as the stones, in consequence of it, fell in value, being regarded merely as colored glass, he carried back a considerable store of them to Panama." It was subsequent to the capture of this province, that Pizarro continued his march along the coast, when a strange epidemic broke out in the little army." The Spaniards, exhausted by fatigue and disease, "and grievously disappointed at the poverty of the land, which now offered no compensation for their toils, cursed the hour in which they had enlisted under his standard; and the men of Nicaragua, in particular, says the old chronicler, calling to mind their pleasant quarters in their luxurious land, sighed only to return to their Mohammedan Paradise." The topazes shown to me were mostly imperfect, and full of flaws; but I saw not one with double pyramid. I was informed that sometimes these gems were found in quartz crystals, and that in some instances they were green. I doubted this, believing that if any substance of that color resembling the topaz, did occur, it was most probably euclase, which may be and has been mistaken for it. In the mountains of Aguacate, near Cartago, in Costa Rica, there are several gold mines; and the neighborhood of Olancho is famous for its fine ore, which is said to have been collected in the sands of the river Guyape, in its course through the valley. GOLD MINES OF COSTA RICA. 95 Many writers have given statistical accounts of the revenue of said mines; but never having seen an official statement, I shall make no estimates of my own. A few months labor to a party possessing a knowledge of mining, and the proper machinery, would be ample for the amassing of a fortune. Coal has been found in Costa Rica, upon the shores of Lake Nicaragua, and upon the Mosquito coast. With such evidences of wealth, there can be little doubt of the early explorations of these provinces by the hardy and experienced miners of the United States. Their arriva! would be hailed with enthusiasm by a people who venerate our government, and love its citizens for their intelligence, sociability, and enterprise. CHAPTER X. BEYOND GRANADA—A VIEW-INDIAN MOTHER AND HER LOAD-THE CONQUERORS MY OPINION-MASAYA—THE PLAZA-THE CHURCH-STORES AND HATS, PRICES — HAMMOCKS-PROVISIONS-EXTENT BUZZARDS-COUNTRY MANUFACTURES-FINE AND BEYOND THE TOWN OF THE TOWN-DOGS WASHER-WOMEN AGAIN-ANCIENT HISTORY-SENoritas. BEYOND the city the palm is seen waving on either hand. The roads are bad enough, but every one should lay in a supply of good humor when traveling, especially in this country. Through dark and dense ravines, draperied with bush and brier, we hold to the mule path, while myriads of macaws, parrots, and other birds, flit across the almost arched trees above us. The lake lies on our right, and from the eminence now gained, seems like a fine thread of silver tracing the dis THE EARLY SPANIARD-HIS SINS AND THE RESULT. 97 tance. From the summit of this ridge we have a glorious prospect. There lies Lake Nicaragua; and there, like a tail to a silver kite, runs the Tipitapa. In the background are the mountains of Matagalpa and Segovia. A slope, covered with forest, sweeps between us and the outlined picture. The road is narrow and much worn. Far down to the left, a line of smoke wreathes palely up from some hidden hacienda, while the hills seem to chase one another in graceful flow, far back to a blank horizon. The Indian woman approaching has her load of corn, a bushel or two, in a net bag, suspended from her forehead and resting on her back. I have seen, too, besides this heavy burden, a strapping child of six years of age sitting philosophically on her hip, perfectly resigned to the slavish condition of the toiling parent. This custom, however, is the result of the brutalizing treatment of the early Spaniards, the tormentors of these poor Indians. Gladly would I forget that the Spanish conquerors introduced neither civilization, peace, nor plenty, but wars, rapine, and discord; sowed dissensions; and after robbing their prostrate victims of vitality, left them poverty-stricken and enfeebled. Spain's day of reckoning must arrive. He whose Cross has witnessed so many inhuman outrages, whose symbol has been profaned, whose people have been wronged and betrayed, will not forget the untutored Indian, whose hearth has been desecrated, and whose home and hopes have been defiled. We enter Masaya. On either hand are fruit trees, amid cool cane huts. As we advance, a better class of houses, with tile roofs, are seen; and still on, for a considerable distance, we reach the plaza. In the centre stands a large church, about which are gathered a vast number of market people; and, piled on the pave, are quantities of fruits and various articles of domestic manufacture. I was surprised to find abundance of cordage, hammocks, cotton cloth, saddles, and mats of numerous descriptions, exposed for sale in the stores surrounding the plaza; but learned, upon subsequent inquiry, that Masaya was celebrated particularly for its manufactures. I saw some beautiful hammocks, very fine, exhibiting considerable taste in the blending and arrangement of colors, adorned with tassels, all of which were offered at reasonable prices. For an American dollar I purchased a very good one; and for two dollars and a half, one of the finest among them. There is a nack in sitting or lolling in one of these airy cradles; and two persons, reclining midway in one, upon different sides, will thus find a grand improvement in their siestas. For warm eves, give me the grass hammock. I can rock myself to sleep, or remain torpid ad libitum. Upon the left hand of the plaza you reach a posada, or hotel, where you find plenty of room, beans, corn-cakes, sweet cakes, dulces, preserves and candies, hard-boiled eggs, and fried chickens. The town covers a square league; though, we must |