138 The Naturalist in Nicaragua 
flashes of lightning now and then illumined the path, but I 
ieft my mule to herself, and she carried me safely into 
Juigalpa, where I found dinner awaiting me. It took me 
until midnight to skin the birds I had shot during the day; 
and as I had been up since six in the morning, I was quite 
ready for, and took kindly to, my hard leathern couch. 
