Me voy á California

A tierra muy lejana, etc.

It would have been a queer procession to move down Broadway, some on horses and some on mules, each with his pistols and knife belted around him and his rifle or gun slung to his saddle-bow, and the animals themselves half buried under a weight of blankets, alforjas,

we went on bravely for a league, when adventure the first greeted us. One of our party got off his horse to pick up his pouch, which had dropped, and, he being some time about it, the animal began to walk off; the walk was soon changed to a trot, and then to a gallop, and the horse disappeared in the bushes, having first relieved himself of the greater part of his cargo by a kick and a shake. Two of us, being behind and seeing the mishap, dashed into the woods in pursuit, but soon lost the track in a

maze of paths, and returned to the road to search out Andrés, our guide. We went on to join the rest of the party, who had dismounted, and were seated comfortably under the dense shade of a cotton tree, regaling themselves on wild plums. In half an hour Andrés came back, saying that the beast could not be found, and that he had probably gone back to Granada, whither he would go in pursuit. We then went up to a little hacienda near, and, ordering dinner, awaited his return, sending out also the men of the place under the inducement of a reward of three dollars for the gun and fishing-rod, which had been so securely fastened that they had not been thrown off. Meanwhile we lay under the shade, some sleeping, some chatting, and some eating different unknown fruits, which the little naked children delighted to bring us. In an hour our repast was brought to us on a large tray-six gourds containing a curious compound, mush, chopped onions, eggs, and a rather suspicious substance which from the spotted appearance of the skin we at first thought snake, but which the conformation of the bones proved to be lizard, and which was very sweet and delicate. We were all hungry, so the gourds soon went away empty. Late in the afternoon the guide returned without the horse, but with a note from a friend advising us to go back and take a fresh start in the morning. This, however, we were unwilling to do, not wishing to lose a day; and who likes to bid good-by twice? We therefore decided to take the guide's horse, while he, notwithstanding his earnest remonstrances, was to go afoot. But, fortunately, just as we were issuing into the road the hacienda man appeared with the runaway, though minus the gun. The change was made to the satisfaction of all, and onward was the word. Andrés, how ever, was in a very ill humor, and his temper was by no means improved by the threatening appearance of the clouds, which had begun to gather around the mountains of Granada in a very ominous manner. He obstinately refused to let his horse take a faster gait than a walk, and we, being inexperienced on the road, kept the same pace. In about two hours-long enough to have brought us to our first stopping-place, though we were not more than half way

on came the rain. It grew dark as suddenly as shutting your eyes, and amid the most vivid flashes of lightning and terrific crashes of thunder a deluge of water descended that seemed as though it would beat us off our saddles. By this time we had left the main road for a shorter mule-path, which led through a series of ravines in which our mules so pitched, slipped, and jumped about that it appeared certain that in some of them we must all roll over together to the bottom.

VOL. XLII.---118.

We kept close together, singing and whistling to indicate our whereabouts, for we could not see a foot before us except during the flashes of lightning. Once we had a regular stampede. One oftheparty attempting to open his umbrella, every animal started with a jump. Mine leaped on a high bank and plunged headlong into a jungle, where I really thought he had stuck fast. Altogether it was a hard ride, and as we were obliged to go slowly it was nine o'clock before we reached Masaya. For once I listened with satisfaction to the distant barking of the dogs, and soon we were riding through a long street of Indian huts. At one of these our guide stopped, and, after some conversation with its inmates, informed us there was no posada in the place, and that all the houses were shut up through fear of a revolution; nevertheless we were obliged to stop there. He himself was in mortal fear, and kept telling us to talk loudly in English, that we might not be mistaken for a party of revolutionists, and be shot in the dark. We held a consultation, and were more than half inclined to start again in search of some place which might promise better accommodations. But then we considered that we were wet and weary, in a strange place, and understanding little of the language, and any shelter seemed agreeable. A fresh shower coming down just then decided the question at once, and in a moment every one was off his saddle. A glance into the house showed us that little was to be hoped for there. It was only a little cane hut about twelve feet square, and already contained at least a dozen men, women, and children, with the usual complement of an ill-looking dog apiece. One look was sufficient, and we left for the kitchen. This was a similar structure, but smaller, and, finding it unoccupied, we took immediate possession. There was room, by close squeezing, for four of us to sling our hammocks from the poles of the roof; the other three made their couches on bundles of reeds. I must say, however, that the people of the house could not have treated us more kindly. They did everything in their power: took care of our beasts, and would freely have given up their own poor beds; but suspecting fleas, we thanked them, which is here equivalent to a polite refusal. They also got us a much better supper than we could have expected, charging us only the prices of the articles; and for half the night a crowd of naked boys and girls were at our door, waiting to attend to anything we might require. Imagine us, four in a row, suspended over the three others beneath, hanging in nets of grass, midway between the ground and the roof of the little hut, half afraid to move for fear of bringing the whole down on our heads, and with the smoke of the fire gracefully curling around

