DANTA OR TAPIR. 141 



and a quantity of squirrels (Sciurus) inhabit the forests of the 

 River San Juan and were occasionally seen. 



The Danta, or Tapir, is one of the most curious animals 

 found in Central and South America. It belongs to the order 

 Ungulata, or Hoofed Animals, sub order Perissodactyla, 

 closely allied to the Elephant and still more to the Rhinoceros. 

 It is an antideluvial form. The fossil species which have 

 been found in different parts of the world scarcely differ from 

 the living species known. These animals are characterized 

 by having the muzzle prolonged into a small mobile trunk, a 

 very short tail, three pairs of cutting teeth, and one pair of 

 small canines. They have four toes on the anterior and three 

 on the posterior feet. They are swamp-loving animals, 

 excellent swimmers and divers. The species found in 

 Nicaragua, Tapir us dowi, dedicated to the well-known 

 Captain Dow, is very closely allied to Tapirus bairdi, found 

 in Mexico and in Central America. It is about three-and-a- 

 half feet long. The skin is very thick, and covered with a 

 scanty coat of very short hair. The colour is uniform dark 

 gray. It inhabits the inmost recess of forests. It is a 

 powerful animal, and a good match to the Jaguar. It lives on 

 vegetable matter, fruits, etc. When young it is easily domes- 

 ticated. The flesh somewhat resembles that of the bull, and 

 the skin can be used for many industrial purposes. 



If it were not for the mosquitoes and garapatas, a trip 

 along the River San Juan could be remembered as one of the 

 most delightful and pleasant excursion in the Tropics. Next 

 to the unpleasantness of these insects, there are the risks to 

 which you are exposed in consequence of the dangerous 

 currents of the river, especially at the rapids, where the river 

 is densely besprinkled with rocks, leaving only a narrow and 

 dangerous passage for boats. 



Eight of these rapids have to be passed from San Car/os 

 to San Juan del Norte. The first, and one of the worst, lies 

 close to another fort, also called El Castillo, where a small 

 village has sprung up since the starting of the American 

 Company from New York to San Francisco. 



When we arrived at that village, an American steamer 

 was there expecting the passengers from San Juan del Sur. 

 In consequence of these rapids the passengers have to be 

 transhipped here to smaller steamers, and are sometimes kept 

 waiting two or three days. 



The Castillo is on the summit of a pyramidal hill. It 

 was built by the Spaniards soon after the conquest of the 



