The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-02-23


from the lake on their backs, but nova
days it is pumped up by machinery
About the only other notable improve
ment which Masaya has INDUCED in since
its foundation, three and One-haf ccntu-
res ago, is the recent building of a fine
new market house, and for that it is in
debted to an organization of British CAPT
talists, who have varied interests in the
republic. with headquarters in London.
The edifice cost $l060O0 in gold. 1t is built
of volcanic stone taken from nearby
quarry, and as the stone is very black and
the Whole structure surrounded with
parapet, 1t looks good deal more like
medieval castle than a modern market
house. 1t is built in the form of a hollow
square, one-storied, with fiat roof of cor
rugated iron, and covers two acres. A
lofty arched corridor, supported by many
iron columns with fancy capitals, runs
around the spacious inner court. The
floors are laid in Portland cement, and at
each of the fOur entrances are stately gates
of wrought iron painted blue and gold,
and handsome bracket lamps. ~
To visit MaSaya mountain you go via
Nindiri village, across the dreary valley
covered with coarse, black lava, which
surges up into many little hills and ridges,
as If the boiling mass had suddenly cool
cano are streaked with hardened streams
oil lava. yet grass grows luXuriantly along
ITS base and IN to considerable hight,
and long-horned cattle and half-wld
horses Craze upon it. The volcano was
one of the earliest recorded wonders of
America, and the discoveries. who never
stopped ndII way IN mdIlefS IflaI IOuGneu
the imagination, named it the Hell of Ma
saya." An ancient historian said: There
are burning mountains in this province,
the chief of which is Masaya, wherein, at
different times the natives have offered UP
maidens, throwing them into ~ alive
thinking thus by the sacrifice of their lives
to aDpease the fire, that it might not de-
stroy the country, and they went to it
very cheerful" w neither the victims were
Cheerful or those who offered them up
the historian does not specify; but, be-
stretch of Imagination to conceive the ter
ror and esDair of the maidens who were
forced uD the desolate hight to fearful
death.
Another chronicler gravely relates the
following story a matter of history. l
transcribe it entire, with the author S own
peculiar style and prodigallty OF capitals;
These Leagues from the City of Masaya,
is a Small Hill, fiat and round, called Ma
saya, being a Burning Mountain, the
Mouth of ii being half a league in Com
pass and the Depth within being go faith
oms. There are no Trees nor Grass, but
birds build, without any disturbance from
the Fire. There is another Mouth, like that
of a Well. about a Bow-shot over the dis
lance of which from the Fire IS loo rain
oms, always boiling up; and that mass OF
Fire often rises and gives great Light,
so that 1t can be seen a considerable Dis
lance 1t moves from one side TO the otner,
and sometimes roars so loud that It IS
Dreadful, yet never casts up anything but
smoke and Flame The LIQUOR never
ceasing at the Bottom nor its Bollingi I'M
agining the same TO be Gold, Fran Bloso
de Yniesta, of the order OF saints Dome
nick with two other Spaniards were let
down into the first Mouth, IN two Bas-
kets, with a Bucket made or one piece OF
iron and long chain to draw up some or
the fiery Matter, and know whether IL
was metal. The Chain ran l9V tathoIns,
and as soon as II came to the flre the
Bucket melted, with some Of the Links OF
Chain in a very Short Time, and there
fore they could not know what was below.
They lay there that Night Wlthout any
again in the Buckets, sufficiently Fright
ened."
The Massayans Of the better class live
very comfortably after simple Iashlon
of their own. An Englishwoman, VINO mas
resided here several years, gave us ner
experience in housekeeping la NiGdrasu-
anese AS there are. No boarding houses.
expensive. the better plan, II one ex-
poets to remain only few weeks, Is 20
set up a casa OF ones own ~ - sasy
quite another matter to render II haDlt-
able. Its walls are covered Win egD-
webs Ike tapestry OF slnaid I9P n,1 Npl
ous), and the tiled or plastered floors are
overrun with lizards, snakes centlpedes;
tarantulas,. ct al Having dlsp ,'e,,r at
tention TO the furnishings; If you can
hire a few necessary articles, even Tor
sum which would buy them t ,Sn .a oyse
merchants have as many prices lot tnei,
goods as there are calls for them, ana
conduct business on the principle that INC
more a thing is needed the higher price
II should bring. For example, you ray
81 80 the dozen for knives and forks win
clumsy horn handles, $40 for table that
would be dear at $50, dollar for a
broom, etc Food. however, such as can
be obtained. Is cheap enough 70, OFFSET
these extraordinary prices, II one is Will
ing while in Rome 20 do as the Romans,
and live upon what Is grown IN the coun-
try. In the jucals (huts of the poorer
classes living is primitive, indeed. What
ever else is lacking, each has long chest
of solid mahogany or tulip wood made
from the trunk OF giant tree. IL looks
like coffin, and may be almost anything
odd or canny. BY day u serves a vari-
ETY. of purposes; dishes. cooking utensils,
and edihles are stored la Il, together With
the family wardrobes, the blankets, ropes,
harness, ana what not. At night IL -
turned to double account. being closed
with a cover and utilized as bed. These
kind-hearted Indians are proVerbially nos
pitable and always press the stranger who
happens around az meal time 10 partake
Of the Creature comforts provided Cu-
riosity may compel bin TO accept the in
vitanon % once. but seldom second time,
unless driven 70 extremity by the panEs
ot starvation. The food Is not 40 had
II one can remain In blissful Ignorance