e great earthquake of
Lisbon, in 1755, sixty thousand souls were launched into eternity;
and though none in this city have equalled in destructiveness the
great one at Lisbon, yet Guatemala has been several times nearly
destroyed by earthquakes, combined with the eruptions of the
neighboring volcanoes."

MR. BARRAUD. "The inhabitants are mostly of Spanish origin;
consequently, mostly Roman Catholics; and a recent traveller says
that from the moment of his arrival, he was struck with the devout
appearance of the city of Guatemala. At matins and vespers, the
churches were all open, and the people, particularly the women, went
regularly to prayers. Every house had its figure of the Virgin, the
Saviour, or some tutelary saint, and on the door were billets of
paper with prayers. You will be surprised to hear that nearly all
the ladies in Central America smoke. The married ladies smoke
_puros_, or all tobacco; the unmarried ladies smoke _cigars_, or
tobacco wrapped in paper or straw."

DORA. "What an odd indulgence for a lady! In England, ladies never
smoke; although I must say I have often seen poor women with pipes
in their mouths, and thought what a dirty habit it was."

MRS. WILTON. "It is the custom of the country, and were you a
Spanish lady, Dora, I have no doubt you would enjoy a cigar as much
as any of the senoritas. We shall next see the shore of Mexico. What
gulfs must we pass to accomplish this?"

EMMA. "Only the Gulf of Tehuantepec which is worth noticing."

MRS. WILTON. "Mexico has been travelled over already; so we will
pass on to the Gulf of California."

GEORGE. "But is there not a place called New Mexico?"

DORA. "Yes, but not near the coast: however, I will tell you all I
know about it. It is mostly inhabited by Christian Indians, of whom
there are no fewer than thirty villages. They are of various tribes,
but all trained to industrial habits, and are in every respect a
worthy set of people. Their clothing is the skin of wild goats;
their women wear mantles of cotton or wool. Their mode of travelling
is on horseback, and the only access to their huts, which are
square, with open galleries on the top, is by a ladder, which is
removed during the night."

CHARLES. "Robinson Crusoe fashion, I presume?"

DORA. "Exactly. 'Now we are in front of the entrance to San
Francisco Bay. The mountains on the northern side are 3000 feet in
height, and come boldly down to the sea As the view opens through
the s