The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1897-06-19
NICARAGUAN
ABOUT THE COUNTRY
OF THE PROJECTED CANAL.
Something About the Transportation
Factlitis up tho San Juan-Early Elk
plorations Au,ia Prtmative Scenes-The
Great Lake Fed by Many Streams,
Continued from End Col.

| lac eEtangled rigging OF a snip. Mosr no.
ticeab.e among the trees is the tall guyana,
and certain colossal palm with widespread
ing, fan-.lke branches, the space between
the long leaf stems completely filed with CIR
chids, and other bright-colored blossoms.
The dense.y matted foliage affords shelter
Tor myrads CT green parrots, toucons with
their absurdly big, top-heavy beaks, and
gorgeous Hangers, the latter sparrow like
bird, with single b.ood-red spot upon his
velvety black body, just above the tail. One
IS amazed at the incredible number of butter.
1les-the great blue or green, or modest
sray-sonetimes literally filing the air, like
brilliant cloud, apparently emigra ting i'll
fiocks. as Northern birds do in autumn.
The Great Lake.
This lake is one OF the most remarkable
sheets of water in the known world. Ninety
miles long, by from thirty to fifty miles wide,
Its elevation above the Pacific, from which it
is separated only by low range Of hills, is
less than 100 feet. Opposite San Carlos and
fronting the San Juan outflow, it is barely
seven feet deep for a mile or more in all
dlrectlons; but elsewhere its average depth
is ninety feet.
Fed by several considerable streams, the
largest of which, the Frio, has two fathoms
OF water forty miles above it's mouth, the lake,
fas only one visible outlet, the Sar
Juan River: It's banks are beauti.
fully wooded with some of the mobiles,
trees of the far-famed Nicaraguan forests,
and under them, to Nicaragua City, runs
the Canine Real, or Kings highway, built
10y the conquering Spaniards some centuries
ago. In severa! places the road winds so
close to the lake that passing travellers are
sprlnkled with its spray-for this inland
sea has tides like those of the nearby ocean,
and when winds sweep it's surface, long roll.
ing pillows break in solemn majesty upon
tine shore. Wherever one stands upon its
banke no land is visible on its farther side,
and always the view is dominated by Omete-
pee, the island vo.cano-irs smooth, unbrokeu
cone, 5000 feet high, reminds one of Noun,
Etna. and, like the pride Of Sicily, it rises
directly out of blue waters into bluer sky.
The islands Of the lake are many, and lie
mostly IN groups, several Of them having
considerable Indian villages and all serving as
retreats for myriads of wild ducks and snow
white herons. Among the love.iest of the
Islands are 1sola and Madeira, each crowned
with cloud-piercing mountains. It will be
remembered that Mr.. L. G. Squire found
some remarkable idols and other monuments
OF an extinct race upon zapatero, Omtepec,
and others of these islands. The cid City
u Grenada, seat of the Spanish aristocracy
OF Nicaragua, and long the rival Of Leon for
the seat of the national capital, stands On
the northwest shore of the lake. few
miles away the extinct volcano Mombacho
lowers skyWard, and only four miles distantis
the newer City Of Rivas, built on the site of
an aDoriglra! city. FANNIE B. WARD.