Arrival at Palacaguina aAF, 
patriotism, without feeling that the conquest of Mexico 
was a deplorable calamity; that if that ancient civilisation 
had been saved it might have been Christianised and purified 
without being destroyed, and to-day have stood one of the 
wonders and delights of the world. Its civilisation was 
self-grown, it was indigenous, it was unique: a few poor 
remnants of its piety, love of order, and self-government 
still remain in remote Indian townships; but its learning, 
magnificence, and glory have gone for ever. 
On leaving Totagalpa, we took the road for Yalaguina. 
About a mile from the first-named town, the contorted 
schists cropped up again, and were followed, as before, by 
beds of soft decomposing trap, and these again by thick beds 
of quartz-conglomerate. This succession was repeated two 
or three times during the day’s journey. The trap beds 
formed, by decomposition, a dark fertile soil. Wherever 
maize was planted on it, it was thriving greatly. We reached 
Yalaguina about two o’clock, and pushed on for Palacaguina, 
four leagues further on, passing for a considerable part of the 
road along the banks of a small stream, by the side of which 
were some large and fine fields of maize and beans. 
We reached Palacaguina an hour before dark, and on 
asking for lodging for the night, were directed to a small 
poor-looking house. The front door of this was closed 
when we rode up, but was opened with haste, and about 
a dozen young men rushed out, who, it turned out after- 
wards, had been gambling, and hence the closed doors. 
We were asked to alight; one man took the gun; others 
offered to take our hats, to unload the pack-mule, etc. 
Two or three of them were Zambeses, and not very good- 
looking; they made themselves so officious, that Velasquez 
confessed to me afterwards that he was rather afraid of them, 
and thought they were too pressing in their attentions, and 
meant to rob us. Our fears were groundless; they had 
been suddenly startled in the midst of an illegal game, and 
were glad to find that we were not government officers 
pouncing upon them. ‘The house itself was dirty and small, 
with one hammock and one chair for its furniture; we 
should have fared badly if one of the men, Don Trinidad Soso, 
had not recollected having once seen Velasquez before, and 
on the strength of that considered himself bound to take 
