ly the loving words of cheer addressed by the
charioteers to the patient oxen drawing the creaking, rumbling, rolling
wagons on over the rough, uneven roads.

Gladly we passed them by and as quickly as possible got beyond earshot.

At noon the servants had not yet overtaken us, and as we were fairly
famished, we stopped at an Indian hut along the way, to partake of any
hospitality the place might afford.

It did not look particularly inviting, I must confess. An old man, whose
whole attire consisted of a pair of trousers and a hat, sat outside the
door, the centre of a more or less scantily clad group of women and
children, while around all, caloes, pigs, chickens, ducks, and cats ran
riot.

I must say for the Indian of _Honduras_ that no matter what his degree
of filth, poverty, nakedness, or intelligence, he never hesitates for
one instant to take in a stranger and share with him all that he has.

It was, perhaps, this novel and spontaneous kindness added to my more
than perfect willingness to endure a restful separation from my mule,
which induced me to get down and enter that house with all my inborn and
inbred love of cleanliness and daintiness crying out within me.

Only one door led into the one room containing beds, table, chair,
boxes, and oh, bliss! a hammock, which, dirty as it was, I was only too
thankful to occupy. No window lighted the darkness of the place, or
afforded an occasional breath of fresh air. The floor was packed earth
and was so dirty that it was a perfect paradise for swarms of fleas and
other insects.

Vincent shot a chicken, which one of the women cooked--a proceeding
which an Indian woman can accomplish with greater celerity and success
than any I have hitherto encountered. This fowl was simply delicious,
and, with boiled eggs and _tortillas_ in addition, served as an
admirable means of refreshing our starving bodies, and we partook of all
heartily, in spite of the more than unappetizing surroundings.

After our mules had finished their repast of cut grass, we proceeded on
our route. Considering the avidity with which the harmless-looking
little insects, known here as _pulgas_, had seized upon me as a new and
delicious morsel upon which to prey, I was not sorry to flee from them,
and the motion of the mule seemed to allay the horrible irritation which
I could only locate as "all over."

During the afternoon we just skirted the town of _Pespire_, and then
passed into shady lanes w