us, which, though it offended our eyes, answered the excellent purpose of keeping off the mosquitos. We slept well and soundly, and the next morning rose early, and saddled our animals, and set out for the plaza. Our guide suddenly changed to be one of the best-tempered men in the world, and for the rest of the journey he continued so. Nothing could put him out of temper, and there was nothing he thought would please us, or be of service to us, that he would not do. But we did not thank him much this morning when he led us to the door of a fine posada fronting the plaza where we might have stayed the night before. We ordered as good a breakfast as they could give us, and while it was being prepared went out for a little walk about the town. Masaya is a place of more inhabitants than Granada, but of a very different appearance. Granada is more compact than any city I have ever seen, while Masaya is scattered about, all the houses disconnected and standing among a profusion of palm, cocoa, and fruit trees. We had hardly gone four squares before we were obliged to return, being loaded down with presents of fruit. The plaza of Masaya is very large, and presented a very lively scene as we rode through it. The market was in full operation, and I should think at least a thousand men and women, in costumes gayer than any I have seen in any other place, were busily engaged in exchanging their wares. . . . Two miles [from Masaya] we came to a little village the remembrance of which is like that of a beautiful poem. Said B———,“ I could live here forever," and we all felt saddened as a turn in the road cut off our parting glances.

A little farther on a magnificent scene awaited us. We came to where the road crossed a vast stream of black lava, which had rolled down from Masaya mountain overwhelming and destroying everything in its course, and had passed down as far as we could see towards Lake Nicaragua, which, with its sister lake of Managua and their connecting river, lay in the distance, the high range of mountains which separate them from the Atlantic bounding the view. About two leagues on we came to an open plain on which many cattle were feeding, and stopped for half an hour to let our mules and horses graze, while we ourselves dined on pines and oranges which we had brought with us.

From this point the road led through the forest four leagues to Managua, and here we were called upon to admire a new kind of beauty large trees of the size of our elms, with not a leaf upon them, but covered in their place with flowers, some of a bright yellow and others clear red and white. When I say covered, I mean all covered, like the stem of a

hyacinth, a hundred on a twig. Where they overhung the road, our horses often would be fetlock deep in the blossoms which had dropped, and yet there was apparently no diminution on the branches above. They were not coarse and ugly, but delicate and fragrant, the kind which the ladies of this country most delight to entwine in their hair. One sight I saw which I could only stand and gaze upon with delight—one of the largest of these trees, and one of the richest in this new kind of foliage, with an immense vine covered with blue and purple flowers winding up to its topmost boughs, and hanging thence in long and rich festoons, forming a most complete bower. As if to make perfection more perfect, among the branches were perched two macaws, the most beautiful birds of the country, with the richest red and blue plumage, and drooping tails a yard long. About sundown we reached Managua, a large town and the true capital of the State. It is situated on Lake Managua, where we had a delightful bath, and then returned to the posada, the best in the State, and kept by a man who owns a plantation some leagues square on the Pacific, from the products of which he set us out a most excellent supper. We slept here between sheets, and on pretty fringed pillows, which were so soft we were loath to leave them in the morning. But in this country the time to travel is the early morning or the cool of the evening, the middle of the day being very hot. Our forenoon's ride was to Matiares, six leagues. The road crossed a mountain from which there was a superb view of Managua Lake with its numerous bays, promontories, and islands, with Momotombo and Momotombito rising in full view, the loftiest volcanoes in the country, visible fifty leagues away on the Pacific. Today we met numerous travelers and long trains of freight-mules. Troops of monkeys and apes and flocks of parrots enlivened the way, and now and then a deer would start up and bound away through the bushes. We took our siesta on the plaza of Matiares, the town itself, which has been pretty much destroyed in a late revolution, offering no accommodations for us. In the afternoon we went four leagues farther to Nagarote, a large place, where we passed a comfortable night in the house of the schoolmaster. Much of our way was along the borders of the lake, heavy traveling for our animals, but from the change of scenery pleasing to us. The next day twelve leagues brought us to León. You see I am running on, for if I should describe minutely all the incidents of the way, both you and I would be well tired.

