Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-08-10
GreytOwn and Adjacent Country.
TErom Tnndnn Natural

The whole civilized population of the Mica.
raguan and neighboring republics is collected
on the Pacific side of Central America: the Ca
ribbean being almost entirely uninhabited. with
the exception of a few independent tribes of In
dams along the banks of the large rivers like
the Indian and Rama. The principal tribes are
the Valiente, Rama Cookwra, Woolwa Tonga,
and Poya tribes, all interesting from an ethno-
logical point of view, especially as they are fast
disappearing. There is generally small camp
of some of these tribes on the sandy pit (Punta
dArenas) at the entrance to Greytown harbor,
who catch and sell turtle, &c. This region
that is, the valley and lowlands of the San Juan
and the lakes of Nicaragua and Managua- is
more particularly interesting to naturalists and
biologists, as forming the border land between
two OF the great primary Institutional provin-
ees for the terrestrial vertebrate in the present
world recognized by Professor Huxley, namely.
that, during the MiOcene epoch, these two great
land divisions were separated by that great
equlnoctial ocean whose currents rolled from
eastward beyond and over the present sites of
the Sahara deserts and the plains of Hindostan.
AS the line of the American Cordilleras was
upheaved, the continents more nearly approach
ed each other, an archipelago of detached vol
canic submits probably first Indicating the fu-
ture isthmus; while the bounds of the ocean
were narrowed, and previous to the actual iunc-
ton but narrow channel or strait was left. Ii
is supposed that the last indication of this strait
the waters drained by it. This theory has re-
ceiyed substantial support from the observations
OF MIR. USbert Salvin, the well-knO oruth-
ologlst, who, from long studying the peculari-
ties OF the Central American bird fauna. has
come 10 tne conclusion that an oceanic separa-
tlon Is plainly indicated as having formerly ex-
listed between Costa Rica and the country north
OF the Nlcaraguan lakes. This upheaYal has by
no means ceased, and the lakes of Manaoua and
Nicaragua, up TO which the Spanish galleons
proceeded, by way Of the San Juan, are now one
hundred and tifty-six and one one hundred and
twenty-eight feet respectively above the mean
level OF the two oceans. So that now with diff
Guilty stern-wheel lght-draught steamers draw
ing but eighteen inches of water, make their
way between the rapids, their cargo having To
be shifted across these impediments. A rise of
six feet in the waters OF the lakes enables hon
Cos to pass the rapids in the wet season.
Every year apparently adds TO the difficulties
of the navigation, which Mr.. Collinson attrib,
utes TO the continual rise of the Pacific coast.
Indeed, it is not improbable, if a careful series
OF observations were established, that after a
lapse of years the rate of rise might be ascer-
tanned, which if compared with chronological
observations in the same district, would prove of
the utmost value and interest,"
Greytown is the principal port for the export
OF india-rubber on the coast II is collected by
parties OF Indians, Caribs, or half-cast Creoles,
seldom by Europeans, to whom the dealers who
are also storekeepers, advance the NECESSARY
OUTFIT Of food, clothing and apparatus for col
Letting rubber, on condition OF receiving the
whole OF the rubber collected at a certain rate
The rubber hunters are termed Uleros (Lle be-
Uleros, after a final debauch at Greytown iay-
fng expended all their remaining cash, general
ly make start in canoe for one of the rivers
or streams which abound on the coast, and bay-
ing fixed on a convenient spot for camp, COM
mence opera ions. The experienced rubber