The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-07-03

ga'no,o iounu 70 examine H. ana retired locking W
up Va the eapildo statoning twelve men at the door
with swords, muskeis, and machetes and at parting,
the officer told the acade that if escaped during
the night, his head should answer for it,
The excitement over, Mr. G. and were exhausted.
We had made beautiful beginning Of our travels !;
but month from home, and in the hands of men who
would have been turned out any decent state prison
lest they should contamnate the bonrdeIs. a peep
at our beautiful keepers did not reassure They
were sitting under the she'd directly before the door
around hfe, their in reach, and smoking cigars
Their whole stock Of wearing apparel not worth
pair OF old boots and with their rags, their arms
their dark faces Redeemed by the freight their appear
nnce was terocious; and, doubtless, if we had at
tempted to escape, they would have been glad of
excuse for murder We opened a basket of wine
with which Col NJ Donald had provided US, and drank
his health. We were relieved from immediate nppre
nensions but our prospects were not pleasant and,
fastening the door as well could inside, we again
beiook ourselves TO our hammocks.
During the night the door was again burst open
and the whole rufiianly band entered before, with
swords, muskeis maichetes and blazing pine sticks
In an instant we were on our feet and my hurried
Impression wSs that they had to take the pass
port but 10 our surprise, the alcalde handed me back
| the letter with the big seal, said there in
sending IT. and that were al liberty TO proceed
our journey when we chose
We were too well pleased 10 ask any questions, and
| TO this day do not know why arrested. My
belief is, that If we had quaied at I'll, and had not
kept up high threatening tone to the last should
not have been set free and have doubt that the
big seal did much in our behalf Our indignation,
however, was not the less strong that considered
ourselves safe in pouring it out. We insisted that
the matter should not end here, and that the letter
should 90 to General Cascara. The alcalde objected
but we told him that, if not sent it would be the
worse for i'm and after some delay, he thrust il in
TO the hands OF Indian and beat him out Of doors
with his staff and in few minutes the guard was
Withdrawn, and they all left us.
II was now nearly daylight and we did not know
what To do to continue to Expose ourselves to
repetition of the treatment and perhaps we
advanced farther into the interior, with result
Undetermined, for the third time we turned into our
hammocks. AT broad daylight we were again reused
by the alcalde and his alguazis, but this time they
came to pay US visit OF ceremony The soldiers who
had accidentally passed through the village and had
made all the disturbance, had left. After deli
beration we determined to continue; and, charging
the acade again about the letter to General Cascara
turned our backs upon him and his alguazs. In a
few minutes they all withdrew. We took cup OF
chocolate loaded our mules, and when we left the
place was desolate when entered. Not per-
had been there to welcome us, and there was not
one TO bid farewell.
BATHING AND BED ROOM SCENE.
There was an enjoyment in this bath greater even
than that of cooling our heated bodies II was the
moment of golden sunset We stood up To our
necks in water clear crystal and calm as that OF
some diminutive lake at the margin of channel
along which the stream was rushing with arrowy
speed. On each side mountains several thou
sand feet high with their tops Illuminated by the set
ting sun point above us was Fabricated hut
and before il naked Indian sat looking at US while
focks of parrots, with brilliant pnmage, almost in
thousands flying heads catching up
our words and filling the air with their noisy mock
ings. 1t of those beautiful scenes that so
rarely occur in human life almost realizing dreams
Old as we WERE we might have become poetic, but
that Augustine came down TO the opposite bank and
| III rnh., hnttp
rots and the loud murmurs OF the river called US to
SUPER -, $50 .,o,,.n, e .aonr ,,hon ,o,n,,o,
to our clothes. They lay extended upon the bank
emblems of men who had seen better days. The set
ting SUM- which shed all soft and mellow lustre,
laid bare the seams of mud and dirt, and made them
hideous. We had but one alternative, and that was
to 90 without them But this seemed to be trench
ing upon the prophecies Of life picked them up and
put them on reluctant. | am not sure however, but
that we made unnecessary sacrifice of personal
comfort. The prophecies of life are matters OF con
yentional usage. Our host Don; and when we
presented our letter he received with great dignity
in q single garment loose white, and very laconc,
not quite reaching his knees The dress of his wife
was no less easy somewhat in the style of the old
fashioned shortgown and petucoat, only the short
gown and whatever else is usually worn under il were
wanting and their place supplied by string OF beads
with a cross at the end. dozen men and half
grown boys naked except the small covering formed
by rolling the trowses up and down in the manner
have mentioned, were lounging about the house and
women and girls in such extremes of undress, that
string of beads seemed quite covering for IN desty
Mr. G. and | were in n rather awkward predicament
for the night The general reception room contained
three beds, made of strips of cowhide neraced The
Don occupied one He had not much undressing to
do, and what little he had he did by pulling off his
shirt. Another bed was at the foot of the hammock.
was DOING, when opened my eyes and saw girl
about seventeen sitting sideway upon IT. smoking
cigar She had piece of striped cotton cio'h tied
around her waist and falling below her knees the
rest of her dress the which Nature bestows
alike upon the belle of fashionable life and the poor
est girl in other words it was the same as that OF the
Don's wife, with the exception of the string OF beads
At first | thought it something had conjured up
in dream; and ! walked up perhaps | raised my
had for she gave few quick pufs of her cigar drew
cotton sheet over her head and shoulders, and lay
down to sleep. endcavored to do the same. called
to mind the proyerb that travelling makes strange
bed. fellows had slept pe nell with Greeks, Turks
and Arabs | beginning journey IN new
country, and was my duty 10 conform 10 the customs
ofthe people to be prepared for the worst and submit
with resignation to whatever might beiall me.
As guests, it pleasant to feel that the family
made no strangers of The wife of the Don retired
with the same ceremonies. Several times during the
night we were walked with the cnking Of flint and
steel and of our neighbors lighting cigar
At daylight the wife of the Don was enjoying her
morning slumbcr, While was dressing she badc
me good morning, removed the cotton covering from
her shoulders, and arose dressed for the day
AT length after many interesting adventures, they
reached the summit of the volcano of Carriage, and
were rewarded with
vlLw or BOTH OCEANS.
The lofty point which we stood was perfectly
clear the atmosphere was of transparent beauty, and
looking beyond the region of dcsolaon below US, AT
distance OF perhaps two thousand feet the whole coun
try covered with clouds and the city at the foot
of the volcano invisible BY degrees the more dis
tant clouds were lifted, and over the immense bed we
saw at the moment the Atlantic and Pacific
Oceans. This the grand spectacle we had hoped
but scarcely expected TO behold. My companions had
assembled the volcano several times but account OF