CONTENTS 
CHAPTER, I 
Arrival at Greytown—The river San Juan—Silting up of the 
harbour—Crossing the bar—Lives lost on it—Sharks—Chris- 
topher Columbus— Appearance of the town — Trade — 
Healthiness of the town and its probable cause—Comparison 
between Greytown, Pernambuco, and Maceio—Wild fruits— 
Plants—Parrots, toucans, and tanagers—Butterflies and 
beetles—Mimetic forms—Alligators: boy drowned at Blew- 
fields by one—Their method of catching wild pigs 
CHAPTER iI 
Commence journey up San Juan river—Palms and wild canes— 
Plantations—The Colorado river—Proposed improvement of 
the river—Progress of the Delta—Mosquitoes—Disagree- 
able night—Fine morning—Vegetation of the banks— 
Seripiqui river—Mot-mots—Foraging ants: their method 
of hunting—Ant-thrushes—They attack the nests of other 
ants—Birds' nests, how preserved from them—Reasoning 
powers in ants—Parallel between the mammalia and the 
hymenoptera—Utopia 
CHAPTER if 
Journey up river continued—Wild pigs and jaguar—Bungos— 
The 
Reach Machuca—Castillo—Capture of Castillo by Nelson— 
India-rubber trade—Rubber-men—Method of making India- 
rubber—Congo monkeys—Macaws—The Savallo river—En- 
durance of the boatmen—-San Carlos—lInteroceanic canal— 
Advantages of the Nicaraguan route—The Rio Frio—Stories 
about the wild Indians—Indian captive children—Expedi- 
tions up the Rio Frio—American river steamboats ; 
CHAPTER IV 
lake of Nicaragua—Ometépec—Becalmed on the lake— 
White egrets—Reach San Ubaldo—Ride across the plains— 
Vegetation of the plains—Armadillo—Savannahs— Jicara 
trees—Jicara bowls—Origin of gourd-shaped pottery— 
Coyotes — Mule-breeding—Reach Acoyapo— Festa—Cross 
high range—Esquipula—The Rio Mico—Supposed statues on 
its banks—Pital—Cultivation of maize—Its use from the 
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