334 National Geograjjhic Magazine. 



The soil of this range consists, to a depth of ten to forty feet, 

 of clay of various grades and colors, red prevailing. In the 

 valleys this clay is almost invariably of a very dense consistency, 

 and deep, dark red in color. 



From the foot-hills of the range to the coast, is a low level 

 stretch of country, a dozen miles wide, interspersed with 

 lagoons and swamps. Near the hills, where the elevation of the 

 ground will average about fifteen feet above sea level, the soil is 

 composed almost entirely of the before mentioned red clay, 

 which occasionally assumes the form of hummocks. Within 

 about six miles of the coast this stratum of clay gradually disap- 

 pears under a layer of sand, which is in turn covered, by a vege- 

 table mould, to a depth of a few feet. From this point to the sea 

 the average elevation is barely five feet above the sea level, and 

 the sand and mould above mentioned are the only materials met. 

 A short distance from the ocean the vegetable earth-covering 

 disappears and only the sand is left, extending to an unknown 

 depth and reaching out into the sea. 



West of Lake Nicaragua, from the Rio Lajas to Brito, as we 

 leave the lake shore, the ground rises almost imperceptibly to 

 the " Divide " among cleared and gently undulating fields. Then 

 we drop into the sinuous gorge of the Rio Grande only to emerge, 

 a few miles farther on, into the upper end of the Rio Grande and 

 Tola basin. 



To the right the Tola valley sti-etches to the northward, and 

 all around high and wooded hills encircle the valleys except 

 directly in front where a narrow gateway in the coast hills opens 

 to the Pacific. In the bottom of this valley are a few farms and 

 through it wander devious roads. Beyond the narrow gateway 

 in the hills, less than three miles of level swampy salinas reach to 

 the surf of the Pacific. 



The views from the hills which flank the gateway of the Rio 

 Grande, at La Flor, are wonderfully attractive. I well remember 

 one camp on the hillside, from which in one direction the eye 

 takes in the fertile valley of the Tola and Rio Grande, backed by 

 the rolling hills of the " Divide " and over them the symmetrical 

 peak of Ometepe, its base washed by the waves of the great 

 lake. In the other direction the Pacific lies apparently but a 

 stone's throw below, the little port of Brito at one's very feet. 



This same camp inspired one young engineer and enthusiast to 

 express himself something as follows : 



