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CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
Arrival at Greytown—The river San Juan-Silting up of the
harbour-Crossing the bar-Lives lost on it-Sharks-Chris-
topher Columbus-Appearance of the town-Trade—Healthi-
ness of the town and its probable cause-Comparison between
Greytown, Pernambuco, and Maceio-Wild fruits-Plants—
Parrots, toucans, and tanagers Butterflies and beetles
Mimetic forms-Alligators: boy drowned at Blewfields by
one-Their method of catching wild pigs
CHAPTER II.
Commence journey up San Juan river-Palms and wild canes—
Plantations-The Colorado river-Proposed improvement of
the river-Progress of the Delta-Mosquitoes-Disagreeable
night-Fine morning-Vegetation of the banks-Seripiqui
river-Mot-mots-Foraging ants: their method of hunting
- Ant-thrushes — They attack the nests of other ants
Birds' nests, how preserved from them-Reasoning powers
in ants-Parallel between the mammalia and the hymen-
optera-Utopia .
CHAPTER III.
-
Journey up river continued Wild pigs and jaguar - Bungos –
Reach Machuca-Castillo-Capture of Castillo by Nelson-
India-rubber trade-Rubber-men-Method of making India-
rubber-Congo monkeys-Macaws-The Savallo river-En-
durance of the boatmen-San Carlos-Interoceanic canal—
PAGE
II
Advantages of the Nicaraguan route-The Rio Frio-Stories
about the wild Indians-Indian captive children-Expedi-
tions up the Rio Frio-American river steamboats
CHAPTER IV.
The lake of Nicaragua-Ometépec-Becalmed on the lake-White
egrets-Reach San Ubaldo-Ride across the plains-Vegeta-
tion of the plains-Armadillo-Savannahs-Jicara trees—
Jicara bowls-Origin of gourd-shaped pottery-Coyotes—
Mule-breeding-Reach Acoyapo-Festa-Cross high range--
Esquipula-The Rio Mico-Supposed statues on its banks-
Pital-Cultivation of maize-Its use from the earliest times in
America―Separation of the maize-eating from the mandioca-
eating indigenes of America - Tortillas - Sugar-making-
Enter the forest of the Atlantic slope-Vegetation of the
forest-Muddy roads-Arrive at Santo Domingo.
CHAPTER V.
Geographical position of Santo Domingo-Physical geography-
The inhabitants-Mixed races-Negroes and Indians com-
pared-Women-Establishment of the Chontales Gold-Min-
ing Company-My house and garden-Fruits-Plantains and
bananas; probably not indigenous to America: propagated
from shoots do not generally mature their seeds-Fig-trees-
Granadillas and papaws-Vegetables-Dependence of flowers
on insects for their fertilisation-Insect plagues-Leaf-cutting
ants their method of defoliating trees: their nests-Some
trees are not touched by the ants-Foreign trees are very sub-
ject to their attack-Method of destroying the ants-Migra-
tion of the ants from a nest attacked-Corrosive sublimate
causes a sort of madness amongst them-Indian plan of pre-
venting them ascending young trees-Leaf-cutting ants are
fungus-growers and eaters-Sagacity of the ants
CHAPTER VI.
Configuration of the ground at Santo Domingo-Excavation of
valleys-Geology of the district-Decomposition of the rocks
-Gold-mining-Auriferous quartz veins-Mode of occurrence
30
43
61
of the gold-Lodes richer next the surface than at lower
depths-Excavation and reduction of the ore-Extraction of
the gold-" Mantos "—Origin of mineral veins : their connec-
tion with intrusions of plutonic rocks
85
CHAPTER VII.
Climate of the north-eastern side of Nicaragua-Excursions around
Santo Domingo-The Artígua-Corruption of ancient names
-Butterflies, spiders, and wasps-Humming-birds, beetles,
and ants-Plants and trees-Timber-Monkey attacked by
eagle-White-faced monkey-Anecdotes of a tame one-
Curassows and other game birds-Trogons, woodpeckers, mot-
mots, and toucans
103
CHAPTER VIII.
Description of San Antonio valley-Great variety of animal life
-Pitcher-flowered Marcgravias-Flowers fertilised by hum-
ming birds-By insects-Provision in some flowers to prevent
insects, not adapted for carrying the pollen, from obtaining
access to the nectaries-Stories about wasps-Humming-birds
bathing-Singular myriapods-Ascent of Peña Blanca-Tapirs
and jaguars-Summit of Peña Blanca
CHAPTER IX.
Journey to Juigalpa-Description of Libertad-The priest and
the bell-Migratory butterflies and moths-Indian graves-
Ancient names- -Dry river-beds-Monkeys and wasps-Reach
Juigalpa-Ride in neighbourhood-Abundance of small birds
-A poor cripple-The "Toledo "-Trogons-Waterfall-
Sepulchral mounds-Broken statues-The sign of the cross-
Contrast between the ancient and the present inhabitants—
Night life
126
150
CHAPTER X.
Juigalpa A Nicaraguan family-Description of the road from
Juigalpa to Santo Domingo-Comparative scarcity of insects
in Nicaragua in 1872-Water-bearing plants-Insect-traps-
The south-western edge of the forest region-Influence of
cultivation upon it-Sagacity of the mule
176
CHAPTER XI.
Start on journey to Segovia-Rocky mountain road-A poor lodg-
ing-The rock of Cuapo-The use of large beaks in some
birds-Comoapa-A native doctor-Vultures-Flight of birds
that soar-Natives live from generation to generation on the
same spot-Do not give distinctive names to the rivers-
Caribs barter guns and iron pots for dogs--The hairless dogs
of tropical America-Difference between artificial and natural
selection-The cause of sterility between allied species consi-
dered-The disadvantages of a covering of hair to a domesti-
cated animal in a tropical country
CHAPTER XII.
Olama-The "Sanate" - Muy-muy -- Idleness of the people—
Mountain road-The "Bull Rock"-The bull's-horn thorn-
Ants kept as standing armies by some plants-Use of honey-
secreting glands-Plant-lice, scale-insects, and leaf-hoppers
furnish ants with honey, and in return are protected by the
latter-Contest between wasps and ants-Waxy secretions of
the homopterous hemiptera.
191
212
CHAPTER XIII.
Matagalpa Aguardiente-Fermented liquors of the Indians-The
wine-palm-Idleness of the Nicaraguans-Pine and oak forests
-Mountain gorge-Jinotega-Native plough-Descendants
of the buccaneers-San Rafael-A mountain hut.
231
CHAPTER XIV.
Great range composed of boulder clay-Daraily-Lost on the
savannahs-Jamailý-A deer-hunter's family-Totagalpa-
Walls covered with cement and whitewashed-Ocotal-The
valley of Depilto-Silver mine-Geology of the valley-Glacial