Amongst the various aboriginal relics which Mr. Woeniger had collected, on the island of Ometepec, was one of considerable interest, which is represented in No. 2 of the accompanying Cut. It is of stone, about fourteen inches in length, and eight high, and seems intended to be a representation of some animal, couchant. It was carefully preserved by the Indians at the summit of a high, secluded point of rocks, where they secretly resorted to pour out libations before it, and to perform rites, the nature of which none would ever reveal. For more than fifty years the padres sought to discover this idol, but without success. Recently, however, its place had been ascertained; it was seized and would have been thrown into the lake, had not Mr. Woeniger promised, if placed in his hands, to remove it from the island for ever. It is now in the Museum of the Smithsonian Institution at Washington.

At a little distance beyond Potosi, the ridge of land which intervenes between the lake and the Pacific, commences to rise. It can hardly be called a ridge; it is a broad plateau, and what upon either side appear to be hills, are nothing more than the edges of the table-land. The top of this plateau is undulating and diversified, and resembles some of the finer parts of New York and New England. We had a number of magnificent views of the lake and the intervening plain, as we rose above the general level; the volcanoes of Ometepec and Madeira, now as always, constituting the most striking features in the landscape. Our road was gravelly and dry, and its windings pleasantly relieved by open fields and shadowy woodlands. I was a little surprised to find the valley of Brito, upon the summit of the plateau of which I have spoken, along which it runs longitudinally, and finally, by a succession of “saltos,” falls into the Pacific, at the little harbor of Nacascolo or Brito, not far to the northward of that of San Juan del Sur, the point spoken of as the western terminus of the proposed line of transit. It is a sweet little valley, and at one of its sweetest parts is the indigo estate of Señor Hurtado. The building was spacious, built of adobes, with a tiled roof, and surrounded by a high fence of posts, placed in the ground upright, like stockades. Within this the ground was beaten smooth, and, spread upon sheets, were large quantities of indigo, receiving a final drying in the sun, preparatory to being packed for market. Our host, with hospitable prevision, had, the day before, sent word of our coming, and we found a capital breakfast, and a couple of well-cooled bottles of claret, awaiting our attentions. This disposed of, we went to visit the indigo “maquina.” The first point of interest was the dam across the stream from which the water is obtained for driving the machinery and supplying the works. It was well constructed, and a very creditable piece of workmanship for any country. The next thing in importance was the “maquina” itself. It consisted of two immense vats of masonry, situated one above the other. In the lower one a large wheel was so placed as to be turned by water. Near these was a drying house, and other requisite apparatus, the purposes of which will be explained in the following account of the process of manufacturing indigo.

I have elsewhere said that the indigo of Central America, amongst which that of Nicaragua is regarded as of a very superior quality, is obtained from an indigenous triennial plant, (Indigofera disperma, Linn.), which attains its highest perfection in the richest soils. It will grow, however, upon almost any soil, and is very little affected by drought, or by superabundant rains. In planting it, the ground is perfectly cleared, usually burnt over, and divided with an implement resembling a hoe into little trenches, two or three inches in depth, and twelve or fourteen apart, at the bottom of which the seeds are strewn by hand, and lightly covered with earth. A bushel of seed answers for four or five acres of land. In Nicaragua it is usually planted towards the close of the dry season in April or May, and attains its perfection, for the purpose of manufacture, in from two and a half to three months. During this time it requires to be carefully weeded, to prevent any mixture of herbs, which would injure the quality of the indigo. When green, the plant closely resembles what in the United States is familiarly known as “sweet clover,” or the young and tender sprouts of the locust tree. When it becomes covered with a kind of greenish farina, it is in a fit state to be cut. This is done with knives, at a little distance above the root, so as to leave some of the branches, called in the West Indies “ratoons,” for a second growth, which is also in readiness to be cut, in from six to eight weeks after. The crop of the first year is usually small, that of the second is esteemed the best, although that of the third is hardly inferior. It is said that some fields have been gathered for ten consecutive years without being resown, the fallen seed obviating the necessity of new plantings.

