"Well, a mule is worse," was the reply that somewhat staggered me.
Then I did not believe him, but now I think he must be divinely gifted with the spirit of prophecy.
Sailing day came, and with all the assurance and independence of a typical American young woman, I stood on the deck of a steamer alone, and watched the familiar faces of friends fade into the distance.
Sixteen days later, as I was about to go ashore in Honduras, I audibly wondered why any one should find the journey anything but delightful. Every moment had been an enjoyable one, and I had entirely escaped one of the foretold horrors. Imagine the shadow that crept across the sunshine of my mental vision, when the Captain of the ship I was leaving so regretfully remarked, with a wise and mysterious shake of his head:
"Perhaps you will see why, when you have been for six days on the hurricane deck of a mule."
A youth, considerably my junior, whom I had known well as a schoolboy in the States, had come with two men-servants and six mules to meet me. As I stood on shore and watched the vessel steam out of the harbor, I did almost feel as if I had had my final contact with civilization.
We went at once to the hotel, which I thought the dirtiest place I had ever seen. Since then I have learned to discriminate nicely between different degrees of filth.
Here we were obliged to remain for two days, for Amapala is on an island, and one has to be transported to the mainland before the journey can be continued. The little steamer does not run regularly, as mañana is the same as to-day, if not preferable, to the native of the coast.
We could hardly believe the evidence of our senses when finally we were plowing our way over the bay toward our desired destination, some two and a half hours after the proprietors of the launch had assured us they would be ready to start.
In all the heat of the tropical noonday sun we came to a stop two hours later, at La Brea, and alighted upon a sandy beach, back of which were a store-house and a few small mud cabins. In the office of the store-house we ate our lunch, and shortly after word came to me that the fated moment for mounting had arrived.