The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1897-08-07

thirteen volcanoes can oe seen.
which are active. Eighteen of TO- Il in
solemn possession around the nagua
and Nicaragua. None of as high As
certain peaks in GuatasS "a Costa RIGA
but they look mucka because. RISING
thair aoia u 1iae wster
unobscureas ser ranges. Monotombo OF
springs out of the water of Lake Mica
ragua. It's bare and blackened summit, al
ways crowned with light wreaths of smoke,
within. and so far no human foot has scaled
1t. Now and then the fires break forth and
deluge its sides with burning floods killing
every living thing in their path. At the base
or the mountains are several hot sulphur
springs, and at intervals heavy rumblings are
heard, betokening internal connections, A
few miles away, out In the lake, is an exact
duplicate of Monotombo, only one fourth its
SIZE 1T is called Monotombita little Mono
tombo). and forms an island, from which it's
peak rises. a perfect cone. It's crater has
been extinct for hundreds of years. but the
island was evidently sacred place to the
aborigines. In the forest which now covers
1t are ruins Of gigantic idols and vast tenn
pies. the former hewed out of solid rock The
walls of Leon having been several times shak-
en- down by earthquakes, peculiar custom
has arisen, called 'the baptism of volcanoes"
"a ceremony which is believed by the SUPER
stlt1ous to be effective in keeping the forces
of nature in subsection. The observance is
as old as the first European settlement in
Nicaragua, having originated with the first
eruption after the conquest, which took place
about the year 1922, when Leon was only a
promising infant. 1t is repeated ysar after
year, on the anniversary of the last disturb
ance caused by each particular volcano. The
priests OF the nearest city take the affair in
charge. and. followed by large company CT
the faithful, ascend the crater and sprinkle
holy water into it, with impressive ceremo-
MES.
Every volcanic peak in Nicaragua has been
repeatedly sanctifed in this way-except
Monotombo, greatest and most unregenerate
of them all, which has never permitted human
teet to approach its crater. Some two cep-
turtles ago, after Old Tombo had been behaving
particularly bad, three brave monks deter
mined to try the effect of holy water upon it
at all hazards. Followed by the populace to
the foot OF the mountain, amid the pealing Of
bells and the chanting of the TIE Deum, they
started for the summit, dragging q huge
crucltlx, which they proceeded to erect there.
So. they passed out Of sight, still steadily
toiling upward when night shut off the view
What became of them none can say. They
were never heard of again, and, like Moses.
40 man knoweth their resting place. All
that the people regarded Old Tombo wit.
greater reverence than ever, and the "bac
tism of volcanoes became the greatest re-
ligious festival of the year in Nicaragua.
The Connie rcial Metropolis.
Being the commercial metropolis Of tn
country. Leon has still many wealthy citi-
There is a considerable Spanish-1:-
dian aristocracy, intermarriage having large
ly obliterated race lines. Fully nine -tenths
the merchants follow one business. that
conducting general retail stores, with stock,
embracing all manner of commodities II
small quantities-English, German, az:
American goods particularly wines, liquors
prints, canned goods, tobacco, and hardware
On account of freights and import duties IT,
retail selling price is generally much higher
than. in the United States. AS in ,othe'
parts of Central America there is drougEt
Of amusements in Leon. y few years ag
some foreign residents undertook to build al
opera-house, but were compelled to make al
assignment before the edifice was fully cons
pleted. 1t is used occasionally, however, Wher
some Spanish troupe comes along brave
enough to risk financial disaster by giving
few poorly patronized performances. The
play is advertised in a novel fashion. III
stead of distributing handbills and pa!ntin
the town red with flaming posters or senG
ing out a clown and band of music, as i
Mexico, the Nicaraguans let off skyrockets i
the early evening, a signal for averyboc.
interested to dress and haste to the show.
FANNIE BRIGHAM WARD.