356 Natural History Bulletin. 



Castillo Viejo is the first Nicaraguan port of entry on the 

 south-eastern or Greytown side, Grey town, or as it should be 

 called San Juan del Norte the Nicaraguan government rec- 

 ognizing no other name, being a free port, and hence it w^s 

 expected that there would be trouble in passing some of the 

 supplies both on the first trip up the river, and on the return 

 from Greytown, but on both occasions the Collector of Cus- 

 toms admitted the supplies free of duty, for which kindness 

 and many other subsequent ones, the party was largely in- 

 debted to the efforts of Mr. E. F. Harris, the Company's agent 

 at Castillo Viejo. 



Surface Features. 



The old fort, Castillo Viejo, or as it is commonly called, 

 Castillo, is situated on a rounded hill which commands the San 

 Juan River at the Castillo Rapids about 35 miles below San 

 Carlos, and at the foot of which, on the right bank of the 

 river, winds the single street of the village of the same name. 



The hill on which the fort stands is cleared of all coarser 

 vegetation, as are the hills and narrow river-valley in the im- 

 mediate vicinity. There are but few clearings other than 

 these for miles around. An occasional small plantation or a 

 cattle-ranch, is all that breaks the briUiant monotony of the 

 dense tropical forest which almost undisturbed here flourishes 

 in all its pristine glory. 



The vicinity of Castillo is quite hilly, the hills on both sides 

 hemming the San Juan River in its narrow valley which is 

 more or less swampy near the village. These hills are mostly 

 separated by deep ravines the bottoms of which frequently 

 show exposures of rock, which is evidently volcanic in its ori- 

 gin, over which dance the clear w^aters of pretty little streams 

 whose banks are Hned wdth ferns, and overhung with masses 

 of vines and other plants. 



With the exception of the few clearings heretofore noted 

 the entire region is covered with typical tropical forests. These 

 forests are almost impenetrable, except with the aid of the 



