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A Lady S Ride Across Spanish Honduras by
A Lady S Ride Across Spanish Honduras by
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11
oss RIDE
A LADrY'S
Ac
SPANISH HONDURAS
*
ku
*
::
A LADY'S RIDE
min
ANTONIO
.NEAR
SAN
HACIENDA
:
BY
MARIA SOLTERA
WITH ILLUSTRATIONS
20802
OXFORD
TO THE DEAR MEMORY OF
ROG ER B E D E VA U G HAN
LATE ARCHBISHOP OF SYDNEY , N.S.W.
IS INSCRIBED.
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
SE DUERMA - HE SLEEPS, .
To face page 158
COMAYAGUA, 207
MANIOBAR, 244
276
22
CHAPTER I.
Amapala.
This latter place is so rarely marked on the
smaller maps, that I may mention that this
town is situate on a small island in the bay of
Fonseca ; and that most people revile it as
being a hot, dirty, and not money-making place.
Having been and seen ” the stores of the
United States of American consul there , and
witnessed the traffic which goes on in his well..
stocked warehouse, I am much inclined to doubt
the latter part of this assertion.
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 11
CHAPTER II.
CHAPTER III.
66
La Libertad is the next port that we stop
at," I say, in order to ward off any further
reference to this gentleman's annoyances.
“ Yes ; I get off there, as I have to go up
into the interior on business. You will have
a terrible time of it going across to San Pedro.
I have often thought of going there ; but from
what I have heard about the roads, and the
starvation, and the chances of attack ( chances,
mind, I say — for I don't want to frighten you,
but there is nothing really to eat), and other
discomforts, I have decided to give up the idea .
I should like, however , to accompany you ,” he
added , after a short pause..
Why not ? " say I, catching at the opportun
"
ity of securing a travelling companion. “ You
and your servant and mules joined with mine
( for I am to hire a lad and muleteer at Ama
pala ), would make quite a respectable company.
We should protect the one the other, if needs
be. I have little fear, and surely there must be
something to be got to eat. How do the people
live themselves ? ”
“ A plantain and a cigarillo is all they re
68 A LADY'S RIDE
CHAPTER IV.
CHAPTER V.
TY
scarlet leather, handsomely stitched over with a
flower pattern ; " what am I to pay ? ”
“ Twelve pesos, the sum the consul told you,”
66
the lad replied ; " and , Señora,, the lady is to
give me a peso for carrying, and going to her.
You do not object, Señora ? ”
66
CHAPTER VI.
CHAPTER VII.
66
Possibly I may be able to manage for you..
Marcos is not cheap , but his mules are thor
oughly good ; and as you have some awkward
rivers to ford, his strength and his knowledge
you will find valuable. Mozo ! mo—20 ! ”
66
Estoy aqui, Señor ” (I am here, sir), gasped
the little lad, as he emerged from the cocina
with his mouth crammed with tortilla, and his
hands full of some mess of cake and honey.
He was ordered, as I gathered, to summon
Marcos somebody, and Vicente somebody else,
and above all the “ Sir,” and to be quick about
it. The rapidity of the Italian must have been
like an electric shock to the semi-Hondureian ,
semi-Spanish lad ; but he was evidently accus
tomed to it.
Eduardo had a lazy, lounging, happy -go
lucky way of going about his business, which
made him appear to be more indolent than
he really was . The doctor fell upon him as
he observed him lounging beyond the ver
andah, — “ Have you looked after the lady's
baggage ?” said he.
“ I have received no orders,” replied the
K
146 A LADY'S RIDE
1
156 A LADY'S RIDE
El Sol.
My own (weak woman's) tribute was a gush
of tears. It could not be restrained , all was so
beautiful and so grandl ; and Nature seemed to
greet, with a mother's love, one who was alone
in the world !
A hot day was imminent ! The prearranged
hour of starting was already long past, for I
had wished to be in the saddle before the air
became as heated as white steel. The axiom
that time was made for slaves, is very rigidly
enforced by example in these regions ; and
nobody ever is or can be punctual to an exact
or specified hour. Forty minutes' “ law ” is by
no means considered to be aa liberal allowance.
Doubtless the ball of the previous evening
had been late, and both Marcos and Eduardo
158 A LADY'S RIDE
:
DPE..C
--HE
.
SLEEPS
DUERMA
SE
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS . 159
CHAPTER VIII.
GOASCARON
BEYOND
.PASS
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS . 165
gencies
The bottle was soon produced from the can
vas saddle-bags carried by the baggage-mule,
speedily uncorked, and a draught poured out
172 A LADY'S RIDE
66
It is worse than peat,” he said, “for it is
the droppings of the stable and cow -shed,-
CHAPTER IX.
It
.
{{
ر
-
SPICE
COMAYAGUA
.
4
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS . 207
year.
“ So you are welcome to stay for a day or
two ; but I cannot treat you well. We are
killing the old poultry and pigeons now ,” con
tinued Madame, " and there are not many pro
visions of any kind in the house.”
I hastened to assure her that one day would
do ; but she insisted upon my remaining two
days. “ Eduardo is with his friends, and Mar
cos is at a muleteer's posada. The mules are
in my stable ; they cannot be turned out here.
Now, come into the verandah, and we will take
our coffee there ,” said she.
“ I think ," said the sister, whose name was
Mathilde, " you are the lady who is going to
San Pedro Sula ; indeed our mozo learned this
from your guides. Ꭰ you know the doctor ?”
Do
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 211
CHAPTER X.
>
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 227
away " dull care ” till the call for supper came.
The lively chat at Madame's table served
for a while at least to dispel a tendency to
a despondent state of mind , and after supper
I was too busy in making preparations for the
onward march to dwell upon what I had heard ;
and so night drew on, and in the early morning
afterwards I was fresh, and willing to continue
the journey to San Pedro Sula.
“ One word more I have to say to you,” said
Madame, as she stood with her sister in the
courtyard looking at the preparations for depar
ture. “ You may remain at San Pedro, or you
may find it wiser to leave it. Now Mr De Brot,
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 229
6 >
.
MANIOBAR
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 245
CHAPTER XI.
( Stamped)
- Twelve reales."
• Witnesses.
" EDUARDO ALBAREZ.
" ALFREDO ST LAURENT.”
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 263
CHAPTER XII.
D.P.E.C.
POSADA
NEAR
PEDRO
SULA
.SAN
ACROSS SPANISH HONDURAS. 277
66
66
Received a kind note from Mrs Barlee,
asking me to spend a few hours at Govern
ment House at Belize, when the Wanderer
should touch there on her way to New
Orleans.
“ The captain and some of the passengers
of the ship Cyprio have just come in from
Belize.
THE END .
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