Ch. XVI.] INDIAN NAMES. 293 



building, apparently much neglected. The rocks were 

 trachytes, and the soil seemed fertile, but there was 

 very little of it cultivated. Many of the men we met 

 wore long swords instead of the usual machetes. There 

 is a school for learning fencing at Concordia, and the 

 people of the district are celebrated for being expert 

 swordsmen. They have often fencing matches. The 

 best man is called the champion, and he is bound to try 

 conclusions with every one that challenges him. 



After leaving Concordia we had only one more range 

 to cross, and then began to descend towards the plains 

 below Jinotega, and about dusk reached that town and 

 were kindly received by our former entertainers. Doubt- 

 less much European blood runs in the veins of the in- 

 habitants of Jinotega, but in their whole manner of 

 living they follow the Indian ways, and it is the same 

 throughout Nicaragua, excepting amongst the higher 

 classes in the large towns. All their cooking vessels 

 are Indian. Just as in the Indian huts, every pot or 

 pan is of coarse pottery and each dish is cooked on a 

 separate little fire. The drinks in common use are 

 Indian and have Indian names ; tiste, pinul, pinullo and 

 chicha, all made from maize, sugar, and chocolate. As 

 a rule, whatever was new to the Spaniards when they 

 invaded the country retains its Indian name ; as for 

 instance every stage of growth of the maize plant, 

 " chilote," elote, and maizorca. The stones for grinding 

 the maize are exactly the same as those found in the 

 old Indian graves, and they are still called the "metlate." 

 All the towns we passed through in Segovia retained 

 their Indian names, though their present inhabitants 

 know nothing of their meaning. The old names of 



