Copy of Contract (Translation).
"I, Marcos Carcamo, undertake to conduct
Seiiora ' Soltera ' to the railway station at Potre-
rillos for San Pedro Sula, charging twelve pesos
262 A LADY'S RIDE
(crowns) for each one of three mules, and eleven
pesos for myself as muleteer and confidential
man of the said lady, the whole amounting to
forty-seven pesos.
"And we both and each agree that this
money shall be paid to me by Seiiora ' Soltera/
in the head-house (for the security of each of us)
at Potrerillos at the end of the journey.
" Given at Groascaron, this fourteenth day of
July, one thousand eight hundred and eighty-
one.
(Signed) "MARCOS CARCAMO.
"MARIA 'SOLTERA,'
" or MARY LONE.
(Stamped)
" Twelve reales."
Here folloius the receipt.
" I have received the amount of forty-seven
pesos, as promised above, and I am thoroughly
satisfied. MARCOS CARCAMO.
" Witnesses.
"EDUARDO ALBAREZ.
"ALFREDO ST LAURENT."
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 263
Marcos signed his name in such good hand-
writing that M. St Laurent inquired where he
had been taught.
" The good priest who was kind to the
Indians taught me," he answered. "I knew
more some years ago ; but now he is dead
and gone, I don't care to learn from any one
else ; besides, I am too old."
He then turned to me, and asked me to
furnish him with a certificate testifying to his
efficiency as a guide, and also to his having
served me with fidelity.
This I did cheerfully, and then he went out
with Eduardo, and dismounted the luggage, and
took off my saddle from Luisa's back. I came
out to wish this tried friend a kind good-bye,
and Marcos was so pleased that he said he
should tell of the incident in Goascaron. The
English lady had kissed his mule !
Doubtless it might be considered a gushing
thing to do, but I am not ashamed of the
action, and I shall ever feel grateful to this
patient intelligent creature for the way in
which she carried me never flagging, never
264 A LADY'S EIDE
sulky, and wanting no reward but a handful
of bread and salt. Had Marcos been as
tender-hearted as she, I might have ridden
her to San Pedro Sula. The knowledge of
this made my adieus to her owner rather
frigid.
" As you oblige me to hire other animals and
another guide, Marcos/' I said, " I cannot add
any present to your pay. Good-bye to you,
and take care of Luisa."
Madame St Laurent now joined us, and in-
vited me to come into the private part of her
house and take some refreshment. Eduardo
was handed over to the mozo of the house, and
we were both so thankful for our quarters that
the question of getting to San Pedro did not
for the moment trouble us. I found Madame
St Laurent very agreeable and friendly, and she
was also a woman of advanced education. Our
conversation soon verged round to the gentle-
man in whom I was so much interested. "Do
you know that he is expected here to-day ? "
she inquired.
"No," I replied; "unless he has come to
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 265
meet me, in answer to a telegram I sent him
from Comayagua."
" I do not think that is likely ; as we hear
that he is on the way to Comayagua. He stays
at a house in this town when he passes through,
and if he arrives to-day, I shall know of it, and
will let you know. If he does not appear, it is
possible that you may meet him on the road to-
morrow."
" Very strange, is it not, that he should be
leaving San Pedro just as I enter it ? "
Madame smiled, and looked at her husband,
and then said " There has been a great change
in the colony during the last few months :
several of the colonists have returned home;
others have gone to Guatemala; very few re-
main there now."
" Are you sure of this, Madame 1 " I asked.
" Quite sure, for many families pass through
here, and they speak more or less freely ; it
seems they have been deceived in many ways.
They complained solely of one person ; and the
only fault they find with the Government is,
that it has allowed itself to be hoodwinked by
266 A LADY'S KIDE
this man, and is so slow in redressing their
wrongs."
" What are these particular wrongs ? "
" It is said that when he chartered the vessel
to bring these colonists here, he made the
majority of them confide their money to him,
and that they cannot get a settlement. Then
there is a notion abroad that he is no priest,
but a former Protestant minister, who came
here with questionable recommendations. How-
ever, there is no doubt about his suspension, as
another priest is appointed to his cure. I am
glad of this for your sake, for the new priest is
a quiet and earnest man."
" I was told at Comayagua that the person in
question does not recognise his sentence of sus-
pension," I answered.
" That is absurd/' replied Madame, " for the
church is locked up, and the alcalde will only
give up the key to the newly appointed priest.
It is said that his predecessor will never be
reinstated. Indeed, how can it be otherwise 1
It is a great pity, for no one entered upon an
undertaking with finer prospects. The Govern-
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 267
ment was liberal ; the Presbyterian alcalde and
the Protestant Consul at Puerto Cortez both
helped, and were anxious to receive the col-
onists."
" And these," interposed Monsieur St Lau-
rent, " were mostly of a respectable class of
Irish small farmers. They brought a little
money, and I think with a different leader
they would have done well. Land has been
given whereon to build a school, but the school
is not even begun."
" What could induce him to write and en-
gage me to come and superintend this school I ".
I inquired.
Madame laughed. " I cannot say," she said
at length ; " but I daresay you will get that ex-
plained at San Pedro. Now, if you will go and
rest, we will see what we can do in getting you
mules. I know of one which you can ride, and
that is the principal part of the business."
A room like a small barn was assigned to me,
and Madame had sent in a bath, water, and
towels ; and Eduardo having looked to my
comforts, asked leave to go with Monsieur St
268 A LADY'S SIDE
Laurent's mozo to look after a mule for himself
and a baggage-mule.
" There is a very good muleteer in Potrerillos
just now," the lad said ; "he has only been
back one day from a long journey ; his name
is Andreas, and he is well known. I am re-
commended to apply to him."
I did not meet my kind hosts till sundown,
and then Madame knocked and entered with a
glass of white wine and a biscuit in her hand.
" Will you come and see my garden," said
she, "and then take supper with us at eight
o'clock?"
This invitation was most acceptable, and the
garden was in every respect a pleasant garden,
and one which testified most thoroughly to the
clever and perfect manner in which the French
all over the world utilise space, and ornament
unsightly places. The vine and some luxuriant
creepers shadowed the deep embrasured win-
dows, and the palisades round the house were
painted a cool green, through which the lovely
fringe-tree, shortened and pruned, was twisted
thickly enough to thoroughly shade the plants
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 269
within. A large barrel kept for watering the
garden was so deeply shrouded by clematis that
it appeared to be literally embedded in a huge
white muff. Eows of magnificent balsams,
mostly of red and orange colours, were planted
regularly on either side of a broad gravel-walk,
and here it was that Madame and I walked and
talked until supper-time.
