be seated in an open feather bed. As the birds complained of their situation, he kept talking to them with many quaint aphorisms, which excited the universal approbation of the muleteers; indeed, he had previously established his character amongst them as a wag, and there was something altogether so grotesque in his appearance, that the better part of the company could scarcely restrain their laughter at merely looking at him: so that, now, every observation he made, however foolish, was sure to be a palpable hit.
Having been detained two days longer on the road than I expected, I was afraid that the goleta which General Codd, the Intendant of Belize, had been so obliging as to send to Izabal, might return without me, finding that I had not arrived at the time intended; and Don Eugenio undertook to ride forward down to the port to apprize the captain of my coming. He accordingly set off for this purpose; but, on our arrival at Mico, the last stage but
