CHAPTER VII.
Suburbs,—Villages,—Bee-hives,—Cochineal Plantations,—Grazing Farms,—Bathing Places,—Trip to Antigua, or old Guatimala.
To the beauty of the environs, and the majestic character of the neighbouring scenery, rather than to any attraction which the city itself possesses, must be attributed that peculiar charm which compels the stranger to admire Guatimala, and impresses his mind even after leaving it, with the recollection of its loveliness and grandeur. The suburbs, in every direction, abound with pleasing walks, some leading to the hills of Carmen and Calvary, where chapels, called hermitages, are erected; and others, to the different Indian villages by which the city is surrounded. The adjoining country, for two or three leagues, affords numerous beautiful rides, and probably a greater variety of magnificent scenery may be found here, within the circumference of a few miles, than in the neighbourhood of any other city in either hemisphere.
One of the most agreeable pedestrian excursions is to Jocotonango, a village about a mile
