CHAPTER VII

.—Narrative Continued—Arrival of the General-in-Chief—The

Army—Fireworks by Daylight—Prisoners—Interview with Gen. Muñoz—Arrival of the Californian Escort—“Piedras Antiguas”—The Stone of the Big Mouth—“El Chiflador”—Other Antiquities—Preparations for Departure—Carts and “Carreteros”—Vexatious Delays—Departure—How I got a Good Horse for a Bad Mule on the Road—Distant View of the Lakes—The Freedom of the Forest—Arrival at Masaya—Grand Entree—Deserted Plaza—A Military Execution—A “Posada”—“Hijos de Washington”—Disappointed Municipality—We escape an Ovation—Road to Nindiri—Apostrophe to Nindiri!—Overtake the Carts—“Alguna Fresca”—Approach the Volcano of Masaya—The “Mal Pais”—Lava Fields—View of the Volcano—Its Eruptions—“El Inferno de Masaya,” the Hell of Masaya—Oviedo’s Account of his Visit to it in 1529—Activity at that Period—The Ascent—The Crater—Superstitions of the Indians—The Old Woman of the Mountain—The Descent of the Fray Blas Castillo into the Crater, 173

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