212 The Naturalist in Nicaragua 
but a grain of dust in the vast universe, that the things of 
earth were but for a moment, and, as a shadow, would pass 
away. 
Next morning, when we wished to settle up with our kind 
entertainers, they absolutely refused to accept any payment. 
We had been recommended to the house, and told that we 
could pay for what we got; but we now learnt that no one 
was ever refused entertainment, and that no charge was 
made. We were total strangers, nor should I have any 
opportunity of returning their hospitality, as I had deter- 
mined shortly to return to Europe; but all I could prevail 
upon them to accept was a present to a little girl that lived 
with the ladies, and of whom they were very fond, calling 
her “ the daughter of the house.” Leaving the hospitable 
Senoras Rimirez with many thanks, we started on our return 
journey about seven o'clock. 
After crossing the river, I noticed boulders of conglomerate 
in the drift, none of which had occurred in the valley of 
Depilto. The bed rock was still contorted schists, with many 
quartz veins. At the top of a steep rise, beyond the river, 
is a small plateau, or level terrace, fringing the range, formed 
of a gravelly boulder deposit; then another steep ascent led 
us to a second higher plateau, like the first, covered with 
boulders, lying on the level surface. The first beds of the 
quartz -conglomerate occurred about half-way between 
Ocotal and Totagalpa. Between it and the contorted schists 
we passed over some soft, decomposing trap-rocks, which, 
both here and elsewhere, appeared to intervene between 
these two formations. Over the whole country between 
Ocotal and Totagalpa were spread many large boulders, 
great blocks of conglomerate, and of a hard blue trap-rock 
that I did not see zm situ, lying on the upturned edges of the 
schistose rocks. I should have liked to have worked out 
the exact relative positions of the quartz-conglomerate and 
the contorted schists, for I have no doubt that a day or two’s 
search amongst the ravines would have shown many natural 
sections that would have thrown great light upon the sub- 
ject; but I had no time to devote to it. We were hurrying 
on every day as far as our mules could carry us, as it was 
important that I should get back to the mines before the 