At that meal Eduardo waited, and I found
that everything was prepared for the start at
five o'clock on the morrow. The muleteer,
Andreas, was to come with us, and the Palen-
que river would be crossed in a canoe : the only
trouble on the way would be the loading and
unloading the animals, and to this we had be-
come accustomed.
Even here the demon of unpunctuality held
its sway, and notwithstanding all the efforts of
Monsieur St Laurent, it was fully an hour past
the appointed time before we started for San
Pedro Sula. In spite of the hot sun, Madame
came out with a mosquito-net over her head to
say good-bye, attended by the 771020, bearing
a cup of coffee made in the perfect manner
270 A LADY'S EIDE
which seems to be a heaven-born gift of the
French.
A kind adieu did these good friends give me,
and as Andreas was swift of foot, we were soon
well on our way.
Save that the country was better cultivated,
it presented no very remarkable beauties, but
we passed some fine macaws in the trees; in-
deed, some of the smaller bushes were literally
covered with these living jewels. Passing
through the woods, the cooing of the doves,
and the whistle of the Cardinalis rubra assim-
ilated well with the distant murmur of the
river, which they bounded to the extent of
some miles. At length the crossing-place was
reached ; Andreas hailed the canoe, and the
boatman, taking me over first, seated me in
' O '
a shady wood-house, in company with a calf
and two kids. Looking between the cracks
of the planks, almost sheer down into the river,
I felt disappointed at its muddy and unpictur-
esque appearance at this point; so inferior to
the lovely Blanco. The banks plastered with
mud and sedge, with here and there a few
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 271
unhappy -looking reeds penetrating the ooze, in
company with shreds of leather and rope (rem-
nants of former crossings), gave me the idea of
a river in ruins : Palenque in all its variations
seemed to breathe nothing but mystery and
desolation.
Our halt for the day was on the outskirts of
a pretty little assemblage of houses, all built
with very high conical thatched houses. We
bivouacked under some magnificent trees, and
Andreas fetched from a garden in the neigh-
bourhood a supply of the most excellent water-
melons I have ever seen. A few pence bought
six of these, and the owner of the garden kindly
sent a rock-melon in addition, for the especial
delectation of the Senora.
We thoroughly enjoyed our lunch ; and as
the grass and water were good, our animals
also fed in comfort, although the halt here was
necessarily a short one.
Our way was now through the real palm-
forest of Honduras, lovely, tangled, unculti-
vated, damp, and picturesque.
All trace of path being lost, we mazed in and
272 A LADY'S EIDE
out where the ground was firmest, and free
from the sprawling uncovered roots of trees,
and the festoons of parasite plants which trailed
from above, bidding fair sometimes to encircle
us and lift us off our mules. Absalom here
would not have required an oak-tree.
We had just passed through a piece of
marshy land, and emerged more into the open,
when we saw two 'mounted figures coming
towards us, the one on a handsome mule, the
other on a well-bred-looking mare. The rider
of the latter was an elegant-looking man ; the
other short and stout, but bearing what is
called a good-natured-looking face.
Andreas exclaimed, " Here is Dr Pope,
Senora the short one ; the other is Don
Jesus Gonsalez, the Justice of the Peace of
San Pedro Sula."
I immediately urged on my mule, and struck
across the path in front of the riders. Bowing
to the short man, I said, " I believe I have the
honour of addressing the Kev. Dr Pope. I am
Maria Soltera. Have you received the telegram
I sent you from Comayagua ? "
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 273
CHAPTER XII.
THE individual thus addressed hastened towards
me, but it was plainly to be seen by his coun-
tenance that this meeting was the reverse of
pleasant. Hastily rallying himself, he began
to explain in a rapid tone that he had not
replied to my telegram because he had hoped
to reach Comayagua before I left it. He
thought I would wait till I heard from him,
and so forth.
I replied that I assumed he had left for
Europe, and reminded him that in his last
letter to me he had mentioned that this was
probable, and that in consequence his agent
would be left with full power to act in his
stead.
" Oh yes, yes/' replied Dr Pope ; " but my
departure for Europe is delayed. I have a
274 A LADY'S BIDE
great deal of law business to attend to in-
deed I am going to Comayagua at this moment
on a most important lawsuit, and cannot be
back for a fortnight; in the meantime I have
arranged with a lady at San Pedro Sula to
receive you till I return."
" The delay is unfortunate," I answered ;
ei but as I am nearly knocked up by much
travelling and hardship, I shall be glad of a
few days' idleness. Will you be good enough
to give me the address of the house that I
am to go to 1 "
The gentleman, turning round, addressed him-
self to the muleteer, speaking in remarkably
good Castilian ; then, continuing his conver-
sation with me, he added
" I am. afraid you will find everything very
rough, as I have not had time to order a
mattress for your bed; but you have in your
journey been accustomed to sleep on bare
boards," he added, in a jaunty tone, " and so
you will not mind."
" I beg your pardon, sir," I replied ; " I have
been provided with my own hammock ; and I
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 275
take leave to say, that at the end of so long a
journey, decent accommodation should be pro-
vided for me."
I spoke slowly, looking at him steadily ; for
by his later tone I felt that he could be very
impertinent both with and without provocation.
" Dona Engracia will do all she can to make
you comfortable, I am sure," he said apologeti-
cally ; " but you must not expect English cus-
toms here."
To this I made no reply, but inquired how
soon it would be before he returned to San
Pedro Sula?
"It depends upon business," he replied. "I
have also to attend a Synod to which the
Bishop has summoned me ; but I daresay I
can get excused from being present at the
meeting."
"Very strange, the Bishop did not mention
this when I saw him at Comayagua," I answered.
" Have you seen the Bishop ? Did you tell
him you were coming here," he asked quickly,
his face lighting up with a mingled expression
of suspicion and interest.
276 A LADY'S RIDE
" I paid my respects to his lordship, and I
told him I was coming here. To my surprise
the Bishop hardly spoke of you, and certainly
he was quite ignorant of your having arranged
to bring me here," I replied.
" Well, this is not the place wherein we can
carry on a conversation on the matter. I re-
gret," continued he, " that I cannot turn back
with you now. Kindly go to the house of
Dona Engracia, and I will write you an ex-
planatory letter from Comayagua, and send it
by special messenger. Your neighbour will be
Don Pedro Sturm, a Norwegian doctor, who has
lived many years in San Pedro Sula ; he will
gladly be of service to you."
