CHAPTER XII 
Olama—The ‘“‘ Sanate ’”—Muy-muy—Idleness of the people—Moun- 
tain road—The ‘“ bull rock.”—The bull’s-horn thorn—Ants kept 
as standing armies by some plants—Use of honey-secreting glands 
—Plant-lice, scale-insects, and leaf-hoppers furnish ants with 
honey, and in return are protected by the latter—Contest between 
wasps and ants—Wakxy secretions of the homopterous hemiptera. 
WE rode up to the large hacienda at Olama, and were asked 
to alight by a man whom [ at first took to be the proprietor, 
but afterwards discovered to be a traveller like ourselves, 
buying cattle for the Leon market. The owner of the house 
and his sister were away at a little town three or four miles 
distant; and I was a little nervous about the reception we 
should have when they returned and found us making our- 
selves at home at their house. Velasquez had, however, no 
apprehensions on that score, as he knew that throughout 
the central departments of Nicaragua it is the custom for 
travellers to expect and to receive a welcome at any house 
they may arrive at by nightfall. Excepting in the towns, 
and on some of the main roads, there are no houses where 
travellers can stop and pay for a night’s lodging. Every 
one expects to be called on at any time to give a night’s 
shelter. This is all that is afforded, as travellers carry with 
them their hammocks and food. About an hour after dark, 
the owner and his sister returned on mules, and the gentle- 
man seemed pleased at finding us at his house. I was about 
to offer a chair to the sister; but Velasquez told me it was 
not the custom to show any civilities to the ladies, as they 
would probably be misconstrued. After a while, the master 
had some chocolate brought to him by his sister, who waited 
upon him. The wife, the sister, and the daughter in the 
departments seldom sit down to their meals with the master 
of the house, but attend upon him like servants. 
Whilst coffee was preparing next morning, I strolled about 
the outbuildings, and was much amused at the antics of the 
jet black Quiscalus, called “ sanate ” by the natives. They 
are about the size of a magpie, with much of the active 
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