The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1897-06-17
In the Heart of Guatemala.


,5l correspondence of The journal I
Antigua, GUATEMALA, April 80, 1897.
o l9tf been making horse back pill
,.e, to Guatemala S oldest city-the
81 hich Pedro de Alvarado founded 10
.. 40 and named ''St. James, the
.,tsuau.N 1t lies only three or four
.. som Antigua, close to the foot of
..I rather, up on the sloping instep
H. -reat, green volcano, on the site of
au older aboriginal city, which the
4 ..a.atIs destroyed. The road thereto
] ,.s under beautiful trees, past fine
flee Estates and plantations of cactus
,..a with cochineal insects, past gar
, aud cottages and melancholy ruins
.- with lowering creepers. A well
hicagoan who recently traversed
.ion pronounced it The loveliest
l.ds footstool.' 1t is, indeed, as
M Election as one is likely to tind--a
.a 1l surprising beauty and fertility,
al summer, tempered by cooling
.. .- trom two near by oceans; the air
-h fragrance from every blooming
fountains of crystal water flow
lyinually and apparently per
.. by the very spirit of repose,
lie a tranquil. dream OF dolce far
It seems a pity that Guatemala S
in,
tered valley, instead OF being re-
to the safer but less fertile spot it
upies, 50 miles distant from the
tive volcanoes and more than a
feet nearer the level OF the sea.
IS Acadia is not quite paradise, for
Of temperature are liable TO occur
,rartling rapidity. While the morn
ad evenings are delightful beyond
icy the afternoons are unbearably
ud may be almost freezing by mid
Foreigners feel these freaks of
,1ture greatly at first, and generally
with colds and rheumatism, until
arm to so prepared for the whole
Of changes between frigid and
thin ~ hours
tode directly through-or, to speak
-. lrrectly, over-the fallen city, whose
AVE remained untouched for three
IS. to the catetal of Senior Don
~audoval, farther up on the slope of
where breakfast awaited us. A
venue of palms leads to the casa,
is SO near to the volcanoes mouth
ll1 its doorway one can see where a
.4 Of the ''lip' was blown off in the
ption; yet with a ruined city be-
en-, boiling lake beneath and
ny crater above, the wealthy, fair
~paniard AMI his family live in
and comfort, undisturbed by
gortico of carved stone, into the
payel patio surrounded by pillar
-l9rs, we dismounted amid cor
.YrIs of ''Buenos dias, eenoritas y
.as And then our host clapped
ads smartly together to summon
lcllo to the care of our horses.
VAS it done i'll the days Of Don
. and indeed it requires no
" Imagination to fancy ourselves
and of la Mancha. Breakfast was
. III u the pillared corridor, facing the
..l} with its settling of palms, the cen
fountain sIlasAils softly in its Old
oasIn. Tine long table was laden
surprising array OF plates
atJers, but nothing else, and
lust and hostess sat together
end issuing orders to the
tYoted servants. In front of each
VAS pile Of plates reaching almost
Lin, for among the we'll to- do in
4uutries each article Of food forms
late course, to be served on a sepa-
Dtte, If it is only spoonful OF peas
BROTH came first, served steam
III ups set upon plates: and after
..-r we've whisked away came huge
us of the medley known as Eel
llhe poU-the very same that has
zzled many readers of Cervantes'
story. In Quixote' adventures l
it is called 1.-THE rotten pot
-A why SO stigmatized l am unable
ion the ola is merely the collec-
vegetables, seeds, green fruits and
$500 aot, which have already wasted their
.8 ness in the soup kettle, regathered
i- The ''caldo' has been dipped off, to
So ST as a second course. | have observ-
-+ Lat the natives seldom eat much of it,
a+- lioke over the heaped-up platter with
y forks, to pick out here and there ia
lie seeds or morceaux. Next came four
20 ave courses of meats, but no veget-
aN-es at all-if one may except salad,
.'udWlched between the fry and the stew,
t44 tomato sauce, red-hot with peppers,
WINCH was continually handed around in
small dishes and was in great demand as a
nlsh to everything. There was an
lldance of bread, of the kind known as
Flanceces, in crusty loaves the size of
Est: water was conspicuous by it's
'.-ence, but Spanish claret flowed freely;
iA~ treJoles, (stewed beans) put the finish
'ouch to the solid portion of the re-
'>.. Dessert consisted of a sweet, sticky
.l.lEle1 which we afterwards learned