The Republican journal., 1897-01-07

RIVAs, NICARAGUA, Nov. IA, 1896.
Among the several old-new towns in Mic
aragua which owe their regeneration,
after a century or two of slumber, to
American enterprise, the most important
is Rivas,- Ribas, as it was originally
christened and is still called by the ma
tlves. 1t lies about 40 miles below Gre
NADIA, near the western shore of Lake Mic
aragua, and is the nearest town of conse-
quence to the line of the canal on the
Pacific side of the country. To reach it,
you go to San Jorge, the lake port at the
point where the western end of the canal
begins, and where the Americans have
built pier which extends far out into
deep water. Rivas is four miles inland
and the road between is the best that the
Nicaraguan government has constructed
since the old canine real OF the viceroys
1t is 100 feet WIDE graded and bedded
with stone, and along the middle of it
runs the new tramway line OF Mr. J. T.
Forrest, formerly from Chicago Mr.
Forrest s concessions give him the right
TO extend his line to ally OF all of the
neighboring towns, as well as to Ditto,
the Paclnc terminus of the canal. Thele
is not much to be said Of sleepy Old san
Jorge, saint George, except that it is a
good landing place-thankS to American
money. The greatest portion Of tile vii
Iage hes half mile from the lake, and
has remained absolutely unchanged tor
three hundred years, except jhat ii has
grown tlitle grayer and stupidel, and It's
successive generations Of inhabitants have
gone the way ri all the earth, the last gen
eratloE being faithful copies OF the first in
dress, manners, morals and ignorance.
The oldest inhabtant of to day cannot
tell You when this or that house was built
it stood there from the foundation of
the earth tor all he knows; he has never
ventured beyond the rim Of hills that
bounds the visible horizon, and could not
be made to believe that there is any world
worth mentioning outside of Nicaragua.
The one event of the week in the village
is the arrival OF the weekly steamer, al
ways anticipated by numerous female
vendors of fruit, fowls and carved jicaras,
who sit upon the pier among their wares
with bare legs sticking straight out. Great
clumsy OK carts, with wheels which are
each the solid section of tree trunk,
come creaking down to the wharf, to
transport merchandise of all sorts to its
destination. The road to Rivas is lined
on either side with fine estates, in whose
enclosures fat cattle are grazing. This is
the very garden spot of Nicaragua, of ex-
haustless fertility and the most delightful
climate imaginable. Travelling over any
OF the highways and byways hereabouts,
you are never out Of sight of tile-roofed
and cane matched houses, each surround
ed by orange or Cocoanut groves, banana
and bread fruit trees. Coffee, sugar and
tobacco are extensively raised, besides
corn and northern vegetables. Cacao is
king. however, and many haciendas de-
voted exclusively to its culture are found
on the borders of Rivas. The product
sells for 50 cents per pound, but is so
popular among Spanish Americans that
home consumption prevents the sale of
any portion of the really large crop
Most of it is used in making tiste--a
mixture of cacao with sugar and corn,
the latter parched and ground. From
this healthful and extremely refreshing
beverage is made, which all classes Of
Nicara9uans use. Ri hit here let us settle
the difference between the meaning If the
words. cocoa, cacaO and coca. Cocoa is
the lame of the species OF palm that pro-
ducts the cocoanut. a lluit too we'll known
10 need description: also the fiber SO
largely 0sed for making mating, hats,
brushes, etc. Cacao is the tluit ii an
Aii'''H'''liI'' 'ft'tt t'-l II ''Iii
NtitH we ""-a'h chocolate. and hich IS
universally M'Si AIMED by manufacturers
~ cocoa. coca Is tie name given To the
SCUM American NInub (Elythroxylon
t0t') the leaves OF winch are used by the
H'llEtS OF FtHl, ChlIi ane. Bolivia as the
peIel Is III ASIA, [" @lIaN hunger and thirst
ana l" supply Stimulant which gives
energy 10 endure extraordinary eNertion.
from theSt leaves the Well-knoWn drug,
cocaine Is prepared. He cacao trees OF
eh'tal Anellca rarely exceed 20 feet IN
Aei2lH. he leaves are large, obl"ng and
P"!fleq; lhe nuts contained III long, oval
pointed po"s- 1t produces two crops Il
yeal' beginning to bear when about seven
years Old ana continuing from forty to
ll1ty years. The trees are planted l. feet
apart, and when young, require to be
Sheltered from the sun, in the same man
heI as Is pracuced IN coffee plantations.
AT hfSI bananas, or plantains, are used
LOT mat purpose, III order that some
ploill may be derived at once from the
tfoiF OF those iaSt-growing plants; but
HleahW niIe another tree, also OF speedy
growth bur less quick than the banana, is
SET out at intervals. In Nicaragua it is
iSQaiIy the beautiful tree with the bright
req blossoms, known as the madre de
coc"a-' mother OF the cocoa" OF course
cal