After the plant is cut, it is bound in little bundles, carried to the vat, and placed in layers in the upper or larger one, called the “steeper,” (mojadora). This vat holds from one thousand to ten thousand gallons, according to the requirements of the estate. Boards loaded with weights are then placed upon the plants, and enough water let on to cover the whole, which is now left to steep or ferment. The rapidity of this process depends much upon the state of the weather and the condition of the plant. Sometimes it is accomplished in six or eight hours, but generally from fifteen to twenty. The proper length of time is determined by the color of the saturated water; but the great secret is to check the fermentation at the proper point, for upon this, in a great degree, depends the quality of the product. Without disturbing the plant, the water is now drawn off, by cocks, into the lower vat or “beater,” (golpeadoro,) where it is strongly and incessantly beaten, in the smaller estates with paddles by hand, in the larger by wheels turned by horse or water-power. This is continued until it changes from the green color, which it at first displays, to a blue, and until the coloring matter, or floculæ, shows a disposition to curdle or subside. This is sometimes hastened by the infusion of certain herbs. It is then allowed to settle, and the water is carefully drawn off. The pulp granulates, at which time it resembles a fine, soft clay; after which it is put into bags to drain, and then spread on cloths, in the sun, to dry. When properly dried, it is carefully selected according to its quality, and packed in hide cases, 150 lbs. each, called ceroons. The quality has not less than nine gradations, the best being of the highest figure. From 6 to 9 are called flores, and are the best; from 3 to 6, cortes; from 1 to 3, inclusive, cobres. The two poorer qualities do not pay expenses. A mansana of one hundred yards square, produces, on an average, about one ceroon at each cutting. After the plant has passed through the vat, it is required by law that it shall be dried and burnt; because, in decomposing, it generates, by the million, an annoying insect called the “indigo fly.”

Thus the indigo plant requires constant attention during its growth, and must be cut at a particular period, or it is valueless. The subsequent processes are delicate, and require the utmost care. It will readily be understood, therefore, that the production of this staple would suffer most from revolutions and disturbances of the country, when it is impossible to obtain labor, or where the laborers are liable at any moment to be impressed for the army. As a consequence, it has greatly declined; many fine estates have been entirely abandoned, and the export of the article reduced to less than a fifth of what it once was. Its production is now chiefly confined to San Salvador, where industry is better organized than in any of the other States.

From Señor Hurtado’s hacienda, we rode along the shaded banks of the stream, to the little Indian town of Brita. It has nothing to distinguish it except its picturesque situation, and its unique little church, painted after the Indian fashion, with all the colors of the rainbow,—here a row of urns, there a line of flowers, curiously festooned, and the whole altogether more resembling the flaming front of a wooden clock from Yankeeland, than anything else under heaven. Near this place was a decayed cacao estate, belonging to a family of some notability in the country, but now only represented in the female line. The avenue leading to the mansion had once been grand; it was still lined with magnificent trees. The house was now dilapidated, and honey bees had dug out immense establishments in the adobe walls, around which they swarmed in a cloud. A dozen stout, half-naked fellows were lounging on the corridor, surrounded by an equal number of mangy dogs, which showed their teeth and snarled around our legs. The wife of the mayor-domo, himself a swarthy mestizo, was a fair, delicate girl, who looked wonderfully out of place amongst her rough companions. I obtained from her—for she was as kind and gentle as the masculines were morose and ugly—the stone vase, No. 1, of the Cut facing page 514. It had been brought to light but a short time before, in digging the posts for a cattle shed. It is about eighteen inches in height, and of proportionate diameter, cut from a single block of granite rock. There were handles, in the shape of a human head, upon each side, and the intermediate space, on a raised band around the middle, was tastefully ornamented, as shown in the engraving.

Reserving for another place the observations which I this day made, in respect to the proposed route for a ship-canal to connect the lake and ocean at this point, I have only to add that the day was delightfully spent, and that our return to Rivas, in the cool of the evening, was one of the pleasantest rides that I enjoyed in the country. I found that during my absence, the Prefect had sent me a very singular relic of antiquity, which had been exhumed some time previously, near the city, which is represented by Fig. 3, in the same Plate with the vase just described. It is of the same material with the vase, and is ornamented in similar style, but more elaborately. It will be observed that one of the projecting arms or ornaments on the side represented in the sketch, is broken off; it probably was analogous to that shown in the front. I cannot imagine what was the purpose of this singular piece of sculpture, unless designed as a pedestal for an idol, or a seat for the dignitaries of aboriginal times, for both of which purposes it is very well adapted. It is about twenty inches in height; and, in company with the vase, is deposited in the Museum of the Smithsonian Institution at Washington.

