NICARAGUA.

ITS PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE.

CHAPTER I.

EXTENT GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION-VOLCANOES-LAKES-MANAGUA AND NICARAGUA-RIVERS-THE RIO SAN JUAN-TRAILING VINES-ALLIGATORS—

MONKEYS RAPIDS-THE CASTILLO AND MACHUCA-CLIMATE-TEMPERATURE

-AN INCIDENT.

THE Republic of Nicaragua is embraced entirely between 83 and 88° west longitude from Greenwich, or 60 and 110 west from Washington, and between 9° 30′ and 15° of north latitude, with an area of between fifty and sixty thousand square miles, being about seven times the extent of Massachusetts. It is bounded by the Caribbean Sea on the east; on the west by the Pacific Ocean; north, by the river Vanks, or Segovia,

and partly by the river Roman; and south by Costa Ricaor, as this is a mooted point, we may add, its southern boundary, separating it from Costa Rica, runs in a right line from the mouth of the river Salto de Nicoya to the lower mouth of the Rio San Juan. Its geographical position, having a fine harbor, the town of Greytown, or San Juan, on the Atlantic, and other fine harbors on the Pacific, fully entitles this small State to the consideration of statesmen and the mercantile world, and has won for it its motto "The vast gate of the twin sea." The great chain of Cordilleras diverges in two ranges, and all the streams upon the southern side fall into the lakes Managua and Nicaragua, or into the Rio San Juan. The Pacific range, in volcanic cones, follows the general direction of the coast, gradually settling to low hills and plains. The principal cones are Momotombo, Momobacho, Ometepec, Madeira, with those of Viejo, Santa Clara, Axusco, Orosi, Abogado, together with others less remarkable, yet known not alone as landmarks, and as beautiful natural structures, but as being the traditional depots of great hidden wealth.

There are two remarkable and beautiful inland lakes: that of Managua, erroneously called Leon, and Nicaragua; the former being about fifty-five miles long by thirty-five in width, ranging from two to thirty-five fathoms deep. The mountains of Matagalpa, rich with silver, gold, lead, and other minerals, on the northern and eastern shores, margin with

LAKES MANAGUA AND NICARAGUA.

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wondrous beauty this quiet basin, while Momotombo, from whose lofty peak I watched thin clouds of smoke wreathing upward, relieved by the dark gray morning sky, rises, grandly, in its bosom; Momotombita, a fit companion, stands in bold relief, so beautifully artistic in design and character, that it wins an involuntary exclamation from us as, on the beach, we gaze far up its shaggy ascent.

The Lake Nicaragua is about one hundred and ten miles long by thirty-five to sixty miles in breadth, and every variety of depth may here be fathomed. This sheet of water is the most beautiful of any I ever saw; and yet within its depths the rapacious shark fins his way along, and the timid mariner witnesses waterspouts, and experiences the most sudden, dangerous squalls met with in any water on the globe. Its sole outlet is the Rio San Juan. During the months of October, November, December, and January, the prevailing winds are from the northeast, and the waves of the lake scud angrily upon the beach, dashing the spray, broadcast, in refreshing showers. At such seasons, travelers, desirous of journeying from the south, experience much difficulty in getting off in the small schooners heretofore exclusively used between Granada and the ports south of it-San Jorge and Virgin Bay. Indeed, I have known parties who have been delayed two weeks, yet endeavoring, perhaps frequently during the day, to launch their boats, but ere their sails would

fill, the breakers, rushing shoreward, would drive the boats high and dry upon the beach. It was formerly supposed from this, that there was an ebb and flow to the lake, and judging at such seasons, a stranger would be convinced that it was no dream, but an actual reality. The streams known as the San Carlos and Serapaqui, flow into the Rio San Juan, with numerous others bordering it. This river is from one hundred yards to a quarter of a mile wide, from one to twentyfive feet deep, and about ninety-one miles long, margined by heavy underbrush and fine timber; while the bank on either side is so heavily screened with trailing vines, that at various places it is impenetrable to the eye. I have seen a single one, climbing up a gigantic Trumpet-tree, wreathe round its top, cover it, then falling gracefully in myriads of clusters resembling the various jets of a fountain, reach terra firma, then clasp another tree, and so on until one would almost imagine the Banyan before him. Upon its shores, and on the many sand islets, is seen reposing, in fancied and blest security, like a fat millionaire, the swarthy alligator; and leaping from tree to tree, and shriekingly from vine to vine, are countless monkeys-some short-tailed, others long, ring-tailed, others no-tailed, cropped off short, regular bob-tails.

For calm, quiet beauty, the Rio San Juan is pre-eminent, and will retain numberless charms for the tourist's eye, even should the axe of the settler ring through the wilderness on

THE RAPIDS-MACHUCA AND CASTILLO.

21

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its banks. There are various rapids in the ascent, viz.: the Machucha, the Castillo, the Tauro, the Cow, and the Calf. The Machucha Rapids take their name from Captain Diego Machuca, who, in 1529, explored the river. They are by no means entitled to the name, but may better be designated as an eddy, for here the river bends, and the current is swift, indeed very swift, yet navigable for stern-wheel boats without much difficulty. The Castillo Rapids-where the old castle frowns from its height of one hundred feet or more above, are truly such, yet far from equaling those on the St. Lawrence River, and others elsewhere. They appear to have been formed by art, rather than Nature. Large loose stones obstruct the river, and the swift current roars through the interstices, seeming at a short distance to be indeed very formidable; yet I, with others, in 1850, endeavored to haul a stern-wheel iron steamer up them, and should have succeeded, had the banks been firm, or had we had a stump arouud which to trail our hawsers. Our feet slipped, the current swept the boat down-down over the rapids. Being of iron, she bounded from rock to rock, and after sweeping perhaps one hundred yards down the current, ran safely ashore on the opposite bank.

It requires but little valor to brave these rapids; and the heart of a sailor throbs lightly and easily under his jacket, as he steers his craft into the stream, and mounts the noisy little