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WILD SCENERY.

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ment for plunging into the wilderness came, my courage almost failed me. And it was a moment that required some energy; for we struck off immediately into one of the wildest paths that I met on the whole of that desolate journey. The trees were so close as to darken it, and the branches so low that it was necessary to keep the head constantly bent to avoid hitting them. The noise of the locusts, which had accompanied us since we reached the mountain of Aguacate, here became startling. Very soon families of monkeys, walking heavily on the tops of the trees, disturbed these noisy tenants of the woods, and sent them flying around us in such swarms that we were obliged to beat them off with our hats. My macho snorted and pulled violently on the bit, dragging me against the trees; and I could not help thinking, if this is the outset, what will be the end?

Parting with Mr. Lawrence advanced the position of Nicolas. Man is a talking animal; Nicolas was particularly so, and very soon I knew the history of his life. His father was a muleteer, and he seemed constructed for the same rough business; but after a few journeys to Nicaragua he retired in disgust, married, and had two children. The trying moment of his life was when compelled to serve as a soldier. His great regret was that he could not read or write, and his astonishment that he worked hard and yet could not get on. He wanted to go with me to Mexico, to go to my country, to be away two years, and to return with a sum of money in hand, as 'Hezoos had done. He knew that General Morazan was a great man, for when he visited Costa Rica there was a great firing of cannons and a ball. He was a poor man himself, and did not know what the wars were about; and supposed that VOL. I.-3 B

ly. He was a na about fifty years with the exception nineteen years fro where, besides car

a large scale, his cious metals bro sitions. In 1830 of Costa Rica, a tor. Business c to Costa Rica, a fairs in the hand and died. Mr. gaging in active mint purchased · ported from E Costa Rica cou L. of such a na poses of his ow Manuel de Agu Mr. L.'s arrival ished and flying the government ly in San José, himself at Pont men. Such is, i countrymen scat and it would be tained as hono changed adieus i to be sentiment shall ever meet:

I was again long with comp

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RIVER LAGARTOS.

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ht was manufactured by filling a broken clay vessel 'h grease, and coiling in it some twisted cotton, with e end sticking out about an inch. The workmen on hacienda took advantage of the light, and brought it a pack of cards. The wife of the major-domo ined them, and seeing no chance of a speedy terminaon of the game, I undressed myself and went to bed. When they finished the woman got into a bed directly pposite mine, and before lying down lighted another gar. The men did the same on the floor, and till the gars went out continued discussing the game. The ajor-domo was already asleep in the hammock. All ight the wife of the major-domo smoked, and the men nuffled and snored. At two o'clock I rose and went out of doors. The moon was shining, and the freshness of the morning air was grateful. I woke Nicolas, and paying the major-domo as he lay in his hammock, at three o'clock we resumed our journey. I was charm. ed with this place when we reached it, and disgusted when we left. The people were kind and of as good disposition as the expectation of pay could make them, but their habits were intolerable.

The freshness of the morning air restored my equa nimity; the moon shed a glorious light over the clearing, and lighted up the darkness of the forest. We heard only the surge of monkeys, as, disturbed by our noise, they moved on the tops of the trees.

At eight o'clock we reached the River Lagartos, breaking rapidly over a bed of white sand and gravel, clear as crystal, and shaded by trees, the branches of which met at the fording-place, and formed a complete arbour. We dismounted, took off the saddles from our mules and tied them to a tree, kindled a fire on the bank, and breakfasted. Wild scenes had long lost the

Don Manuel de Aguila was expelled because Carillo wanted to be chief.

We continued in the woods till about two o'clock, when, turning off by a path to the right, we reached a clearing, on one side of which was the hacienda of Aranjuez. The entrance to the house was by a ladder from the outside, and underneath was a sort of storehouse. It was occupied by a major-domo, a Mestitzo, and his wife. Near it was the cucinera, where the wife and another woman were at work. The major-domo was sitting on the ground doing nothing, and two ablebodied men were helping him.

The major-domo told us that he had a good potrero for the mules, and the house promised a good restingplace for me. Outside, and extending all around, was a rough board piazza, one side of which commanded a view of the ocean. I seated myself on this side, and very soon Nicolas brought me my dinner.. It consisted of tortillas, rice cooked with lard, which he brought in a shell, and salt in his hands. I finished with a cup of chocolate, and could not but think of the blessings wasted by this major-domo. In the same situation, one of our backwoodsmen, with his axe, his wife, and two pairs of twins, would in a few years surround himself with all the luxuries that good land can give.

After dinner I led the mules to a stream, on the banks of which were tufts of young grass, and while I was sitting here two wild turkeys flew over my head and lighted on a tree near by. I sent Nicolas for my gun, and soon had a bird large enough for a household dinner, which I sent immediately to the house to be converted into provender. At sundown I returned, and then discovered a deficiency in my preparations which I felt during the whole journey, viz., of candles. A

RIVER LAGARTO S.

379

light was manufactured by filling a broken clay vessel with grease, and coiling in it some twisted cotton, with one end sticking out about an inch. The workmen on the hacienda took advantage of the light, and brought out a pack of cards. The wife of the major-domo joined them, and seeing no chance of a speedy termination of the game, I undressed myself and went to bed. When they finished the woman got into a bed directly opposite mine, and before lying down lighted another cigar. The men did the same on the floor, and till the cigars went out continued discussing the game. The major-domo was already asleep in the hammock. All night the wife of the major-domo smoked, and the men snuffled and snored. At two o'clock I rose and went out of doors. The moon was shining, and the freshness of the morning air was grateful. I woke Nicolas, and paying the major-domo as he lay in his hammock, at three o'clock we resumed our journey. I was charm. ed with this place when we reached it, and disgusted when we left. The people were kind and of as good disposition as the expectation of pay could make them, but their habits were intolerable.

The freshness of the morning air restored my equa nimity; the moon shed a glorious light over the clearing, and lighted up the darkness of the forest. We heard only the surge of monkeys, as, disturbed by our noise, they moved on the tops of the trees.

At eight o'clock we reached the River Lagartos, breaking rapidly over a bed of white sand and gravel, clear as crystal, and shaded by trees, the branches of which met at the fording-place, and formed a complete arbour. We dismounted, took off the saddles from our mules and tied them to a tree, kindled a fire on the bank, and breakfasted. Wild scenes had long lost the

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