98 DOTTINGS ON THE ROADSIDE. [Ohap. YIL—B. S. 
have teen roused in him. Mr. Young’s predilection is 
rather prevalent in the United States, where travellers 
are almost bored to death by being taken to see big 
trees. Dr. Bussell, who went thither for a very diffe¬ 
rent purpose, and during a period of great civil com¬ 
motion, repeatedly mentions his being forced to visit 
such objects; and he tries to account for the admira¬ 
tion Americans have for their vegetable monsters by 
the fact that in the United States few things are old 
and venerable, and any exception to that rule is care¬ 
fully noticed. I remember, in passing through Cam¬ 
bridge, Massachusetts, seeing a black board, record¬ 
ing that the mayor and aldermen of that town had 
been such Vandals as to cut down an old and large 
tree which stood in the middle of the road, and under¬ 
neath was written with chalk, a Let this be remem¬ 
bered at the next election ! ” 
Leaving Vagarote, and travelling about two hours, 
I came in sight of Lake Managua, along the shores 
of which the road passes for some miles, overshaded 
by huge trees, a fine breeze blowing across the water, 
and the waves breaking on the beach, and throwing 
up snags, branches of trees, and other matter. Here 
and there one obtains glimpses of the whole lake, to 
which bold volcanoes form a magnificent background. 
The next village was Matiaris de la Merced, where 
we stopped to breakfast. Whilst thus engaged, a man 
of the place came into the house, and, after steadily 
gazing at me for some time, rather startled me by the 
information that his brother was in Purgatory. All I 
could do was to assure him that I was very sorry to 
