S10 THE NATURALIST IX NICARAGUA. [Ch. XVII. 



always turned out with the cows in the morning, after 

 the latter are milked, so that if not found again for 

 some days, as is often the case in this bushy and unen- 

 closed country, they milk the cows and do not go dry. 

 The cows give very little milk, probably due to the 

 entire want of care in breeding them. It is at once 

 made into cheese, which forms a staple article of food 

 amongst the poorer natives. 



The small house was divided into three compartments, 

 one being used as a kitchen. It was in rather a dilapi- 

 dated condition., and Don Filiberto told me that he was 

 busy building a new residence. I was curious to see 

 what progress he was making with it, and he took me 

 outside and showed me four old posts used for tying the 

 cows to, which had evidently been in the ground for 

 many years. " There," he said, " are the corner-posts, 

 and I shall roof it with tiles." He was quite grave, but 

 I could not help smiling at his faith. I have no doubt 

 that, as long as he lives, he will lounge about all day, 

 and in the evening, when his wife and children are milk- 

 ing the cows, will come out, smoke his cigarette, leaning 

 against the door-post of his patched* and propped-up 

 dwelling, and contemplate the four old posts with a 

 proud feeling of satisfaction that he is building a new 

 house. Such a picture is typical of Nicaragua. 



Don Filiberto told us that there was a limestone 

 quarry not far from his house ; and as I wished to learn 

 whether it occurred in beds or veins, I proposed next 

 morning to walk over to it, but he said we should need 

 the mules to cross the river. Thinking, from his descrip- 

 tion, that it was only about a mile distant, I started on 

 mule-back with him ; but after riding fully a league, dis- 



