summit touching the clouds, the blue Sierra de San Juan.

At the bocas, or mouth of the Guarapiche river, we passed a little island, and later arrived at the confluence of the San Juan and Guarapiche, where an island forms three cañas-Caña San Juan, Caña Frances, and Caña Colorado; and ultimately we arrived at La Ceiba.

CHAPTER II.

LA CEIBA.

LA CEIBA (silk cotton tree) is the property of an American merchant, residing in the city of Maturin, which is distant three days' journey up the river, or one day's journey by land. The proprietor deals largely in oxen, which are periodically driven down over the savannahs by a road made for the purpose. The two shipping places are the Embarcadero, a mile higher up the river, and La Ceiba, where vessels are ready to take the oxen to the neighbouring islands. Here are craals, or cattle pens, leading into each other, so as to divide the oxen when necessary.

The coming in of cattle is an exciting scene to strangers. First a rushing, roaring sound is heard at a distance, occasioned by the tramping of the oxen, which are, perhaps, arriving after a three to five days' journey; then the cracking sound of the

long whips is heard-these have handles of deerfeet generally, and the thongs are about five or six yards long. While you listen, the voices of the chief Llaneros, joined occasionally in chorus by their companions, resound in the forest-the distance and the woods lending an additional charm to the really pleasant music. And then come the droves (vacadas) of cattle (ganado) from sixty to several hundreds, running or leaping into the open pen. They look blown from the fatigue and want of food; but it is to be seen that they carry heavy flesh and good fat.

There is a frank boldness in the Llaneros, or dwellers on the Llanos plains, that one sees sometimes among sailors or soldiers, as, having arrived, and their oxen penned, they advance with their double cobija, or cloak-which, inverted, serves as a red or blue one at pleasure— carelessly thrown over their shoulders, or tied sash-like over one shoulder, crossed to the side; their oznaburgh trousers made short to the knees, and their travelling zapatos, or laced boots, each made of one entire piece of leather, leaving an

A Country House.

15

opening before the toes for ventilation and drainage, they salute you with a hearty Buenos dias.

The house at La Ceiba is a very large twostorey building, with a thatched roof of timitchi, or troolie palm. The posts are planted in the ground. The ground floor is, literally, an earthen floor; the second flooring and enclosures are of split manicole palm, and fastened together by bush twine. There is probably not a single nail used in the construction of this large wooden building; notwithstanding, it is the storehouse for heavy bags, bales, and packages of tobacco, hides, corn, cassavae bread, cotton, clothing and hardware. And withal, I have seen scores of chinchoras (hammocks), swinging with their inmates, who were singing their improvised songs to the thrumming of bandolas, or chaffing, laughing, and conversing. And, not unfrequently, I have had my attention directed to a large culebra, or snake, moving about the thatched roof.

The manager of La Ceiba is a black man of extraordinary height and good proportion.

His

wife is a Creole beauty, a brunette, with slightly tinted cheeks when excited, and with eyes as black and as expressive as one could imagine. In the dance, she is a sylph in form and motion. They are very hospitable, and, I think, very happy in their mutual love and respect. From intimate acquaintance with this Señor Vallivian's character, I have learned to regard him as one of nature's nobility. He is generally respected, as well by those who are of opposite politics, as by his own friends and compatriots. He has about twelve god-sons, strong Indians, who gladly work under him, and are proud of their padrino (god-father).

Padrinos and Madrinas (godmothers) are not, in some Roman Catholic countries, what I have seen of godfathers and godmothers in what are called Protestant countries. The pledge incurred by the former is generally faithfully fulfilled, and, as a consequence, a reverential feeling is held by the godchildren toward their sponsors, which continues throughout life. It is delightful to see the children, ay—the grown up people too-crossing their arms and lowering their heads respectfully