Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-01-24

dustry are. Nearly every woman met has or
naments-many of gold-brooches worn wifi
cnains OF gold beads, finger rings and earring,
IN abundance. There is evidently great fond
ness Tor 1ewelry. Among the masses of tht
people these native-made ornaments are yer,
popular. put, as everywhere else, that which /,
.,ioreiSn very often has the preference amone
the upper classes. though it NAV not be SO
lstetul. Partisan jewelry is sold on all hand,
ana diamonds are the most popular of the pre-.
cious stones. and they meet a ready sale.
MUD STATUES.
Among the curious things found in Masava
are the mud figures made by the Indians. They
represent familiar scenes here-women eneared
In making tortillas, men and women packing
heavy loads. &c, painted gaudily in red and
yellow. They form quaint records of the life
OF the people. but in skill of execution do NOT
equal similar work done by the Mexicans
INDIAN ANTIQUITIES.
In our hunt for antiquities we have not been
rewarded by any especially interesting discoy-
cries. though for this purpose we have visited
outlying Indian villages, where such things
might be found. We have not been able to
carry on our searches in this line in the proper
way. The only sure way to find remains of the
aborigines that collectors would value would
be to dig up the graves of some of the old In
dian burying places, time having almost oblit-
Grated the monuments that have marked these
localities. though q number of them of great
antiquity are still known. The island of Sopo-
terra, In Lake Nicaragua. and the neighborhood
OF Granada are especially promising fields.
Grana being, it is thought, the Oldest settle
ment in the country known at the time of the
discovery Of the new world. A curious
Spanish map, nearly three centuries old,
that We have seen here showing the American
discoveries of that time, which marks the
region west of the thirteen colonies as un-
known, yet defines the shore line of Nicaragua
and her great lake plainly. and the only CITY
located Is that OF Granada. thena Indian village
OF considerable size. Some pieces of pottery
have been secured by us, they being dug up
north of this place. The paint on them is well
preserved, though the specimens must be of
great antiquity. An idol of stone with hideous
features, and a mold, which the Indians used
In their work, are among these pieces. A pc
culiarity OF the relics is that all are formed
hollow and have inclosed pieces of loose CLAW.
shaped as marbles, which causes a rafting noise
when moved. All the pieces of bowls found
have this popularity, the supporting legs being
generally In the form of some hideous monster
or other fancy, but always with the loose
marbles within rolling about. The
habit Of burying household utensils
with the dead has preserved great stores of
these things, which can be had for the labor of
opening the graves. One of the most wonderful
Managua, on the shore of one of the MANY vol
canic lakes of that region. On the fat surface
Of large stone, located where the sun strikes
it. is painted in bright colors figure of the
sun, and when the full rays of that luminary
strike the representation the reflection is daz-
cling. SO dazzling that the eve cannot long rest
upon it. At what time this painting was made
is not known, but it was evidently before the
discovery OF America, yet the paint is rs bright
and unaffected by the elements as when first
applied to the rock. Full Of interest is a study
Of this region and very satisfactory the rewards
that one will receive who devotes q few months
to saunter through these out-of-the-way
places. @. Elk