66 DOTTINGS ON THE ROADSIDE. [Chap. V.-B. S. 
variably end in impoverishment. This was forcibly 
brought home to us during our stay at Ocotal, and the 
various excursions which we made in the surrounding 
district. The news that we had come to look at gold 
and silver mines, and had the command of £150,000 
to purchase any we thought desirable, spread like 
wildfire, and our rooms were literally besieged by 
people anxious to show us specimens of their pro¬ 
perty. 
Our first excursion led us to Maquelizo, where 
some rich silver mines were said to exist. Three 
gentlemen from Ocotal, Don Nicolas Irias, Don 
Manuel Calderon, and Don Concepcion Mocada were 
our guides. Leaving the town at sunrise, we made 
straight for the silver mine of Salvadora, belonging 
to Don N. Irias and others. It is situated between 
the farms of Ocorcona and Ocote Baspada, about 
seven leagues from Ocotal, on the top of a mountain 
about 4000 feet high, covered with pine and oak, 
and in a fine healthy climate. A shaft having been 
sunk on the lode, it was easily examined ; and we were 
greatly disappointed to find that, although rather 
promising on the surface, the mine was poor lower 
down. We told the owner that it was no use show¬ 
ing us such a property as that, and the best he could 
do would be to abandon it altogether. He replied 
with the greatest naivete that abandoning it was good, 
but selling it better. 
The Salvadora was so much out of the way, and 
up such a steep mountain, that great part of a 
day was occupied by our visit to it, and it was late 