The Justice of the Peace, who had waited
patiently during this conversation, now came
up and made some polite observations, and
then we took leave and went on our several
ways. But still the thought ran through my
mind, What could induce him to invite me
to San Pedro Sula?
Leaving the plantations, we splashed through
a broad stream, and, after riding over the ruins
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 277
of a part of the late Honduras railway, we at
dusk entered into San Pedro Sula.
The environs of this town are far from mi-
pleasing, and several respectable houses, erected
mostly by German merchants, lent an air of
stability to the town which could not fail to
impress a stranger favourably. It was some
little time before we found the house to which
we had been directed ; and when we did so, it
seemed to me that the name of Dona Engracia
did not command much respect. We made our
way to a mean-looking dwelling, and at our
summons a most unprepossessing woman made
her appearance at the door.
"Are you Dona Engracia?" inquired Eduardo,
looking aghast.
"Yes," replied the woman, who was bare-
necked and bare-headed, and had her chin
bound up with a dirty rag ; " and I suppose
this is the lady I am to expect?"
"You are right," I answered. "Have you
prepared any accommodation for me ? "
" Enter, and see," was the reply.
I dismounted, and was ushered through an
278 A LADY'S EIDE
outer room furnished with shelves. Upon these
were laid a few vegetables and some plantains.
Opening another door with a flourish, an inner
room was revealed, which contained two beds,
one of which was furnished with bedding of
some sort, whilst the other was perfectly bare,
with the exception of a large bull's hide, which
was laid over the bars of the bedstead as an
under-covering. Not a vestige of matting, or
of any other furniture, did this apartment con-
tain. It was miserable in the extreme.
" Is this the room assigned to me ? " I asked
at length, my heart really sinking into my boots.
" Si, Senora, si, y conmigo " (Yes, lady, yes,
and with me). The conmigo was drawled out
with a flourish.
" This will not do for me," I answered. " I
will have a room to myself, and shall go
straight to the best inn ; where is it ? " And
I turned to go out.
The muleteer, Andreas, who had been stand-
ing on the outer step, now spoke, and with
some indignation in his tone. " This is no
place for you, Senora ; you had better come
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 279
to Chicaramos. I know Chicaramos ; you will
be much better off there."
Eduardo was with the animals, and in high
converse with a nice intelligent -looking lad,
dressed in neat white raiment, wearing a
Panama hat and a gay pugaree. " I am
Don Pedro Sturm's servant the doctor next
door. He has sent me to show you the inn,"
the lad explained. " Permit me to accom-
pany you to the Posada Chicaramos."
I thanked the lad gratefully, and we were
soon on the march again. " What an extra-
ordinary name ! " I said to the lad. " Is Chica-
ramos a village or a suburb ? "
" No, Senora," he replied ; " Chicaramos is
a woman."
" A woman 1 "
" Yes, Senora. Her real name is Francisca
Ramos ; the contraction of Francisca is Chica,
and so the name has all got run into one. She
is called Chicaramos all over the country. She
is a wonderful woman."
I was too exhausted to inquire in what might
consist the wonders of Chicaramos, but con-
280 A LADY'S RIDE
tented myself by inwardly hoping that she might
turn out to be an entirely different person from
the one we had just left ; and thus hoping, we
rode up to the portal of the Posada Francisca
Ramos, which was its polite designation.
The house was built in a square, the later
and new addition being a salon and a billiard-
room, which the owner had erected out of the
money made by boarding and lodging the
engineers and others concerned in building the
Honduras railway. On this night this salon
showed to the greatest advantage, as a ball was
about to be held therein, and the long room was
gay with light and flowers and brightly painted
cane seats. It was for this reason that we were
kept waiting a little at the half-opened door,
although voices and exclamations were heard
in all directions, and in all keys of the gamut.
Our guide proposed that we should go round
to the other side, and enter the court-yard
through the great gates, where we would most
probably find some one to attend to us. This
being done, a mozo flew towards us, declaring
that the hotel was full on account of the ball.
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 281
The Senora could have refreshment, but not a
room all were engaged, &c., &c.
Never heeding this, we rode into the centre
of the court-yard and dismounted. A hand-
some untidy-looking woman, dressed in a bright
blue muslin dress, came up and looked at me,
then turned away, and went into the house
through a door on the right-hand side of 'the
square.
" That is Chicaramos's daughter-in-law," said
our new friend ; " the wife of the hijo mayor
(eldest son). They live on this side of the
square, and their front door opens into the busi-
ness street. She has gone to look for her
husband."
Almost as he spoke a plain genteel-looking
young man came out and advanced towards me.
" My mother is busy," he said, " preparing for
a ball, which is to take place here in an hour.
The house is full, but if you will accept a bed-
room in our part of it, it can be made ready at
once. You will have to pass through our room,
but you will not mind that."
This was the best thing I could do; and
282 A LADY'S RIDE
accommodation being found for the muleteer
and Eduardo, our guide took his leave, say-
ing that his master, Don Pedro Sturm, would
call on me on the morrow.
After a slight supper, which I took at a round
table, with the son's wife staring at me from the
opposite side, I was making ready to go to rest,
when the door opened, and a lady, in a yellow
silk dress, black lace trimming, and rich gold
ornaments, entered. As she closed one door,
the son's wife rose quickly, and rushed out at
the other.
It seemed probable that these two women
were not d'accord.
Chicaramos for it was she came forward in
a graceful manner, and apologised for the neg-
ligent way in which I had been received, but
expressed a hope that " mi hijo mayor " (my
eldest son) had represented her properly.
She was a handsome woman ; and from the
manner in which she looked about, I saw that
she managed well the affairs of her household.
She then added that I might be kept awake
by the music and the rattle of the billiard-balls,
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 283
but to-morrow, being Sunday, would be a quiet
day.
I was conducted to a room on the ground-
floor, which was paved with red tiles, and was
as mean as possible in its surroundings. How-
ever, it did contain some crockery ware, and
this fact of itself announced Chicaramos to be
a well-to-do woman. Two window apertures,
filled by massive shutters, which served to keep
the room dark and cool, rejoiced my sight, as
the window-frames were so wide that plenty
of air could always enter, and mosquitoes, ad
libitum, at night.
A voluble young Creole woman had been sent
to help me, and she was loud in her expressions
of surprise that a gentlewoman should have come
to San Pedro Sula to superintend the school.