M., I found, was getting better of his fever; the dangerous stage was passed, but he would be unable to endure any violent exercise for a week. I could not, therefore, depend upon him to accomplish the primary objects I had in view in visiting this section of the State, and as I expected important despatches from Government at Granada, I resolved, notwithstanding the solicitations of my host, to leave M. in care of the doctor, and return. The next morning was fixed for my departure. At sunrise, Señor Hurtado had everything prepared, including a man to act as guide, and persisted in accompanying me to the Obraje, where, after extending an earnest invitation to visit him again, he left me and returned.

We had been nearly the whole of one day in riding the ten leagues from the Ochomogo to Rivas, but I now went over the same ground before breakfasting. The hostess at Ochomogo was still puzzling her head how it could be possible that I did not know “Capitan Esmith, un hombre muy ilustrado, y gordo!” “Captain Smith, a very enlightened man, and fat!”

Passing Ochomogo, my guide took me by a new, and as he said, shorter path, from that by which we came; so I missed the satisfaction of calling the inhospitable mayordomo a shameless fellow, and lost the opportunity of seeing Nandyme by daylight. Although the distance is called sixty miles, the sun was yet high in the west when I arrived within sight of Granada. A light shower was just sweeping over it, spanned by a beautiful rainbow, like the portal of Paradise. As I came nearer, I heard the eternal banging of bombas, and rode into the city amidst serpientes, waving flags, and the other eye and ear-wearying nonsense of a fiesta. I would have gone through the principal street, but the people all at once fell on their knees, and I was saluted by a hundred voices, “Quita su sombrero!”—“Take off your hat!” I looked down the street, and saw a procession approaching at the other end, preceded by a score of squeaking violins and a squad of soldiers, and followed by a regiment of saints’ effigies, borne on men’s shoulders. My guide dismounted and dropped on his marrow bones in the mud, while Ben and myself turned down a side street, leaving the guide to follow when he got ready. I was heartily tired of fiestas and saints, and began to think if the people prayed less and worked more, they would be doing both God and man better service.

My despatches had arrived that afternoon, with three months’ later dates, for we had heard nothing from home during that period, except through British agents, who took a malicious satisfaction in showing us how much more efficient, active, and intelligent is the British Government, in the conduct of its foreign relations, than our own. It was seldom that despatches ever reached the American officers in this country, and then only long after date. I got bushels of letters, papers, and documents, all directed to my predecessor, at eight, twelve, and even eighteen months after they were despatched from Washington. The English agents were never thirty days behindhand. The first intimation of the declaration of war with Mexico, received by our naval commander in the Pacific, was through the British Admiral, and after that officer had taken such measures as he thought proper under the circumstances.^[30] It was only the superior swiftness of American ships which enabled us to anticipate the seizure of California by Great Britain, under pretext of securing its Mexican debts. On such a small matter as that, turned the great question of American predominance in the Pacific, and American maritime and commercial ascendancy throughout the world. In appointing even so insignificant an officer as a despatch agent, our government should not forget this fact, nor neglect to ask itself the question, “What if England had got California?”

The matters contained in my letters required my immediate presence in Leon. Accordingly I left the next morning, and accomplished the entire distance, one hundred and twenty miles, in a day and a half,—or, counting from Nicaragua, one hundred and eighty miles in two days and a half, being at the rate of seventy-two miles a day. This was done with the same horse, one which had cost me but thirty dollars, and which came into Leon at the same pace with which he had left Nicaragua, and apparently as unwearied as then. And yet I suffered nothing from fatigue, and, notwithstanding all that I had heard said about the debilitating effects of the climate, felt as vigorous as I had ever done, under the most favorable circumstances, at home.

I found two soldiers pacing the corridor of my house, which greatly puzzled me. My old friend Padre Cartine, I afterwards found, had dreamed a dream, to the purport that robbers were seeking to enter it, and had given the General no peace until he had stationed a guard there to keep “watch and ward” day and night. Poor old Padre! It is precious little the “ladrones” would have got, had the dream proved true.

And thus terminated my second antiquarian expedition. I have only given an outline of the incidents which befel me, and shall reserve all speculation upon my discoveries for another place.