Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1856-04-12

been gradually directed to the State of Nicara-
qua, and the late civil war in that country
offered too favorable an opportunity TO be lost
for making beginning in fnrtherance of the
cherished idea.
The constitution Of Nicaragua, like that of
all the Spanish.American States, is republican
that is to say, in Nance in effect 1t ap
| proaches more nearly to despotism, mode
| Of government much better adapted to a people
the majority Of whom are quite incompetent to
form any idea on the subject Of selfgovern
ment.
Since the dissolution of the Central Ameri,
can Confederation the country has been in
constant state Of revolution. Two years is
about the longest period of peace which has
interviewed. The people are wantonly destruc-
tive and cruel in their civil warfare; and hay
ing been so actively employed for nearly twenty
years in cutting each others throats, batterng
down each others cities, spending their money
in gunpowder, and running all producing in
terests by taking the laborers from the field TO
serve as soldiers, they had managed to reduce
themselves and their country TO such a wretch
ed state Of misery, that it really appeared TO be
the duty of some civilized nation to step in and
keep them all in order.
/ In passing through the country, one cannot
but be struck with the ruin and desolaton
everywhere apparent, and with the remains of
bygone wealth and grandeur, but little in ac-
cordance with the poverty and listless Incidence
in which the inhabitants are now contented 10
live.
Their cities are half in ruins, and the
churches, which, in their mode of warfare, they
use as fortresses, have come in for their full
share of destruction. Those which remain are
peppered all over with cannon. balls. The
ruins on the old indigo and cotton estates give
one an idea of, the different way in which the
people once employed themselves but now,
in country capable Of producing in the
greatest abundance indigo, cotton, sugar rice,
coffee, tobacco, and nearly every other tropical
production, little else is to be seen but plan
tains and Indian corn, the two great staple ar.
| ticles of food. The tobacco grown in the
country is good; the people, men, women. and
children, are inveterate smokers, but they do
not even raise sufficient tobacco for their own
consumption. The "cacao" or chocolate.
raised in the neighborhood of The town of
Rivas, is the finest in the world it is a ma.
tional beverage, and the greater part Of the
crop is consumed in the country small GUAM.
tity is exported to the neighborng States but
with the exception of few bullock hides and
deer skins. which are sent to New York, the
country cannot be said to have any exports
The climate generally is by no means IN
healthy. 1t varies very much throughout the
State, being in some parts much tempered by
a constant breeze off the lake, while in the
high lands of Segovia and Matagalpa, the
temperature is so moderate that most of the
grains and fruits Of the north can be raised in
great perfection.
The rainy season commences about the end
of July, and continues till November or De.
cember. During this season it rains in tor
rents for days at a time, and the roads become
almost impossible. The most sckly periods
OF the year are the beginning and the end Of
this season; fever and ague are then very prev
alent, but the natives suffer more than for
eigners, chiefly owing to the wretched way in
which they live, the habitations Of the lower
orders afording generally but poor protection
against the weather.
In the mountains Of the district of Mata.
galpa, which form part of the great range which
trayerses all the North American continent,
are mines of gold and silver. They have
hitherto only been worked by the Indians in a
very rude manner, but sufficient has been done
to prove that they are rich; if scientifically
worked, they will no doubt prove very produc-
tive.
The forests abound in rosewood, mahogany,
and other beautiful woods, and throughout the
State many valuable medicinal gums and
plants are found.
The scenery is varied and very beautiful; at
certain seasons the trees are completely cover.
ed with flowers, and the forests are a confused
mass of luxuriant vegetation.
There are several volcanic mountains in the
country, all of great similarity Of appearance ;
the finest is Ometepe, which rises out of the
lake, IN the shape OF a perfect cone, to the
height Of many thousand feet
The people are very deficient in ambition
and energy, and have very decided objection
10 labor. As long as q man has sufficient to
supply his immediate wants, be cannot be in.
duced 10 work, but will devote himself 10 the
passive enjoyment Of swinging in his ham
mock, and smoking a cigar. In this way thew
pass the greater part of their ti=-e as very little
labor is requisite TO provide plaintains, beans,
and Indian corn, which are the principal arti.
cles Of food.
Gambling is a prevailing vice, cards and
dice being chiefly played. Cock6ghting, how.
ever, is the great national sport, and at this
the most money is staked. The fight is never
OF very long duration, being generally nothing
more than futter Of wings for moment,
when one cock crows over the other living dead
at his feet, nearly cut in two BY the long sharp
knives with which their heels are armed.
They have celebrated breeds Of chickens.
on which they pride themselves, and in almost
every house IN the country may be seen one or
more game-cocks, tied by the leg in corner
The owner is always ready to fight cock on
any occasion, but Sunday afternoon is the time
generally devoted to this amusement, which is
patronised by all classes.
The people possess great deal Of natural
grace, and are extremely polite and formal in
their manners; and even the lower orders are
remarkable for their gracefulness Of gesture,
and for their courteous phraseology.
The principal cities of Nicaragua are Ora.
NADIA, on the northern shore Of the lake. and
Leon, about hundred and fifty miles to the
north, and not far from the Pacific coast. They
are both fine cities, built in the usual Spanish
American style, with narrow streets, and large
houses OF a single story, covering an i'm
mense area, and built in the form Of a square,
the centre being an open space, generally
planted with trees and flowers, and all round
which is wide open corridor. The houses
are very spacious and lofty, and admirably
| adarted IN the climate