" But the doctor is quite done up now,"
added this damsel ; " and you have had a long
journey for nothing."
" Why did he bring me, I wonder ? " was the
answer I made.
She could not say.
" Where does the agent, Mr Brady, live ? " I
284 A LADY'S RIDE
inquired. " I wish to see him the first thing in
the morning."
" He lives very near this," was the reply ;
" and I will go to him to-morrow morning."
" Thank you. Good night."
In spite of the drawbacks to repose enumerated
by Chicaramos, I did sleep, and that long and
well; and it was late (for Honduras) almost
seven in the morning when Eduardo knocked,
and announced that Andreas must return at
once to Potrerillos, and that he only waited to
be paid.
This business was transacted through the win-
dow ; and then I told Eduardo that I would
pay him during the day, and that he must look
at once for other employment, for I could not
afford to keep a servant longer.
" I have thought over this, Senora," answered
the lad ; " and as the billiard-marker is going
to leave in a day or two, I shall apply for the
place. You see, by this I can be near you, and
do many little things for you till you leave for
Puerto Cortez and for England. This is not a
place for you, Senora."
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 285
" But I have not money enough with me to
get out of it," I answered ; " and, Eduardo,
though I like to have you near me, I would
rather you were not a billiard-marker : it is
not good for you. Cannot you get some other
occupation ?"
" Not at present. I have made inquiries, and
I am told, Senora, that Chicaramos's service is
the best in the place/'
Everything about the premises was very quiet,
the day being Sunday, and the inmates being
tired also with the dance of the preceding even-
ing. Some large patient oxen were looking out
of their open stall at the lower end of the court;
and some cocks and hens chased one another in
various directions ; whilst a number of pigeons
flew to and fro, and settled on the roofs of the
various out-houses which surrounded this en-
closure. A large pepper-tree overshadowed the
lower buildings, and an impudent lora (small
parrot) walked about and kept the whole in
order. Altogether it was a pretty court for
an inn.
The next sign of life was a rattling sound,
286 A LADY'S RIDE
and the voice of woman, neither soft nor low,
calling upon the household, and hijo mayor
especially, to arise. Soon the voice travelled
in my direction, and my hostess looked through
the aperture at me, pushing the shutter back on
its hinges as she bade me " Good morning."
" I am glad to see you, Seiiora," I said. " I
want to arrange to stay here a short time till
my business is concluded. What am I to pay
you for board and lodging ? by the day, we
had better say, as my affairs are uncertain."
Senora Eamos reflected a moment, and then
said : " My charges are 5s. a-day ; but if you
remain by the week they will be a, peso (4s. 2d.)
per day. I hope you will stay, as I hear the
charge of the public school is to be offered to
you."
" I have not heard of this, Senora."
u I daresay not, but the matter was discussed
among a few last night after the dance was
over. Don Pedro Sturm, the head doctor here,
is one of the municipal council, and he will
call upon you to-morrow. They all talk before
me," continued Chicaramos, elevating her head,
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 287
"as I am one of the principal people in the
place."
I bowed at this, and told her that I did not
feel justified in doing anything till I had come
to an arrangement with Dr Pope.
" Oh, as to Pope/' continued the Senora with
the greatest contempt, "he can't do anything
here. Ah, the money he owes me 1 And when
I sent in my bill he threatened me with the
law-courts. Ho, Vicente I " holloaed the Senora
to a fat mozo who was slinking along the other
side of the yard, "you have been too long in
your bed. Chop up some wood, and tell
Elenita to bring the Senora here a glass of
milk."
Then she darted into my side of the house,
and I heard her rattling up mi hijo mayor and
his wife without the smallest ceremony, at the
door of the room next to me.
A glass of milk was brought by the trim little
girl called Elenita ; and she told me that her
grandmother bade her say that I had better
dine in my own room always, as Senora Kamos
never allowed meals to be taken in the salon
288 A LADY'S EIDE
under any circumstances. And she thought
the English lady would not like to dine in
the public room, over which her daughter-in-
law presided.
I thought it well to close with this arrange-
ment, and had subsequently reason to congratu-
late myself that I had done so. .
Mr Brady called the next morning, and it
was very much to his own surprise that I in-
formed him that he was Dr Pope's agent. He
was a good-natured -looking young man, with
some means, I was informed;, and it was
between him and Dr Pedro Sturm that Dr
Pope was now living.
An entry in my journal of August 2, 1881,
runs as follows : " Don Pedro Sturm called, and
we had a discussion about my taking the public
school. Nothing, however, can be arranged
about this until the Governor of Santa Barbara
comes here, which may be in a month, or in
two months, or next year. Everything seems
to be a matter of manana, and salary, a very
unknown quantity."
Don Jesus Gonsalez also came to see me on
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 289
the same subject. This gentleman seems to
have influence with the governor, and expressed
his intention of writing to that dignitary, and
urging the matter. By the way, I got set
down by Chicaramos for taking exception at
the name of Jesus for an ordinary appellation
(although it is pronounced "Hesooz").
" I thought you were superior to cant,
Senora," flared up my hostess. "You northern
people have your Christian ; and pray, what
is the name of Christina but little Christ 1
Caramba ! "
I confessed that I had not sufficiently studied
the meaning of Christian names, but stuck to
it that Christian seemed less familiar than the
other sound.
For some mornings I had observed several
little children in the court-yard, and I inquired
if these belonged to the house \
"Not exactly," Elenita answered; "but we
take care of one or two. That little Felipe is
a poor orphan, and grandmother has adopted
him ; that other is not a child of matrimonio,
but the pobiecita (poor thing) cannot help that,
290 A LADY'S RIDE
and we promised the mother when she was
dying to take care of her. Of course/' con-
tinued the girl, " the father cannot come here,
for the mother was our friend."
Ah ! respectable, moral England, is it not too
often the case with you,, that the betrayed girl
and her child are spurned to the dust, whilst
the man goes free, and society opens her doors
wide unto him, and even caresses him for the
wrong he has done ? I have often admired
the kindness of the Hondureians to deserted
children ; most houses have one or two in
charge, and the charity is given without
ostentation and as a matter of course. These
outcasts are received really as members of the
family, and I have never heard of their entrance
causing vexation or annoyance to any of the
other members of it.
