296 THE NATUKALIST IN NICARAGUA. [Ch. XVI. 



accompanied by violence were never committed by tbe 

 natives to my knowledge. 



In their drinking bouts they often quarrel among them- 

 selves, and slash about with their long heavy knives, in- 

 flicting ugly gashes and often maiming each other for 

 life. One-armed men are not uncommon ; and I myself 

 knew of two cases where an arm was chopped off in 

 these encounters. Nearly every pay-week our medical 

 officer was sent for to sew up the wounds that had been 

 received. Fortunately even at these times they do not 

 interfere with foreigners, their quarrels being amongst 

 themselves, and either faction fights or about their 

 women, or gambling losses. Many of the worst cases of 

 cutting with knives were by the Honduraneans employed 

 at the mines, who generally got off through the mountains 

 to their own country. One who was taken managed to 

 escape by inducing the soldiers who had him in charge 

 to take him up to the mines to bring out his tools. He 

 went in at the level whilst they guarded the entrance. 

 Hour after hour passed without his returning, and at last 

 they learnt that he had got through some old workings 

 to another opening into the mine and had started for 

 Honduras. Once in the bush pursuit is hopeless, as the 

 undergrowth is so dense that it is impossible to follow 

 by sight. 



We left Jinotega at seven in the morning, passed over 

 the pine-clad ranges again and at one o'clock came in 

 sight of the town of Matagalpa. At the river a mill 

 was at work grinding wheat. I went into the shed that 

 covered it and found it to be simple and ingenious. 

 Below the floor was a small horizontal water-wheel 

 driven by the stream striking against the inclined floats. 



