214 The Naturalist in Nicaragua 
they spread over their knees, and rested the bowl on it, 
taking long sips every now and then with evident signs of 
satisfaction. Little have these people changed from the 
times of the Conquest. Pascual de Andagoya, writing of 
the people of Nicaragua when they were first subjugated by 
Hernandez de Cordova, in 1520, says, ‘‘ The whole happiness 
of the people consists in drinking the wine they make from 
maize, which is like beer, and on this they get as drunk as 
if it was the wine of Spain; and all the festivals they hold 
are for the purpose of drinking.’’? 
The cross, candlesticks, and other ornaments were arranged 
on a table, and were each carefully and solemnly washed 
with hot water. This they do every year the day before 
their feast, and it makes the occasion for the procession and 
chicha-drinking. Most of the men of the township were 
gathered around, and in all the straight coarse black hair 
and Indian features were unmistakable. The chicha-drink- 
ing was too long a business for our patience, and we went 
over to the church, where we found a number of the Indian 
women with great baskets full of most beautiful and sweet- 
smelling flowers, making garlands and bouquets to decorate 
the holy images and church. The beautiful flowers were 
twined in wreaths, or stuck on prepared stands and shapes, 
and their fragrance filled the church. The love of flowers 
is another beautiful trait of the old Indians that their de- 
scendants have not lost. The ancient Mexicans decorated 
their altars and temples with flowers, and in their festivals 
crowned themselves with garlands. 
I mentioned the glistening white tower of the church in 
the account of our journey out. I now learnt that it was 
only finished the year before our visit, and had cost these 
poor people over 700 dollars in money, besides gifts of stone, 
‘wood, and labour amounting to more than as much again. 
At other Mestizo towns, where the churches were like dilapi- 
‘dated barns, we heard much of the religious fervour of the 
Indians of Totagalpa. At one time, when building the tower, 
‘both their funds and the lime were exhausted. In this strait 
the Alcalde called the people of the town together, and told 
them that the tower, on the building of which they had 
1Hakluyt Society. Narrative of Pascual de Andagoya. Trans. by 
‘C, R. Markham, p. 34. 