Dr Otto, the latest imported medical prac-
titioner in San Pedro Sula, also called upon
me. He was a young man of strong opinions,
and never evinced the slightest qualm in calling
a spade a spade. He was a German, and spoke
English remarkably well. Being of very " ad-
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 291
vanced" opinions, he seemed to have but one
object, and that was to make money as fast as
possible. Chicaramos was a patient of his ; but
she was a match for him, as, his fees being high,
she raised the rent of his house accordingly, the
doctor being her tenant. The humour with
which the lady confided this piece of diplomacy
to me was enough to make a cat laugh.
With such a character, my correspondent, of
course, could not be let off; indeed the young
gentleman said so much, that I at last asked
him if he were not afraid to venture such and
such observations. " Not a bit," was the reply ;
" and now, can you bear to hear an unpleasant
truth ? "
" Keally, sir, I have had to bear so much
lately that I think I can stand anything."
" Very well. Now, you wonder why Pope
brought you here ; I will tell you. He is
played out; he thought if you came that he
would get a footing in the schoolhouse which
would have been assigned for your use. This
would give him a home ; for the rest, he hoped
you would bring a little money wherewith to
292 A LADY'S RIDE
set a plantation going; in fact you told him
so in one of your letters."
" How do you know this ? " I asked aghast.
" It is simply told. A young lad, whom I
know something about, was sitting with the
fellow when the runner brought your letter.
Pope was in an indiscreet mood, so he read
a portion of the letter out, remarking, 'The
lady has a little money, so I shall invite her
to corne.' '
This was, as I found, the true explanation ;
and as Dr Pope had no house of his own, the
Government refusing to assign him one after
the first year, the idea of taking up his abode
in the schoolhouse must have been a most con-
venient scheme. All was frustrated by the
people rising en masse against him and de-
manding his expulsion.
That a colony was never more recklessly
ruined, let all the officials, English, Spanish,
and Hondureian, tell.
Don Jesus brought his wife to visit me, and
a very sweet young woman I found her to be.
She often sent preserved fruits and chocolate,
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 293
and good Don Pedro Sturm sent in some light
wine. These gifts were most acceptable, as
Chicaramos's table was of the most coarse and
meagre description, and the cooking was filthy.
Many a day an egg and a cup of coffee were my
only meal. My living could not have cost her
more than fourpence a-day on the average ; but
it was in these ways that Chicaramos proved
herself a wonderful woman. As Dr Otto often
remarked, a mat, some raw plantains, and a
stream of running water in the midst of the
village, were all that was necessary to keep the
inhabitants of San Pedro Sula alive. What
could other people want with more ?
The alcalde often came to see me in the
evenings, and to him I owe some of the pleas-
antest hours I spent in San Pedro Sula. He
was a Scotchman by birth, but had become
quite a naturalised Spaniard, speaking the lan-
guage well. He it was who was keeping the
key of the church, and this he handed over to
the new priest one sunny morning, singing a
psean over the fact that this act completely
ousted the late incumbent. "And now, my
294 A LADY'S RIDE
dear lady," said he, " a ball is to be given in a
night or two to celebrate the fourth anniversary
of the Government of Honduras, and I am
charged by the municipal committee with this
letter of invitation to you."
So saying, Don Juan pulled out an elegantly
written note of invitation, addressed to me as
Senora Maria, the English stranger.
At first I felt inclined to refuse, but, on
reflection, I saw that it would be ungracious
to do so. The hand of friendship had been
so cordially held out that it was with lighter
heart that I selected evening raiment to wear
the first time for many weeks wherein to
appear at the ball, given, as usual, at Chica-
ramos's salon.
Whilst I was dressing, I thought I heard
voices in dispute in the part of the house occu-
pied by hijo mayor; a door was banged with
more than ordinary force after a scuffle from
within ; then all was silent. It was some one,
perhaps, who had forced himself in to see the
preparations. Thus I dismissed the subject
from my mind. I should hardly have noticed
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 295
this, but I fancied I had previously heard foot-
steps approaching my apartment.
My toilet finished, I went into the salon,
which was really very tastefully decorated and
lighted. As nobody had come in, I drew a
rocking-chair to the large entrance door, and
sat watching the fire-flies as they powdered the
grass opposite with their golden sparks. Bril-
liant lightning flashed in the far distance, which
contrasted in fantastic guise with the gloom of
an unusually still night, there being neither
tingle of guitar nor rattle of billiard-balls, and
few people were moving about.
Presently my attention was attracted to a
white object moving in a straight line towards
the house. What it was it was impossible to
discover : perhaps a visitor arriving in fancy
dress ! The figure crossed the grass and stood
before me. It was the Kev. Dr Pope, hatless,
wearing a man's night-shirt over his clothes,
and bola (Spanish for intoxicated).
Surprise held me to my seat, and prudence
chained my tongue. He glared at me, and
opened his lips as if to speak ; then he looked
296 A LADY'S BIDE
over my head into the salon, as if he were
searching for some one, gave a lurch, turned on
his heel, and was gone !
I rose, shut the door, and went through the
salon into the patio. Eduardo was at a table
washing some glasses ; he anticipated my in-
quiry, for he said
"Not now, Senora I will come to you the
company has arrived."
The door which I had shut in such haste was
thrown open, and the company walked in by
twos and threes, and then seated themselves
round the room, the principal ladies occupying
the rocking-chairs. Soon followed the music ;
the musicians three in number playing some
selected piece, now entered, and they were
listened to with marked silence to the end.
I could not help contrasting this politeness
with the rude inattention which I have seen
displayed in circles of far higher pretension
during the execution of instrumental music by
some amateur, or even professional performer.
In both cases the music seems to be regarded
solely as an aid to conversation, and the per-
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 297
former receives the tribute of silence only when
the instrument ceases to vibrate.
The young men moved among the ladies with
well-bred ease, and when the Lanza was called
every one stood up. The Lanza, I was told, is
an old national dance, and it always stands first
on the programme. The gentlemen select their
partners, and those who do not join reseat them-
selves. In the old times referred to, the cav-
aliers carried short lances, and crossing these
in some turns of the dance, the ladies passed
beneath them.
The air of the dance is of itself very mon-
otonous, the art of playing it consisting in strict
emphasis on some few notes. The figure is not
unlike the last the fifth in the set of our
" Lancer Quadrilles." There is a good deal of
advancing and retiring in ring, and an in-and-
out chain, in the mazes of which each one pur-
posely loses his partner. A movement, which I
do not pretend to describe, brings her back
again, and the whole is wound up with the
graceful waltz.
