Chap. V. LEON — GENERAL MUNOZ. 71 
raguan. But remembering that he was a native of 
Granada, his jealousy was roused, and he added : " Leon 
is larger, but Granada surpasses it in civilization !" 
I hastened to call on General Munoz, at that time the 
chief personage in Nicaragua, to whom I brought a letter 
of introduction. He received me in complete undress, 
throwing, however, in the moment of my entering the 
room, a little cape or diminutive cloak, outside yellow and 
inside blue, over his shoulders, in which he reminded me 
strongly of Leporello in the opera. The effect of the letter 
surpassed my expectations. The general assured me of 
his sincerest friendship, and, as far as my interest with him 
has gone, I have had no reason to doubt his sincerity. In 
another chapter I shall have to say more of this dis- 
tinguished individual, who has since perished in the civil 
wars of Central America, Another letter introduced me 
to Seilor Ramirez, then the President, or as the Nicaraguan 
title runs, the " Director Supremo " of the republic. 
Having made the acquaintance of these and other pro- 
minent men of the capital, I went lounging about to see 
the city. From the effects of long and desperate struggles, 
of which Leon has been the theatre during the civil wars 
of the country, the greater number of the houses were in 
ruins, and I have no reason to suppose that these have 
since diminished. Nevertheless, Leon is still one of the 
largest cities of Central America. At the time of my 
visit it was stated to have 30,000 inhabitants. This may 
be a gross exaggeration. But it is very difficult to form 
an opinion of the matter, as even from the roof of the 
cathedral the suburbs cannot be seen in their whole extent. 
The scattered houses of the outer parts hide themselves in 
a forest of trees and between thickets of shrubbery. The 
