CHAPTER XVIII

.—Return to Granada—A Ball in Honor of “El

Ministro”—The Funambulos—Departure for Rivas or Nicaragua—Hills of Scoriæ—The Insane Girl and the Brown Samaritan—A Way-side Idol—Mountain Lakes and Strange Birds—A Sudden Storm—Take Refuge among the “Vaqueros”—Inhospitable Reception—Night Ride; Darkness and Storm—Friendly Indians—Indian Pueblo of Nandyme—The Hacienda of Jesus Maria—An Astonished Mayor Domo—How to get a Supper—Jicorales—Ochomogo—Rio Gil Gonzales—The “Obraje”—Rivas and its Dependencies—Señor Hurtado—His Cacao Plantation—The City—Effect of Earthquakes and of Shot—Attack of Somoza—Another American—His attempt to cultivate Cotton on the Island of Ometepec—Murder of his Wife—Failure of his Enterprize—A Word about Cotton Policy—The Antiquities of Ometepec—Aboriginal Burial Places—Funeral Vases—Relics of Metal—Golden Idols—A Copper Mask—Antique Pottery—A Frog in Verd Antique—Sickness of my Companions—The Pueblo of San Jorge—Shore of the Lake—Feats of Horsemanship—Lance Practice—Visit Potosi—Another Remarkable Relic of Aboriginal Superstition—The Valley of Brito—An Indigo Estate—Cultivation of Indigo—Village of Brito—A Decaying Family and a Decayed Estate—An Ancient Vase—Observations on the Proposed Canal—Return alone to Granada—Despatches—A forced March to Leon, 491

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