PAPERS RELATING TO ANTHROPOLOGY. 825 



We left Pelon at 4 p. m., and at dusk were at the Eio Desbozados, 

 where some fodder was obtained for the horses and some corn cakes 

 and eggs for ourselves. After a bath in the sparkling rapids, I spread my 

 blanket on the ground and looked up at the stars until tired " nature's 

 sweet restorer" got ahead of the noise of laughter and chatter made by 

 an Indian wench and her beaus. We were up at 3 A. m. and took the 

 road again for Liberia, where we spent the midday hours. It was a 

 lifeless little town, the capital of this department, with its white houses 

 and streets glaring in the sunshine. We were shown a handsome vase 

 of Luna ware, the prettiest specimen of ancient American ware I have 

 ever seen ; but could not purchase it, and, as the owner was absent, could 

 not get a history of its origin. A good specimen of a Choratega vase 

 was presented, with the information that it was exhumed atKagascola, 

 in Culebra Bay. 



In the afternoon we rode some 15 or 20 miles to Boquerones. Next 

 morning, securing fresh horses, we visited the hamlet of Communidad, 

 up the river. There and in Boquerones were secured four small dial- 

 cMJiuitls. That afternoon we stopped at Siete Cuerros, on the road 

 to Santa Cruz, and obtained a broken tripod of Luna ware, which 

 was said to have been the cover of a vase found in the burial ground 

 some miles lower, on the west side of the Tempisque. There were also 

 some fragments of Santa Helena and Choratega ware, which I was in- 

 formed were found at the same place, as they were near the Luna buri- 

 als, Ometepec. 



May the 5th we got back to Nicoya, and after the excitement of the 

 trip came fever and dysentery. I was pretty well used up ; the wet 

 season was beginning and I determined to leave. Sending special mes- 

 sengers to Boquerones for the objects there, the collection was packed 

 and taken to Punta Arenas, whence I sailed on the 13th. 



To Prof. Spencer F. Baird, 



Secretary Smithsonian Institution. 



