adventures and letters-第30章

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　60；000　founded　by　Cortez　but　where　there　are　not　now　more　than　6；000。　　The　heat　was　awful。　　We　peeled　all　over　our　faces　and　hands　and　dodged　and　ducked　our　heads　as　though　some　one　were　biting　at　us。　　My　saddle　and　clothes　were　so　hot　that　I　could　not　place　my　hand　on　them。　　At　one　village　we　heard　that　a　bull　fight　was　to　be　given　at　the　next　fifteen　miles　away；　so　we　rode　on　there　and　arrived　in　time　to　take　part。　　They　had　enclosed　the　plaza　with　a　barricade　of　logs　seven　feet　high；　bound　together　with　vines。　　They　roped　a　big　bull　and　lassoed　him　all　over　and　then　a　man　got　on　his　back　with　spurs　on　his　bare　feet　and　held　on　by　the　ropes　around　the　bull's　body　and　by　his　toes　and　threw　a　cloak　over　the　bull's　eyes　when　ever　it　got　too　near　any　one　They　stuck　it　with　spears　until　it　was　mad　and　then　let　the　lassoes　slip　and　the　bull　started　off　to　tear　out　the　torreadors。　　I　thought　it　would　be　a　great　sporting　act　to　kodak　a　bull　while　it　was　charging　you　and　so　we　all　volunteered　to　act　as　torreadors　and　it　was　most　exciting　and　funny。　　It　was　rather　late　to　get　good　results　but　I　got　some　pretty　good　pictures　of　the　bull　coming　at　me　with　his　head　down　and　then　I'd　skip　into　a　hole　in　the　wall。　　The　best　pictures　I　got　were　of　Somers　and　Griscom　scrambling　over　the　seven　foot　barriers　with　the　bull　in　hot　chase。　　We　all　looked　so　funny　in　our　high　boots　and　helmets　and　so　much　alike　that　the　savages　yelled　with　delight　and　thought　we　had　been　engaged　especially　for　their　pleasure。　　Our　〃mosers；〃　or　mule　drivers　treated　us　most　insolently　but　we　could　not　do　anything　because　Jeffs。　had　engaged　them　and　we　did　not　want　to　interfere　with　his　authority　but　at　a　place　the　last　day　out　one　of　them　told　Jeffs。　he　lied　and　that　we　all　lied。　　He　had　lost　or　stolen　a　canteen　of　Griscom's　and　they　had　said　we　had　not　given　it　to　him。　　Jeffs。　went　at　him　right　and　left　and　knocked　him　all　over　the　shop。　　There　were　half　a　dozen　drunken　mule　drivers　at　the　place　and　we　thought　they　would　take　a　hand　but　they　did　not。　　That　night　Jeffs。　thought　to　try　us　to　see　what　we　would　have　done　and　left　us　bathing　in　a　mountain　stream　and　rode　on　ahead　and　hid　himself　behind　a　rock　in　a　canon　and　lay　in　ambush　for　us。　　We　were　jogging　along　in　the　moonlight　and　Somerset　was　reciting　the　〃Walrus　and　the　Carpenter；〃　when　suddenly　Jeffs。　let　out　a　series　of　yells　in　Spanish　and　opened　fire　on　us　over　our　heads。　　Somerset　was　riding　my　mule　and　I　had　no　weapons；　so　I　yelled　at　him　to　shoot　and　he　fell　off　his　mule　and　ran　to　mine　and　let　go　at　the　rock　behind　which　Jeffs。　was　with　the　carbines。　　So　that　in　about　five　seconds　Jeffs。'　curiosity　was　perfectly　satisfied　as　to　what　we　would　do；　and　he　shouted　for　mercy。　　We　thought　it　was　a　sentry　or　brigands　and　were　greatly　disappointed　when　it　turned　out　to　be　Jeffs。　　We　got　here　last　night　and　a　dirtier　or　more　dismal　place　you　never　saw。　　We　had　telegraphed　ahead　for　rooms　but　nothing　was　in　order　and　we　were　lodged　much　worse　than　we　had　been　several　times　in　the　interior　where　there　was　occasionally　a　clean　floor。　　This　morning　we　wrote　direct　to　the　President；　asking　for　an　interview　or　audience　and　did　not　ask　our　Consul　to　help　us　because　Jeffs。　had　asked　him　in　our　presence　to　come　meet　us　and　he　said　he　would　after　he　had　done　talking　to　some　other　men；　but　he　never　came。　　Before　we　heard　from　Bonilla　however；　we　learned　that　the　Vice…president　who　has　the　same　name　was　to　be　sworn　in　so　we　went　to　the　palace　along　with　the　populace　in　their　bare　feet。　　We　sat　out　of　sight　but　the　English　Consul　who　was　the　finest　looking　person　in　the　chamberall　over　gold　lacesaw　us　and　asked　that　we　be　given　places　in　front；　which　the　minister　of　something　asked　us　to　take　but　we　objected　on　account　of　our　clothes。　　Somers　had　on　a　flannel　suit　that　looked　exactly　like　pajamas　and　lawn　tennis　shoes。　　But　as　soon　as　the　ceremony　was　over　they　insisted　on　our　going　in　to　the　banquet　hall　and　in　spite　of　our　objections　we　were　there　conveyed　and　presented　to　Bonilla　who　behaved　very　well　and　after　saying　he　had　received　our　letters　but　had　not　had　time　to　read　them　left　us　and　avoided　us；　which　was　what　we　wanted　for　we　looked　like　the　devil。　　We　met　everybody　else　though　and　took　the　English　and　Guatemalian　Consuls　back　to　our　rooms　and　gave　them　drinks　and　then　we　went　to　their　rooms；　so　the　day　went　very　pleasantly。　　The　President　sent　us　a　funny　printed　card　appointing　an　audience　at　eleven　to…morrow。　　It　is　exactly　what　you　would　imagine　it　would　be；　the　soldiers　are　barefooted　except　about　fifty　and　the　President　leaned　out　of　the　window　in　his　shirt　sleeves　after　the　review　and　they　have　not　plastered　up　the　holes　in　his　palace　that　his　cannon　made　in　it　just　a　year　ago　to…day；　when　he　was　fighting　Vasquez；　and　Vasquez　was　then　on　the　inside　and　Bonilla　on　the　hills。　　I　forgot　to　tell　you　that　this　morning　a　boy　about　sixteen　years　old；　with　a　policeman's　badge　and　club　came　to　our　window　and　talked　pleasantly　with　us　or　at　us　rather；　while　we　shaved　and　guyed　him　in　English。　　Finally　we　found　that　he　had　come　to　arrest　Jeffs。　so　we　told　him　where　Jeffs。　was　but　he　preferred　to　watch　us　shave　and　we　finished　it　under　his　custody。　　Then　we　went　to　the　Commandante　and　found　that　the　mosers　had　had　Jeffs。　arrested　for　not　paying　them　on　their　arrival　at　Tegucigalpa；　as　we　had　distinctly　told　them　we　would　not　do　but　at　San　Pedro　from　where　we　took　them；　on　their　return。　　It　was　only　a　spite　case　suggested　by　Jeffs。　thrashing　their　leader。　　The　Commandante　gave　them　a　scolding　and　we　went　out　in　triumph。

