NICARAGUA AND THE ISTHMIAN ROUTES 



By A. P. Davis, 

 Hydrographer, U. S. Geological Survey 



The state of Nicaragua is the largest of the Central American 

 republics. It lies entirely within the torrid zone, and contains 

 about 49,000 square miles, or about one-fourth more than the 

 state of Ohio, and is on the same meridian of longitude. It is 

 bounded on the east by the Caribbean sea, on the west by the 

 Pacific ocean, and lies between the republics of Honduras and 

 Costa Rica to the north and south. The northern part is largely 

 occupied b}' rugged mountains belonging to the main axis of the 

 Cordillera. A little farther south this range divides into two main 

 spurs, one following a southeasterly course, nearly parallel to 

 the Caribbean coast, almost to the south boundary of Nicaragua, 

 where it is cut through by the San Juan river. The west branch 

 closely follows the Pacific ocean, and is peculiar in its low alti- 

 tude and the narrow strip of land it occupies. 



The east coast for a distance of 20 to 30 miles inland is mostly 

 of a swampy nature. High rolling country approaches the coast 

 at Monkey Point and near Greytown, but with these exceptions 

 the coastal region is low, fiat, and during the rain}' season largely 

 covered with water. 



Reliable information regarding rainfall in Nicaragua is ex- 

 tremely meager. There is a record of 19 years at Rivas, which 

 began in January, 1880, and is still continued. This record 

 has been voluntarily kept by Dr Earl Flint, an American resi- 

 dent of Rivas. A rainfall record was kept at Masaya from July, 

 1886, to December, 1896, by Mr William Climie. The observa- 

 tions were then transferred to Granada and have been continued 

 ever since, although results are at hand only to the end of 1897. 

 Observations of rainfall were also made in Granada in 1876 by 

 Ramon Espinola, and in 1877 by Dr Flint ; also in 1883 and 1884 

 by the National Institute at Granada. At Bluefields observa- 

 tions were made by Hon. W. H. Jackson and others from Sep- 

 tember, 1883, throughout 1884 and 1885, and a portion of 1886. 

 The Nicaragua Canal Company kept a record of rainfall at 