Yes ; as it is danced by this people, it is
298 A LADY'S RIDE
graceful and even dignified. Strict attention
is given to the execution of the step, and the
time is often marked on the part of the gentle-
man by a sharp quick stamp on the floor. The
figures of both waltzers undulate with the
motion of the feet; indeed, the seriousness
with which all is gone through, indicates that
in the mysteries of the dance at least the
Hondureians agree tKat what is worth doing at
all is worth doing well.
The gentlemen dance quite as persistently as
the ladies, and their manner in soliciting a
partner is highly respectful always.
Between the dances, at intervals, refreshments
were handed about ; and these were upon a
most limited scale, the whole consisting, gener-
ally, of a small glass of liqueur, a larger one of
water, and a few little fancy cakes. Outside,
at the table in the patio, some of the gentlemen
could be descried indulging liberally in bottled
beer and other liquids. This expenditure, and
the hire of the salon, was Chicaramos's harvest.
Such a thing as a ball-supper had never been
heard of in the whole of the Honduras.
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 299
Cigars and cigarillos really seemed to be the
bread of life here, to judge by the numbers
which were smoked by both sexes in that en-
tertainment. During the interval allowed to
the musicians they smoked too, and long be-
fore the ball was over the floor had become
quite disgusting from the expectoration ; and
the smell of tobacco which pervaded the salon
from end to end was enough to poison a whole
province.
I remained no longer, and withdrew unper-
ceived to my den. The lightning was playing
in the distance, but it was of the harmless
summer kind, and so I watched it between
my half-opened shutters without fear, indeed
with somewhat of interest. The contrast be-
tween the solemn night, with its flashing zig-
zag lightning, which resembled an array of
scimitars, withheld only by the Great Captain's
hand from leaping down and scattering de-
struction on the earth, and the dance and
glare, and paltry talk close by, was sufficiently
striking. A few moments later, and Eduardo
stood beneath the window.
300 A LADY'S RIDE
"That drunken man was the doctor," said
I, in a tone which might be taken either as
assertative or interrogative.
" Yes, Senora ; he came into the other house.
Hijo mayor did his best to persuade him to
retire; but it was of no use. I came in be-
hind him, and not knowing who it was, I
took him by the shoulders and put him into
the street."
" He must have come round afterwards to
the front door, where I was sitting," I said.
" That was it, Senora ; I hear that he is
afraid to see you, and keeps out of the way.
He must have returned to enter the house,
but he did not expect to meet with you."
" How do you know, Eduardo ? "
" Chicaramos hears plenty of remarks from
the people who come into the store, Senora ;
and so much news gets into the billiard-room."
" Well, when you have a spare moment, will
you go to Dr Otto, and ask him to call upon
me as soon as it may be convenient, to-morrow?
Be sure and ask Senora Eamos's leave before
you go."
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 301
" Certainly, Senora ; good night."
The lad went his way, and I remained at
the open shutter watching the lightning and
thinking. This, then, was no scandal, as to
the man's personal habits : under any circum-
stances, it would be neither safe nor proper to
hold any appointment under such a person ;
and it was evident that very little could be
done with the Justice of the Peace, or the
Governor of Santa Barbara either. The latter,
I knew, had promised to come to San Pedro
Sula to inspect matters generally, and to es-
tablish a public school, eight times in so many
months, and had failed to put in an appearance
up to the present time. The alcalde was very
much my friend ; but it had been hinted to me,
more than once, that this functionary was only
anxious to keep me in the place because I was
an Englishwoman, with whom he, being partly
a Scotchman, found it pleasant to converse.
Be this as it may, one thing was certain, Don
Juan Jack, with all his goodwill, could not
command either the Governor of Santa Barbara
or the public funds of San Pedro Sula.
302 A LADY'S HIDE
My best plan, therefore, was to leave as soon
as possible ; for though Chicaramos behaved
well in the main, yet her menage was so
wretched that semi-starvation was what I was
paying for at the rate of four shillings a-day.
I was determined to consult Dr Otto, and
then act as he should advise.
The doctor came early in the morning.
Nothing could of course be said until the
gentleman had gone through his usual objur-
gatory language against the Spaniards, the
natives, the Governor, Don Juan Jack, and
the inhabitants generally and severally ; one
was a rascal ; the Justice of the Peace was a
dawdle ; the Governor never kept his word ;
and Don Pedro Sturm was a fool. Chica-
ramos had the brains of the whole lot.
"Now, Dr Otto, if any one else had de-
claimed against any one of these persons in the
way you have done, you would be the very
first to defend him. I do not like to hear a
word against Don Pedro Sturm. He has been
kind to me."
" Well, all right; he is kind, certainly."
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 303
" I want your wisdom now to bear upon my
affairs. I am certain it will not do to stay
here ; both time and money are being wasted,
and I hear nothing can be done about the
public school till the Governor of Santa Bar-
bara arrives."
"Don't you rely on his coming;- and the
chances are if he does come and I don't
believe he will, for he is like all the rest
of these dawdling, offputting, gandering
idiots "
"Now, doctor, no abuse. I want to know
if you think I had better write at once to
Mr De Brot, the consul at Puerto Cortez, and
ask him to arrange the necessary business for
getting money from England to take me away.
The truth is, I feel weaker, and I think I have
a little fever on me now, and I dread being ill
here."
" If you get ill you can't go ; write to
Mr Albany Fonblanque, the consul at New
Orleans : that will be quicker. Mr De Brot
is at his country place just now, on one of
the islands, so there would be delay if you
304 A LADY'S RIDE
consult him. Fonblanque is a thorough man
of business, and if you write and state the
case plainly, he will give you the best atten-
tion. The Wanderer will sail from Puerto
Cortez in three days, and your letter will be
in time that is to say, if that infernal ' Ma-
quina ' does not break down, or they forget
the mail -bag, or devise some blunder which
could only occur in these regions. Now, mind
you write a short intelligible letter to Fon-
blanque, and to the point/'
"Trust me. I think I will ask Mr Fon-
blanque to send it on to my lawyer in London,"
I replied.
"Yes, that is a sensible idea. Now, never
mind more business, but look here, Mopsey has
come to see you."
As he spoke, the doctor lugged out of his
capacious pocket a huge silk pocket-handker-
chief, which was tied at the four corners in a
loose knot. He opened this, and forth came
Mopsey, the little pet parrot.
" You don't mean to say that you carry the
bird about in this fashion ? " I asked.
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 305
" Why, yes ; you see he mopes when I go out,
and is utterly miserable, and so I shall carry
him when I go my rounds. They are so gentle
and lovable are these loras."
