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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-Christopher Colum-
bus-Appearance of the Town-Trade-Healthiness of the Town
and its probable cause-Comparison between Greytown, Pernam-
buco, 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-Plan-
tations 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 Hymenoptera-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-Endurance of the Boat-
men-San Carlos-Interoceanic Canal-Advantages of the Nica-
raguan Route-The Rio Frio-Stories about the Wild Indians-
Indian Captive Children-Expeditions up the Rio Frio-Ame-
rican River Steamboats.
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CHAPTER IV.
The Lake of Nicaragua-Ometepec-Becalmed on the Lake--White
Cygnets-Reach San Ubaldo-Ride across the Plains-Vegetation
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 compared-
Women-Establishment of the Chontales Gold Mining Company
-My House and Garden-Fruits-Plantains and Bananas: pro-
bably 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
Fertilization-Insect Plagues-Leaf-cutting Ants: their method
of defoliating Trees: their Nests--Some Trees are not touched
by the Ants-Foreign Trees are very subject to their attack—
Method of Destroying the Ants-Migration of the Ants from a
Nest attacked-Corrosive Sublimate causes a sort of Madness
amongst them-Indian plan of preventing their ascending young
Trees-Leaf-cutting Ants are fungus-growers and eaters-
Sagacity of the Ants
43
61
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 of the
Gold-Lodes richer next the surface than at lower depths-Ex-
cavation and Reduction of the Ore-Extraction of the Gold-
"Mantos "-Origin of Mineral Veins: their connection with
intrusions of Plutonic Rocks .
. 85
CHAPTER VII.
Climate of the north-eastern side of Nicaragua-Excursions around
Santo Domingo-The Artigua-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
CHAPTER VIII.
Description of San Antonio Valley-Great variety of animal life-
Pitcher-flowered Marcgravias-Flowers fertilized by Humming-
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-Nest
of Myriapods-Ascent of Peña Blanca-Tapirs and Jaguars-
Summit of Peña Blanca
CHAPTER IX.
xi
. 103
126
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 150
CHAPTER X.
Juigalpa A Nicaraguan Family-Description of the Road from Jui-
galpa to Santo Domingo-Comparative scarcity of Insects in Nica-
ragua 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 Lodging
-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 considered-The disadvantages
of a covering of hair in a domesticated animal in a Tropical
Country
191
CHAPTER XII.
Olama-The "Sanate "-Muymuy-Idleness of the People-Moun-
tain 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
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-Descend-
ants of the Buccaneers-San Rafael-A Mountain Hut
CHAPTER XIV.
231
Great Range composed of Boulder Clay-Daraily-Lost on the Savan-
nahs-Jamaily-A Deer-hunter's Family-Totagalpa-Walls
covered with Cement and Whitewashed-Ocotal-The Valley of
Depilto-Silver Mine-Geology of the Valley-Glacial Drift-
The Glacial Period in Central America-Evidence that the Ice
extended to the Tropics-Scarcity of Gold in the Valley Gravels
-Difference of the Mollusca on the East and West Coast of the
Isthmus of Darien-The Refuge of the Tropical American Animals
and Plants during the Glacial Period-The Lowering of the Sea
Level-The Land Shells of the West Indian Islands-The Malay
Archipelago-Easter Island-Atlantis-Traditions of the Deluge. 247
A Nicaraguan Criminal-Geology between Ocotal and Totagalpa-Pre-
parations at Totagalpa for their Annual Festival-Chica-drinking
-Piety of the Indians-Ancient Civilization of Tropical America
-Palacaguina-Hospitality of the Mestizos-Curious Custom at
the Festival at Condego-Cross Range between Segovia and Mata-
galpa-Sontuli-Birds' Nests.
CHAPTER XVI.
Concordia-Jinotega-Indian Habits retained by the People-Indian
Names of Towns-Security of Travellers in Nicaragua-Native
Flour-milk-Uncomfortable Lodgings-Tierrabona-Dust Whirl-
wind-Initial form of a Cyclone-The origin of Cyclones
CHAPTER XVII.
Cattle-raising-Don Filiberto Trano's new House-Horse-flies and
Wasps-Teustepe-Spider imitating Ants-Mimetic Species-
Animals with special means of defence are conspicuously marked,
or in other ways attract attention-Accident to Horse-The
Mygale-Illness-Conclusion of Journey.
CHAPTER XVIII.
Division of Nicaragua into three Zones-Journey from Juigalpa to
Lake of Nicaragua-Voyage on Lake-Fresh-water Shells and
Insects Similarity of Fresh-water productions all over the World
-Distribution of European Land and Fresh-water Shells-Dis-
cussion of the reasons why Fresh-water productions have varied
less than those of the Land and of the Sea.
CHAPTER XIX.
Iguanas and Lizards-Granada-Politics-Revolutions-Cacao Culti-
vation-Masaya-The Lake of Masaya-The Volcano of Masaya
. 275
292
308
327
338