281 THE NATURALIST IN NICARAGUA. [Cli. XV. 



"We reached Palacaguina an hour before dark ; and on 

 asking for lodging for the night, were directed to a small 

 poor-looking house. The front door of this was closed 

 when we rode up, bnt was opened with haste, and about 

 a dozen young men rushed out, who, it turned out after- 

 wards, had been gambling, and hence the closed doors. 

 We were asked to alight ; one man took the gun ; others 

 offered to take our hats, to unload the pack-mule, &c. 

 Two or three of them were Zambeses, and not very 

 good-looking ; they made themselves so officious, that 

 Velasquez confessed to me afterwards that he was rather 

 afraid of them, and thought they were too pressing in 

 their attentions, and meant to rob us. Our fears were 

 groundless; they had been suddenly startled in the midst 

 of an illegal game, and were glad to find that we were 

 not government officers pouncing upon them. The house 

 itself was dirty and small, with one hammock and one 

 chair for its furniture ; we should have fared badly if one 

 of the men, Don Trinidad Soso, had not recollected having 

 once seen Velasquez before, and on the strength of that 

 considered himself bound to take our entertainment into 

 his own hands. He was the nephew of the padre, who 

 was absent, and he invited us to his uncle's house, where 

 we were soon installed, and found it much more comfort- 

 able quarters. The padre had a good-looking house- 

 keeper, who was also an excellent cook ; and she soon 

 got us ready a supper of venison, tortillas, eggs, and 

 chocolate, to which we did not fail to do justice. Then 

 the padre's bedstead was placed at my disposal, so that 

 altogether we had been most fortunate in meeting with 

 our <rood friend Don Trinidad. 



<^> 



Most of tho people living at Palacaguina were half- 



