122 ACOYAPA. Book I. 
yokes of the mountains became higher. Near the Hacienda 
de Pompoa, situated half-way between the latter place and 
Juigalpa, the porphyry included masses of white foliated 
Heulandite and radiated Mesotype ; the latter with well- 
formed terminal faces of the crystals. This mineral is of 
common occurrence between the hacienda and Acoyapa, 
and all the white pebbles in the little river near that town 
are of Mesotype. In the neighbourhood of Acoyapa, the 
ridge which had continued between our road and the lake 
all the way from Masapa suddenly terminates, and the 
valley opens towards the latter. But a broad bar of low 
basaltic or doleritic hills is placed before the opening, sepa- 
rating the bottom-land of the valley from the shores of the 
lake, and leaving an outlet only for the little river on 
which the town is situated. 
Acoyapa is the chief town of Chon tales. Together with 
the farms of the surrounding country, it has a population of 
about 2600 inhabitants. The principal wealth of the pro- 
vince is in its pastures and in the cattle, horses and mules 
raised on them. Mules, hides, and cheese are the articles 
of export. The valleys of this region are hotter and less 
healthy than the shores of the lake, while the table-land 
beyond the principal chain of mountains north-east of 
Acoyapa is healthier than both regions. The town is situ- 
ated on a little hill, at the foot of which, under the shade 
of large trees, the river flows. During the dry season 
there is scarcely water, and when I saw it it was little 
more than a number of water-holes in a bed of sand and 
pebbles. When the rains prevail, however, it seems to 
accumulate a considerable quantity of water, as may be 
judged from the large boulders heaped up in some portions 
of its bed. This is the condition of all the smaller rivers 
of this region. 
