The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-12-14
NICARAGUA IN 1851.
MikISCeNCES OF THAT NOV
INTERESTING STATE.
Greytown as IL Then Appeared-A Town
Only bv Courtesy-Chocolate Currency
How Large Fortune was Made ana Lost
by Commercial jealousy.


lFor the Times.l
When Commodore Vanderbilt In 1856
opened the Nicaragua route to California
he made near relative Of mine one OF hii
principal agents In that country, and ID
consequence thereof was led on a pros
pecting tour to Nicaragua. Prospects ap,
peared inviting. and, although only TWEEN.
ty-one years Of age, determined to try my
fortune in that wild, remote, and inaccessi
BILE land Accordingly, purchasing stock
Of miscellaneous goods in New York, set.
tied in GreytOwn, then called San Juan del
Norie.
TOWN By COURTESY,
Greytown was merely a town by cour-
| tesN. liz was situated on sand bank at
tue mouth OF the San Juan river. and con-
| sisted almost wholly OF huts made. roof and
sides, Of palmetto leaves. IL acknowledged
sovereignitv neither 10 Nicaragua nor to
the King of Mosquito, but had its own
| Mayor. elected by the people. and was
| therefore law unto itself; aud the only
reason of its existence was not salubrity or
beauty OF situation, for il was infested with
venomous serpents and insects, but TO the
| tact that IL was the only convenient point
where foreign goods could be landed, and
whence by means Of tie san Juan river
and Lake Nicaragua they could be intro
duced into the interior, the river being the
only mode OF access into the country, and
the only means by which domestic produce
could be brought doSn to the ocast for ex-
poriation; all transportation being by In
dian canoes.
The population of the country was mostly
Indians. not like our thieying, scalping red
skins. whom our paternal Government is
| gainly endeayOring TO ciyiliZe, but amiable,
| harmless and peaceable cutiyatOrs, who
| raised the various fru T. Of the country, such
| as oranges, lemons, bananas, breadfruit,
coffee, vanilla, indigo, &c, and chief of all,
the cacOa bean, from which chocolate, the
yeritable ambr0sia Of the gods. is made. The
Indians were shrewd, showing, among
other ways, their shrewdness by leaving
their trading entirely TO the women, who
since me time Of Mother Eve. have been
noted for their persuasive accent or tongue
While trading was progressing the men
stood as mute and stOlid as statues. They
were also expert at killing game. The deer
which was plentiful in the interior. they
killed with firearms, but the WIKI ducks
which abOunded in the lagOOns and shadows.
they bagged in a peculiar manner. Placing
over the mead a large cerabash with open.
iugs for eyes, they entered the water and
approached their prey so stealthlly they din
not seem TO move, and did not therefore ex-
lite the suspicion of the ducks. But when
they came upto the flock, resting quietly
| and unsuspiciOusly upon the water, theN
caught one after another by the feet, pulled
them underneath. impaed them on a sharp
stick aud thrust them into a bag, with
which they were provided. not desisting till
The last duck was captured or the bag was
full.
There was also a halfbreed population,
as is always the case when superior and IN.
fesiOr races mingle, and a few of Spanish
blood. These, nut especially the latter.
possessed large hlciendas or cattle estate
in the interior, but the cattle were only
alued f,r their hides. Extensive forests
Of valuable woods. such as mahogany, rose.
wood, logwood, &c, covered large tracts o.
country. The Andes, not yet promoted TO
their majestic height further south, Occu-
pied the interior, which in parts was noun
famous. They abJunded in rich veins OF
gold. which, however, were very slightly
worked. but which some day will attract
great attention and prove very valuable.
% those days nothing possessed much value
IN account Of the great difficulty, and con
-equently great expense, of transportation.
rhe coast and banks of the river and lake
we're ilaIeul anu ubutdiiuNs Uul Ab' lutt-
riOr aud Granada. the capital, where th,
MERCHANTS French, German.
and 1talians-resided was salubrious.
CLCAO BEAN CURRENCY.
The principle ard most valuable prOduc-
lion Of the country was, as stated, the ca
Gao bean. which was not only Used foI
drink, but was also the principal and at
one time, the only currency OF the country.
rhe cacao tree is singular, and in one re-
-pect is like our beauties-i il cannot stand
the sun. and must be provided with sun
shade. tor it only thriVes unier the shadow
f the large mango tree. Its pear-shapec
fruit. composed of a b ush pup, in which
iced TO the number Of ten ora dozen are EN-
bedded, does not, like other fruits grow on
twigs or smaller branches, but directly on
he BODY Of the tree. After the fruit Is gath
cred il must be exposed to the sun for some
da,s. when the bean is easily separated, and
j. then ready for chocolate or currency.
The bean was the principal currency. the
unit being the mano, which Is span
-h for hand and meant five beans. Calico
n other dry goods were SO many manOs
ward. sugar 80 many manOs pound and
musket- 80 many man0s piece. Whether
the price was one. ten, ftty or one hundr' d
manus. or any odd number OF manOs. the
| Indians knew at once how many beans they
we're 10 pay. lNtl Nbuiu' hpNfNti' NC N'I-
pietelv puzzled to know what they must
pay for four articles at seven or twelve
| DEANS eacn. This currency passed not only
| between natives, but between natives and
merchants. To me and TO other merchants
| they were, Of course, as good as gold. being
| in demand everywhere, because il seems
impos ible foi the world, ut least for women.
children and lovers, to get enough chOco-
late.
PROFITABLE TRADE.
In nv dealings with the natives it was
pretty much a. it was with the merchants.
when Oliver Bcirnc, for instance, who
traded with the mountaineers of West Viz
| siuia before that daughter Of Virginia was
| riSished from her side when II was All
! Nirgiuia-the price Of calico and other
things was always regulated 10y their price
| for ginseng or sang their currency, ana
| - when The Indians valued their deer
.kins, hides, coffee, or fruit at so many
manOs. the price OF dry goods. hardware.
| muskels, or what not always cOrrespOnded
This trading was extremely profitable, q
large profit being made on the goods, and
then again on the barter, which found ready
sale in New York. Another large proDi
| was likewise made from selling 10 the
| employees Of the Nicaragua route, and from
the tbrOngs of passengers 10 and from Can
t0rnia. Moreover, imported dimes which
passed a. reals or ninepence; eight dimes
instead Of te }. going for dollar, which gave
an additional profit Of - per cent on these
transactions. In time, however, this SQUIRE,
of nrOhi disappeared by reason Of dimes
passing at their nominal yalue. In IA short
tine ny original apticip2tiOns were amply
realized. and In about two years had
made almost as many hundreds OF thou
sands Of dollars; but, alas. as the sequel
will show.
COMMERCIAL JEALOUSY.
| For some years there had existed n great
spirit Of jealousy between England and th,
United states touching their commercial in
| forests in Nicaragua, ana consequently :
/ good deal of i'll feeling was engendered be-
| tween the partlsans Of the two countries
Scion Borland, of Arkansas, was then United
| states minister, but his habits, if nothing
else, had rendered him so unacceptable Il
i Nicaragua. he was in 1854 recalled by 0ul
Government ordering TO Greytown the man
of.war Cyane, Captain Holins. 10 bring
HIM home. Borland had taken his leave o.
the authorities at Granada, and was leav
ing the shore for the ship, when disturb
ance unfortunately nose, and in the fraca'
Borland was cut in the face by n fyin.
hottie