Certainly Mopsey was a true specimen of
what Dr Otto said of the race. It was curious
to see the little bird climbing up his shoulder
and sitting on his head, and testifying her de-
light in many caressing ways ; the doctor's fiery,
excited-looking face being at the same time
smoothed into a somewhat benevolent mould,
as he rendered up his finger as a perch for
his pet and addressed her as " Du."
We chatted a little while, and I could not help
wishing that this gentleman, so brilliant and
agreeable, could bestow a little of the goodwill
which he testified towards the animal creation
upon the human portion of it also. Some bitter
wrong, or maybe, a long course of being mis-
understood, (and what more hardening to the
spirit than this ?) must have turned a naturally
good disposition into gall ; and it was only by
an occasional flash of sympathy, expressed as
if he were ashamed of it, that I discovered
u
306 A LADY'S BIDE
that Dr Otto possessed a vein of human
feeling.
One thing I had resolved upon, and that was,
that some final understanding must be come
to with Dr Pope, and that if I had an inter-
view with him, it should take place in the
presence of witnesses. I therefore wrote to Dr
Sturm, in whose house he was staying, and also
to the lawyer of San Pedro Sula, stating my
intention of applying for my travelling expenses,
and asking for a legal opinion upon the matter.
These two gentlemen called upon me on the
following day, and informed me that at first
Dr Pope expressed himself willing to see me
in their presence, but afterwards shirked doing
so, and had requested them to apply to me for
a copy of his letter in which he had so specially
engaged me to come to San Pedro Sula.
I felt inclined to refer his reverence to his
own copy of the letter written to me; but as
it was important to see what he meant to do,
I consented, and sent him a copy of his letters,
adding that I retained duplicates of all my cor-
respondence with him.
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 307
This last piece of information, I was told,
considerably surprised him, and the next day I
received a note from the lawyer, saying that Dr
Pope did not look upon that letter as an agree-
ment ; but he proposed, if I would consent,
that the matter should be referred to Mr De
Brot, the consul at Puerto Cortez, for arbi-
tration. I was strongly advised to accept
these terms, the lawyer adding that Mr De
Brot was an upright and most conscientious
man.
" You have had quite expense enough," said
this gentleman when I saw him the next day,
" and I do not wish to hamper you with law.
The proposal came from Pope himself; it is
no suggestion of mine, or of Don Pedro Sturm.
I may add that if you see fit to accept this
proposition, Dr Pope will undertake to pay
your expenses to Puerto Cortez ; you can then
see the consul personally."
The dismay of this generous gentleman was
indeed only overpowered by his disgust, when,
on the following morning, he found that Dr
Pope had stolen off on his mule during the
308 A LADY'S RIDE
night to Puerto Cortez, forgetting to leave the
funds for my journey behind him.
This, however, was of little consequence, as
I could despatch my letters to the consul by
the train, and I would prefer going to the port
when I could be sure that I was leaving the
country. So I wrote my letters and waited
patiently:
Little remains to be recorded of this weary
stay at San Pedro Sula, and my journal at this
period runs only that one day telleth another
and one night certifieth another. A touch of
fever; no news from the Governor of Santa
Barbara about the school ; a letter of promises
and no results from one Government official or
another ; a pleasant chat with the alcalde,
and this was about the sum of my life for up-
wards of a month.
At length came a letter from Mr Fonblanque
announcing that money had been placed in his
hands, and that he would send a sum by the
Wanderer steamer, which would sail in a few
days from New Orleans to Puerto Cortez. Tele-
graph and steam and business-like lawyers in
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 309
London had greatly facilitated matters, and I
was free to depart at once.
As the Wanderer steamer only remained at
Puerto Cortez twenty-four hours, and I was
anxious to get away quickly, I found I must start
without delay.
Dr Otto, who had gone down to the port on
business, sent me a telegram, desiring me to
start without an hour's delay, in order to catch
the steamer for New Orleans.
As the train for Puerto Cortez did not run
for two days, I was obliged to ride ; and thus,
from force of circumstances, I have traversed
the province of Spanish Honduras from Ama-
pala to Puerto Cortez on mule-back. Don Pedro
Sturm got mules and a confidential man for me,
and bidding adieu to Chicaramos, I set off for
Puerto Cortez.
Although the distance was under forty miles,
the road was so abominably bad, and the deten-
tions in consequence were so great, that it was
literally impossible to reach the port before
the Wanderer sailed.
It was at the ranche of General Z , where
310 A LADY'S RIDE
I had halted for refreshment, that I was told
this : " You cannot ride out at night," said the
general. " Man as I am, I would not attempt
to do so. The road is dangerous in daylight. I
cannot allow you to pass my door; so pray,
Senora, dismount and stay here till to-morrow.
You can take time, and it will only be a detention
of fourteen days before the Wanderer returns."
Accustomed as I had been to delay and dis-
appointment, this was a bitter trial, and I could
not refrain a burst of tears. Everything seemed
to go against me. The general turned away to
call his niece ; her pleasant face acted like a
cordial, and after a few moments I was able to
say that I would take the advice so generously
proffered.
" You surely must have been late in setting
off," said General Z - ; " under the best of
circumstances you could only have reached Pu-
erto Cortez an hour before the steamer sailed."
I handed him the telegram which Dr Otto
had despatched.
" When did you get this ? " he inquired.
" Late last night."
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 311
" You ought to have had it six hours earlier
or more. This telegram has been delayed. Some
fault in the telegraph office, nobody knows, or
will know, why ; but it is very provoking."
It was indeed, but there was no use in repin-
ing ; and as I knew that there was a respectable
house to go to, kept by Madame B , in
Puerto Cortez, I tried to make the best of the
matter. My chief anxiety was about the money.
" The purser of the Wanderer has very pro-
bably left that in the charge of Mr De Brot for
you," he said. " Nobody will wonder at your
non-appearance ; they are all up to the ways of
the country. Go in and take some refreshment,
and then I will escort you and Anita to the
corral. I have some fine horses to show you."
I took leave of the general and his pretty
niece in better spirits on the following morning,
and as haste was not now necessary, I was
more at liberty to admire the wild magnificent
country which extends to within a few miles
of the port.
In addition, I bore with the greatest sang
froid the total immersion of the baggage-mule
312 A LADY'S EIDE
in a swamp, and the delay and worry of getting
her out again. This accident happened, fortu-
nately, near a native village, and so assistance
was easily obtained. Owing to the detention
which this occasioned, it was late before we
reached Madame's house.
This good lady was on the look-out for us,
and her brother helped me from the saddle
almost before the mule had come to a standstill.
