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CHAPTER IX. 
VISIT TO THE HEAD-QUARTERS OF THE CHONTALES COMPANY.- 
ROUGHING IT.-AMUSING NARRATIVE OF NICARAGUAN TRAVEL. 
-THE PURCHASE OF THE JAVALI MINE DETERMINED UPON.- 
RELIGIOUS SERVICE UNDER DIFFICULTIES.-SAN JUAN AND SAN 
MIGUEL MINES.-JOURNEY TO GRANADA.—ACOTE.-GRANADA. 
PIOMEWARD JOURNEY.-MANAGUA. — LEON.—CAPTAIN DOW.- 
SPECIMEN OF POPULAR SCIENTIFIC WRITING. 
After this long digression, it is high time to resume 
my narrative. The reader will please to recollect that 
I had arrived at Libertad, a rising little town in the 
Chontales district, inhabited principally by people who 
either work in the mines or supply them with imple¬ 
ments, clothes, and provisions. I stayed only one 
night at this place, and then pushed on for St. Do¬ 
mingo, the head-quarters of the Chontales Company, 
Mr. Rodriguez, with whom I had come from Managua, 
kindly showing the way. Captain Paul, the mana¬ 
ger of the mines, was absent; hut the gentleman 
left in charge, and all the other officers, received me 
hospitably, and were good enough to show me over 
the whole of the extensive and valuable mining pro- 
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