Ciiap. I. SAN JUAN DEL NORTE. 15 
catastrophe just mentiomed, has risen again from its ashes, 
is situated at the mouth of the northern branch of the river 
by which the basin of the lake of Nicaragua is connected 
with the ocean. The situation is incomparably better than 
that of Chagres. The soil upon which it stands is sandy, 
small black grains of Titanic iron, or Iserine, entering 
largely into its composition. Wherever the ground is 
touched with a magnet a more or less considerable quan- 
tity of that substance will be attracted, and may be taken 
up. Undoubtedly, it has been carried down from the in- 
terior by the river, as it is originally derived from the 
volcanic eruptions of Ometepe, of the Monibacho and of the 
volcano of Massaya, some of the lavas and tuffs of these 
localities containing a very large proportion of the mineral, 
while on the shores of the lake of Nicaragua it exists, in 
an almost pure or unmixed state, in banks of the same 
loose black grains, which may be taken up by the magnet, 
at San Juan del Norte. 
To this sandy condition of the soil undoubtedly is 
attributable an essential part of the comparative salubrity 
of the climate of the latter place. I have never seen a 
soil absorb the water more quickly and dry up in a 
shorter time than that of San Juan, where, in a quarter of 
an hour after the heaviest rain, the streets may be passed 
without soiling your shoes. Such a. soil, with the sea on 
one side, the river on the other, a little lagoon on the 
third and almost on a level with all, must be impregnated 
with water, however dry it may be on the surface. Where- 
ever, therefore, an empty barrel is sunk into the ground it 
speedily fills, and this I observed to be the way of procuring 
the drinking-water in common use. This I found to be 
pure and of good taste, and according to the statements of 
the inhabitants, perfectly healthy. The lagoon just men- 
