GUANACASTE—PUN TAKEN AS TO LIBERIA 419 



We crossed a great open plain with more or less dried 

 grass and few trees, called the Llano Grande. Similar plains 

 are said to be scattered all over Guanacaste. Professor 

 Tristan supposes that they owe their origin (for they are 

 natural and not due to deforestation by man) to large areas 

 of volcanic rocks too thick to be penetrated by the roots of 

 trees and yet bearing enough soil for grass. At some spots 

 on this llano are a few trees whose presence is accounted for 

 on the supposition that cracks or breaks in the rocks exist 

 at those places. 



From the Llano Grande we could see two of the volcanic 

 masses of the Cordillera of Guanacaste — Volcan Rincon de 

 la Vieja, toward which we were riding, and farther away to 

 the north Volcan Orosi. The summits of both were veiled 

 by clouds. In crossing the Llano we rode almost directly 

 against a very strong wind, which, however, had the advan- 

 tage of keeping the air much cooler than it would have been 

 otherwise with the sun shining brightly. 



About an hour from Liberia we were met by Seiior Villar, 

 Inspector of Schools of Liberia and the remaining member 

 of the Comision Calificadora. The San Jose members were 

 astonished to learn from him that only six teachers would 

 present themselves for examination instead of the expected 

 forty. Perhaps the other four and thirty felt as did the cook 

 at the hotel in Liberia, who on hearing that we were coming 

 declared that she could not cook to suit us and promptly left. 

 It takes such experiences to teach us our own greatness! 



We rode into Liberia about 1.15 P. A4. The roads leading 

 into the town were bordered with pastures and as the cattle of 

 Guanacaste are only half-tame and have a reputation for 

 fierceness — they are "bravos" — this road was shut off by 

 wire fencing stretched across it with gates in the middle which 

 were closed at night to prevent stray cattle from roaming 

 the streets. 



