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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.
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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-Excavation and reduction of the ore-Extraction of
the gold-" Mantos "—Origin of mineral veins : their connec-
tion with intrusions of plutonic rocks
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
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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
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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.
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.
191
212
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
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
CHAPTER XV.
A Nicaraguan criminal-Geology between Ocotal and Totagalpa-
Preparations at Totagalpa for their annual festival-Chicha-
drinking-Piety of the Indians-Ancient civilisation of tropical
America-Palacaguina-Hospitality of the Mestizos-Curious
custom at the festival at Condego-Cross range between
Segovia and Matagalpa-Sontuli-Birds' nests
275
CHAPTER XVI,
Concordia-Jinotega-Indian habits retained by the people-
Indian names of towns-Security of travellers in Nicaragua
-Native flour-mill Uncomfortable lodgings-Tierrabona-
Dust whirlwind—Initial form of a cyclone—The origin of
cyclones
292
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
308
world-Distribution of European land and fresh-water shells
-Discussion of the reasons why fresh-water productions have
varied less than those of the land and of the sea
327
CHAPTER XIX.
Iguanas and lizards - Granada - Politics - Revolutions - Cacao
cultivation-Masaya-The lake of Masaya-The volcano of
Masaya-Origin of the lake basin
CHAPTER XX.
Indian population of the country lying between the great lakes of
Nicaragua and the Pacific-Discovery and conquest of Nica-
ragua by the Spaniards-Cruelties of the Spaniards-The
Indians of Western Central America all belonged to one
stock-Decadence of Mexican civilisation before the arrival
of the Spaniards-The designation "Nahuatls" proposed to
include all the Mexican, Western Central American, and
Peruvian races that had descended from the same ancient
stock-The Nahuatls distinct from the Caribs on one side
and the Red Indians on the other-Discussion of the ques-
tion of the peopling of America
CHAPTER XXI.
Return to Santo Domingo-The birds of Chontales-The insects
of Chontales-Mimetic forms-Departure from the mines-
Nicaragua as a field for emigration-Journey to Greytown—
Return to England
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