a very heavy rain fell in Guacasualco, with large clods
of earth. But this phenomena differed from what had been seen before of
the kind, for as soon as these clods touched the ground they turned into
innumerable frogs, a little larger in size than the bluebottle fly. The
earth was completely covered with these creatures, which hopped about in
various directions, to gain the river, which was not far off. As,
however, there were myriads of them, and the sun burning hot, numbers of
them perished before they could reach the water. The birds of prey
certainly devoured great numbers, yet many of them still remained on the
ground, and soon turned putrid, spreading a most dreadful stench around.

I have likewise been assured by credible persons that similar showers of
frogs fell at Sempoalla, in the neighbourhood of the sugar mills,
belonging to the accountant Albornoz.

I should not have noticed this raining of frogs if it were not something
of rare occurrence, a thing which the greater part of mankind never see;
moreover, celebrated men have said a writer should only notice those
things which are truly wonderful. I was also assured by a cavalier of
distinction, who resides in the neighbourhood of this town, named Juan
de Guzman, that he himself was once caught in a shower of this kind, on
his journey through Yucatan. He assured me that a number of such small
frogs stuck frozen to his and his companions' cloaks, and they were even
obliged to shake them off.

About the same time that this happened to Guzman, it also rained frogs
in Guatimala, as I have been assured by my fellow-townsman Cosmo Roman.
The most awful occurrence, however, took place in Guatimala, in the
month of September, of the year 1541. Here a most terrific hurricane
arose, accompanied by torrents of rain, which continued incessantly for
the space of three days, and so vast was the quantity of water that came
pouring down, that the crater of the volcano, which lies about four
miles from the town of Guatimala, literally burst, and so terrific was
the volume of water that came rolling down the mountain, that numbers of
huge stones and trees were carried along with it. Those who did not
witness it themselves will scarcely credit this, for there were masses
of rock carried down by the flood which two oxen could not move, and
these blocks of stone were left there as a memento of this fearful
tempest. Every tree was torn up by the roots, and hurried down the
prec