" We are not astonished at your being late," he
said, " but all is arranged. Mr De Brot has got
your money, and we will make you comfortable
here till the Wanderer returns, and my sister's
charges will be moderate."
How many, how very many simple kind
people are there after all in Honduras !
Puerto Cortez is not much better than a sandy
swamp, only waiting an opportunity to slip into
the sea and be lost for ever as a human dwell-
ing-place. Its only sight is at the shed which
forms the terminus of the railway communi-
cation between it and San Pedro Sula. There,
piled up in rust and dust, are to be seen heaps
of material imported to form the railway of
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 313
Honduras. Bolts, tires, wheels, rails, chains,
and various other of the material necessary to
make a railway, are to be found piled up in pro-
fusion in this place ; and the Hondureian points
at it with a kind of grim delight as he tells you
that thousands of pounds are rotting there.
Let us hope that this waste is only temporary.
Late letters inform me that Dr Fritz Gartner
and Mr Shears, American citizens, have entered
into a contract with the Government of Hon-
duras for the navigation of the Ulua river and
its tributaries, the Venta and the Blanco. This
accomplished, the reconstruction of the railway
is sure to follow.
The menage of Madame B - was on a much
more liberal scale than that of Chicaramos ; and
in consequence my strength partially returned
to me, although I suffered fearfully from the
sand-flies, which at Puerto Cortez are minute
demons. Mr De Brot was also kind and atten-
tive, but, as a matter of business, Dr Pope's
name had been scarcely mentioned.
At length a missive, which ran as follows,
was handed to me one hot morning :
314 A LADY'S BIDE
"I, John Frederic De Brot, Her Britannic
Majesty's Consul at Puerto Cortez :
" Whereas Miss Mary and the Kev. Dr
W. L. Pope have consented to submit to my arbi-
tration the question in dispute between them,
about the unnecessary expenses accrued to the
former in a useless voyage to this country ; and
whereas I declared myself willing to accept the
office of arbitrator in* this matter, I have come
to the following decision, based on the letters
and other documents presented to me :
" That the Kev. Dr Pope pay to Miss Mary
the half of the expenses she has incurred
in her voyage to and from this country.
" Given under my hand and seal, this tenth
day of October 1881.
(Signed) "J. F. DE BROT,
British Consul." j
" You will never get a penny from Pope, I am
sure," said Mr De Brot, when I called to thank
him for this document. " Still, I think it will
be a satisfaction to you to have your own state-
ments thus, as it were, publicly substantiated ;
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 315
I only wish that you had insisted upon a
lega lagreement before you started, but in the
face of such a letter as Pope's last one to you,
I rlo not wonder at this idea not occurring to
you."
"The matter at this point, Mr De Brot," I
replied, "just resolves into this :. nothing suc-
ceeds like success. Had this matter turned out
fortunately, every one would have said, What
an enterprising woman e Soltera/ is ! so sensible
to go abroad, where there is so much more open-
ing for employment, and all the rest of it. As
it is, I am considerably out of pocket, and many
of my friends, I feel sure, will be more ready
to blame than to sympathise with me in the
matter. However, the world on the whole is
kind, and I shall be able to work the lost
money back in some way ; you know ' Voy con
Dios' is my motto."
Mr De Brot asked if I had thought of
putting the affair into the law - courts of
Honduras, in the case of Dr Pope's refusing
to pay.
" Certainly not," I replied ; "it would be a
316 A LADY'S RIDE
degradation not only to myself, but also to my
family. Your decision establishes my claim
and my honour ; for the rest, I am content to
let this unworthy man go his way." As I said
this, the quaint old Italian proverb ran through
my mind " Evil does not always come to do
hurt."
" I am glad to hear you say this/' replied
the consul ; " but I boil with indignation when
I think of this man. However, you are better
off than many."
" May I ask if you have seen Dr Pope since
he received his copy of the arbitration 1 "
" He came to my office last night, but he
was in such a state that I refused to see him.
Depend upon me, if I can get any money out
of him for you, I will do so."
"I suppose," continued Mr De Brot, his
handsome kind face lighting up with a smile,
" after this experience you will never believe
more in anything or anybody \ "
" Not quite so bad as that," I replied : " has
not the golden cord of others' kindness run like
a string to hold me up through all my troubles \
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 317
Believe me, I am not ungrateful, and I shall
often think with pleasure of the people of
Honduras."
My journal further runs, 14th October
1881:-
"Keceived a kind note from Mrs Barlee,
asking me to spend a few hours at Govern-
ment House at Belize, when the Wanderer
should touch there on her way to New
Orleans.
"The captain and some of the passengers
of the ship Cyprio have just come in from
Belize.
"Saturday, 1 5th. A red-letter day, and
quite a return to civilisation. Spent day on
board the Cyprio, and played whist and the
piano. Mrs Kindred, Mrs Brodie, Mrs Brocke-
ley, Mr M'Cullock, and the chief officer, to-
gether with the captain. What people could
be kinder or nicer ?
"Sunday, 1 6th. Called to say 'adieu' to
good, kind Mr De Brot.
"Monday, \ltli. Sailed by the Wanderer
for New Orleans. On the 19th arrived at
318 A LADY'S RIDE
Belize, and spent a delightful afternoon with
Mr and Mrs Barlee. Their sympathy and
kindness I will never forget.
"October 2&th. Arrived at New Orleans.
Whether it is the reaction or the development
of incipient illness, I know not, but here I must
stay and rest. My strength is gone ; there is
neither fight, nor struggle, nor travel in me.
Mr Albany Fonblanque has procured me quar-
ters in the house of the lady where he himself
resides, and I hear Mrs Glenn is the best house-
keeper and nurse in the world. Mr Fonblanque
tells me that it is semi-starvation which ails
me, and that the beautiful winter season of
New Orleans will set me up."
So I made up my mind to remain and make
my home for a time in the elegant comfortable
house of Mrs Glenn.
A few weeks quite restored me. How could
it be otherwise, with the surroundings I have
described ? Who can read the works of Albany
Fonblanque without feeling certain that in his
society, and in that of the friends he gathered
round him, "Soltera" found enjoyment and rest ?
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 319
From this delightful "winter city" I have
come home, poorer (God help me !) but wiser,
and happy. The law of kindness has turned
what was bitter into sweet. To this law I
appeal, should ' ' Soltera " be fortunate enough
to find readers of her account of her ride across
Spanish Honduras. Vale.
THE END.
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