The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1888-04-07 00:00:00

OCEAN TO OCEAN.

A RIVAL PROJECT TO THE PANAMA CANAL.

An expedition of American engineers, with the in-
evitable American newspaper correspondent, has just
I crossed from ocean to ocean in Central America, in the
interest of the Nicaraguan Canal scheme. Every-
where, says the correspondent, they were received
with hearty welcome, and even many of the natives
had made long journeys over the mountains to learns
something of the proposed canal. Vegetation along
the shores of the upper San Juan is not nearly so
dense or luxuriant as it is in the swamps on the lower
part of the isthmus; indeed, as one enters the
healthier 'section of the country toward the Pacific
slope, nature seems to lose that brilliant colour-
ing and heavy growth which is only found
in malarial districts. The Lake of Nicaragua
was 'welled towards midnight, and through the
deathlike stillness of the night the roar of the
surf as it broke on the shores of the lake could
plainly be heard, and a half-hour later that majestic
body of water, nestled in the bosom of tropical forests,
lay before us like a sheet of silver in the bright moon-
light. A single view of Lake Nicaragua, far more
beautiful in natural scenery than the Hudson and
greater in area than Long Island Sound, more than
repays a voyage to Central America. All day the
party skirted along the eastern shore, with the blue
mountains of Choutales on the right and the dim out-
line of the Cordilleras far away to the westward, while
the lofty volcanic peaks of Madera and Omotepe rose
from the centre of the lake until their needle-pointed
summits were lost in the clouds. Near San Miguelito
they came across numbers of immense sharks from
ten to fifteen feet long. Their presence in Lake
Nicaragua has puzzled naturalists for many years,
this being the only body of fresh water in the
world where they are known to exist. They left
San Übaldo at sunset and steamed across the
lake to the village of Omotepe, at the foot of an
active volcano recently in eruption. About ten
o'clock they approached the mountain. Glowing
lava still ran down the cone-like sides, carrying death
and destruction to all vegetation in its path, and dim
smoke could be traced among the clouds at its
summit. The next morning they made the final start
for Granada. This is a part of the voyage most
dreaded, for it is always a dead thrash to windward
against the north-east trades, the little steamer tack-
ing and beating in the heavy sea as if she were a
sailing craft. On this occasion the wind had increased
almost to a gale, and the motion was anything but
comfortable, even to one accustomed to worse, until
the narrow channel between the extinct volcanoes
of Mombacho and Zapatero was entered. Granada
is one of the oldest and most picturesque cities
built by the Spaniards on the west coast, and
has now a population of about 12,000. Like all
places in these volcanic regions, which are supposed
to be only an arch over subterranean fires, the houses
are but a few feet above ground, and built either of
adobes or a plaster of mud to resist earthquakes.
Vertical pillars of wood are sunk several feet into the
ground, on each side of which are nailed long strips
of cane. The intervening space is filled with pieces
of clay, sticks, or other material, and both sides
heavily plastered with mud, making walls over a
yard in width. After the material is dried by the
sun it sways as one solid mass with each vibration
of the earth, and it must be a shock of great intensity
that can destroy such a building. The party were
taken for a railway ride on a locomotive to give
them an unobstructed view of the country between
Granada and the famous volcano of Masaya. Leaving
behind the hot, dusty city where everything is
dry and parched, they were whirled through the
richest coffee and cacao 'estates in Central America—
now on 'the crest of the mountain range that forms
the backbone of the Andes, then deep down into a
ravine from which daylight is almost hidden, At the
summit of the divide, between the two valleys of
Nicaragua and Managua, the highest elevation is
attained. Here both lakes may be seen far, away to
the eastward, sparkling like beds of precious stones,
while a long chain of vocanoes follows the trend of
the Pacific coast to the westward. Speeding down
grade to Masaya, immense snakes and iguanas, the
most hideous of Nicaraguan lizard's, lazily drag them-
selves across the track. Ten miles further on a herd
of wild cows cause considerable consternation.

While at Granada the party made a trip along the
Lake Managua. From daylight until dark, the cor-
respondent says, the entire western beach is lined
with washerwomen of all ages and colours, each
bringing with her the whole family. Babies are tucked
away in bags suspended from the trees, and the other
children, clad in only the garments given them by a
generous nature, wander around ad libitum. The
mother of the household, almost as scantily clad,
scrubs and beats all day in the burning sun, while
her lord snores at home in his hammock. Among the
lower classes the condition of the women is little
better than that of slaves; in fact, most of the
labour is done entirely by them, these lazy fellows
often marrying only that they may find someone who
will do their work. A glance at the sexes is sufficient
to confirm this; for the women are strong, healthy,
and perfect specimens of physical development,
while the men are as a rule weak and emaciated.
Before leaving Granada the correspondent obtained
ah interview with the President of the Nicaraguan
Republic, who, in answer to questions, said that the
boundary dispute with Costa Rica was still unsettled,
but on no aceoung would the dispute be allowed to
interfere with the canal project, as it was as much to
the interests of Costa Rica as to Nicaragua to forward
the work. After his interview with President Carazo,
the leader of his political opponents was called upon
to see whether the views of his followers differed in
any way to those of the party. in power and would be
likely either to aid or to jeopardise the project. This
gentleman, Don Pedro, said that, regarding the
boundary dispute he had no doubt but that the com-
mission would be able to effect a compromise
satisfactory to both Republics, and future relations
continue as pleasant as they have always been.
Costa Rica respected the United States too much not
to be perfectly satisfied with the President's decision
in the dispute, whatever it might be, and speculation
as to this being the cause of a rupture was ground-
less. .;

a

• THEY were out in a boat, and she very innocently
asked him if it was possible to steer with one hand ?
He had never been there I?pfp_rei, but e caught =like
an old stager. • .0,.;
slit:,

tetomme. •• so- iii,ll _
IMO tdorPO. e oats- ;SW a*, lay .71. a•
, askew itrial us 4AM