June 26. Twenty-five days later from Central America: as many more, and we may

us, which, though it offended our eyes, answered the excellent purpose of keeping off the mosquitos. We slept well and soundly, and the next morning rose early, and saddled our animals, and set out for the plaza. Our guide suddenly changed to be one of the best-tempered men in the world, and for the rest of the journey he continued so. Nothing could put him out of temper, and there was nothing he thought would please us, or be of service to us, that he would not do. But we did not thank him much this morning when he led us to the door of a fine posada fronting the plaza where we might have stayed the night before. We ordered as good a breakfast as they could give us, and while it was being prepared went out for a little walk about the town. Masaya is a place of more inhabitants than Granada, but of a very different appearance. Granada is more compact than any city I have ever seen, while Masaya is scattered about, all the houses disconnected and standing among a profusion of palm, cocoa, and fruit trees. We had hardly gone four squares before we were obliged to return, being loaded down with presents of fruit. The plaza of Masaya is very large, and presented a very lively scene as we rode through it. The market was in full operation, and I should think at least a thousand men and women, in costumes gayer than any I have seen in any other place, were busily engaged in exchanging their wares. . . . Two miles [from Masaya] we came to a little village the remembrance of which is like that of a beautiful poem. Said B——,“ I could live here forever," and we all felt saddened as a turn in the road cut off our parting glances.

A little farther on a magnificent scene awaited us. We came to where the road crossed a vast stream of black lava, which had rolled down from Masaya mountain overwhelming and destroying everything in its course, and had passed down as far as we could see towards Lake Nicaragua, which, with its sister lake of Managua and their connecting river, lay in the distance, the high range of mountains which separate them from the Atlantic bounding the view. About two leagues on we came to an open plain on which many cattle were feeding, and stopped for half an hour to let our mules and horses graze, while we ourselves dined on pines and oranges which we had brought with us.

From this point the road led through the forest four leagues to Managua, and here we were called upon to admire a new kind of beauty-large trees of the size of our elms, with not a leaf upon them, but covered in their place with flowers, some of a bright yellow and others clear red and white. When I say covered, I mean all covered, like the stem of a

hyacinth, a hundred on a twig. Where they overhung the road, our horses often would be fetlock deep in the blossoms which had dropped, and yet there was apparently no diminution on the branches above. They were not coarse and ugly, but delicate and fragrant, the kind which the ladies of this country most delight to entwine in their hair. One sight I saw which I could only stand and gaze upon with delight—one of the largest of these trees, and one of the richest in this new kind of foliage, with an immense vine covered with blue and purple flowers winding up to its topmost boughs, and hanging thence in long and rich festoons, forming a most complete bower. As if to make perfection more perfect, among the branches were perched two macaws, the most beautiful birds of the country, with the richest red and blue plumage, and drooping tails a yard long. About sundown we reached Managua, a large town and the true capital of the State. It is situated on Lake Managua, where we had a delightful bath, and then returned to the posada, the best in the State, and kept by a man who owns a plantation some leagues square on the Pacific, from the products of which he set us out a most excellent supper. We slept here between sheets, and on pretty fringed pillows, which were so soft we were loath to leave them in the morning. But in this country the time to travel is the early morning or the cool of the evening, the middle of the day being very hot. Our forenoon's ride was to Matiares, six leagues. The road crossed a mountain from which there was a superb view of Managua Lake with its numerous bays, promontories, and islands, with Momotombo and Momotombito rising in full view, the loftiest volcanoes in the country, visible fifty leagues away on the Pacific. Today we met numerous travelers and long trains of freight-mules. Troops of monkeys and apes and flocks of parrots enlivened the way, and now and then a deer would start up and bound away through the bushes. We took our siesta on the plaza of Matiares, the town itself, which has been pretty much destroyed in a late revolution, offering no accommodations for us. In the afternoon we went four leagues farther to Nagarote, a large place, where we passed a comfortable night in the house of the schoolmaster. Much of our way was along the borders of the lake, heavy traveling for our animals, but from the change of scenery pleasing to us. The next day twelve leagues brought us to León. You see I am running on, for if I should describe minutely all the incidents of the way, both you and I would be well tired.

June 26. Twenty-five days later from Central America: as many more, and we may