66 



THE NATURALIST IN NICARAGUA. 



[Ch. V. 



the house was a dell, covered with fallen logs and rubbish 

 thrown from the hill, in which was a perennial spring of 

 limpid water. I had the logs and rubbish gathered 

 together and burnt, put a light fence round it, and 



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COMMISSIONER'S HOUSE AT SANTO DOMINGO. 



formed a small vegetable, fruit, and flower garden. The 

 mango and avocado trees had not come into bearing 

 before I left ; but pineapples, figs, grenadillas, bananas, 

 pumpkins, plantains, papaws, and chioties fruited abund- 

 antly. The last named is a native of Mexico ; it is a 

 climbing plant with succulent stems and vine-like leaves, 

 and grows with great rapidity. The fruit, of which it bears 

 a great abundance, is about the size and shape of a pear, 

 covered with soft prickles. It is boiled and eaten as a 