February　4th

Your　cable　received　all　right。　　We　were　very　glad　to　hear。　　We　have　decided　to　go　on　by　mules　to　Manaqua；　the　Capital　of　Nicaragua；　and　from　there　either　to　Corinto　or　to　Lemon　on　the　Atlantic　side。　　We　had　to　do　this　or　wait　here　ten　days　for　the　boat　going　south　at　Amapala。　　It　is　moonlight　now　so　that　we　can　avoid　the　heat　of　the　day。　　Yesterday　we　went　out　riding　with　the　President；　who　put　a　gold　revolver　in　his　hip　pocket　before　he　started　and　made　us　feel　that　uneasy　lies　the　head　that　rules　in　this　country。　　He　had　two　horses　that　had　never　been　ridden　before；　as　a　compliment　to　our　powers；　the　result　was　that　the　Vice…president's　horse　almost　killed　him；　which　I　guess　the　President　intended　it　should　and　the　horse　Griscom　rode　backed　all　over　the　town。　　He　was　a　stallion　and　had　never　been　ridden　before　that　day。　　Mine　was　a　gentle　old　gee…gee　and　yet　I　felt　good　when　we　were　all　on　the　ground　again。　　The　British　consul　gave　Somers　a　fine　reception　and　raised　the　flag　for　him　and　had　the　band　there　to　play　〃God　Save　the　Queen；〃　which　he　had　spent　the　whole　morning　in　teaching　them。　　Griscom　and　I　called　on　our　Consul　and　played　his　guitar。　　We　bought　one　for　ourselves　for　the　rest　of　the　trip。

I　want　you　to　do　something　for　me：　keep　all　the　unfavorable　notices　you　get。　　I　know　Mother　won't　do　it；　so　I　shall　expect　Nora　to　make　a　point　of　saving　them　from　the　waste…paper　basket。　　If　there　is　not　a　lot　of　them　when　I　get　back；　I　will　raise　a　row。

DICK。


MANAQUA…NICARAGUA…February　13；　1895。　DEAR　FAM：

I　had　a　great　deal　to　tell　you；　but　we　have　just　received　copies　of　the　Panama　Star　and　have　read　of　the　trolley　riots　in　Brooklyn；　a　crisis　in　France；　War　in　the　Balkans；　a　revolution　in　Honolulu　and　another　in　Colombia。　　The　result　is　that　we　feel　we　are　not　in　it　and　we　are　all　kicking　and　growling　and　abusing　our　luck。　　How　Claiborne　and　Russell　will　delight　over　us　and　in　telling　how　the　militia　fired　on　the　strikers　and　how　Troop　A　fought　nobly。　　Never　mind　our　turn　will　come　someday　and　we　may　see　something　yet。　　We　have　had　the　deuce　of　a　time　since　we　left　Tegucigalpa。　　Now　we　are　in　a　land　where　there　are　bull　hide　beds　and　canvas　cots　instead　of　hammocks　and　ice　and　railroads　and　direct　communication　with　steamship　lines。　　Hereafter　all　will　be　merely　a　matter　of　waiting　until　the　boat　sails　or　the　train　starts　and　the　uncertainties　of　mules　and　cat　boats　are　at　an　end。　　It　is　hard　to　explain　about　our　difficulties　after　we　left　Tegucigalpa　but　they　were　many。　　We　gave　up　our　idea　of　riding　here　direct　because　they　assured　us　we　could　get　a　steam　launch　from　Amapala　t