ANTIQUITIES FROM NICARAGUA. [)()9 



obedience which they pay to the opinion and Avill of their wives, whom 

 they consult on all matters of importance. 



This fact is well illustrated by an instance which is, perhaps, worth 

 recounting. 



While digging for antiquities the writer found a spot peculiarly rich in 

 the objects of his search, but it was on land owned, or at least worked, 

 by an Indiau who proved unusually avaricious and demanded payment 

 for every yard of earth disturbed. 



He also put in a bill for damages done to his crop of young plantains 

 by my men passing over them on their way to and from work. I con- 

 sidered the bill a just one and offered to pay it while settling up my 

 other accounts, when, to my great surprise, he refused to accept the 

 money. Upon being pressed for a reason he said that his " mujer," or 

 "woman," had forbidden his taking the money. 



In order to test the extent of his obedience I urged him to take the 

 money, telling him that his "mujer" need know nothing of the matter. 

 He steadily refused, however, and gravely stated that "women knew 

 everything." 



The Catholic Church is here, as elsewhere in Central America, the con- 

 trolling power among the Indians. But they still retain some curious 

 remnants of their own ancient superstitions, among which may be men- 

 tioned an almost universal belief in the personality of the great forces 

 and features of nature. 



They attribute life and passion to Lake Nicaragua, for instance, not 

 only in a figurative but also in a literal sense. 



This power of ancient superstition was well illustrated by an instance 

 which occurred during my ascent of the Volcano Ometepe. 



This ascent was made at the request of the " alcalde " of the town of 

 Moyogalpa, who furnished me with six men to carry water and provis- 

 ions. 



After entering the dense forest which clothes the summit of the peak, 

 I became convinced that the men knew nothing about the trail, and ac- 

 cordingly determined to make a way for myself and, selecting the most 

 intelligent of the men for my companion, I pushed on ahead leaving the 

 others to shift for themselves. 



After toiling upward for an hour or so, wishing to ascertain the where- 

 abouts of the rest of the party, I asked my companion to shout, and see 

 if they were within hearing. He seemed extremely reluctant to do so, 

 and I gave the call myself, much to his evident alarm. 



After shouting several times without any response, I was informed by 

 the Indian that my efforts were useless as the others wouldn't answer 

 even if they heard me. 



Upon inquiring the cause of this, I was told that they were "afraid 

 to make a noise so near old "Ometepe" as it might make him "muy 

 bravio" (very angry)! 



I found, upon rejoining the others shortly afterward, that it was even 



