Chap. III. GRANADA. 29 
CHAPTEK III. 
Granada and its Environs — Geological Character of the Soil — Volcanic Fis- 
sures — Habitations of the Lower Classes — Indian Population — Excursions 
in the Neighbourhood — The Playa — Los Corrales — La Joya — Lake 
Songozana of Oviedo — Laguna de Salinas — Home Life of the Author — 
Tame Animals kept in the House — Slaveholding Ants — Nicaraguan 
Scholars, and Eeputation of German Philosophers. 
As, during the whole time of my residence in Nicaragua, 
Granada has been my standing quarters to„ which I have 
returned from all my excursions, I will unite in this chapter 
what I have to say of it. My remarks in reference to the 
town itself must be very restricted. Since that time 
Granada has been reduced to ruins by William Walker, 
and my statements, if they were to go too deeply into the 
particulars of a description, would most likely be antiquated. 
Only those features, therefore, which have a more lasting 
character shall be dwelt upon. 
At the time of my visit Granada was a town of thirteen 
or fourteen thousand inhabitants, built in the usual style of 
Spanish-American cities under the tropics. It stands half 
a mile distant from the lake, on the northern foot of an 
extinguished volcano called Mombacho, on a soil of volcanic 
tuff of a very friable and sandy nature. During the dry 
season, when an almost continual fresh breeze — which, in 
fact, is the north-easterly trade-wind — is blowing over the 
country, and sweeping the streets of the city, the fine sand 
fills the air and enters through the doors and windows of 
the houses, covering every piece of furniture and every 
article exposed to it so rapidly and copiously that to dust 
your table every quarter of an hour will prove insufficient, 
