The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-09-21
rHr. FARMER AND MECHANIC

While n sleepy BuaTu VIII C"H
trailing out with their guns leaned
them across the rail in our direction.
Everybody on the boat and on the
pier now joined in a furious debate
except Col. Gomez, who sat grlmly IN
the shadow Just behind the Minister
with his hand caressing a hall drawn
Colts. We were all armed for that
matter. but of course any gun play
would have been foolish. Finally the
Minister was allowed to land to IN
erview the Commandante but the
boat was ordered to shove off. which
we did and anchored. 1t was
somewhat past my bedtime SO L
stretched out across a thwart IN the
m~oonshi and was soon asleep. In
about half an hour they woke me to
say hat the Commandante had final
ly sent the delayed orders, SO [ STUN
bled up the stairs and through the
rocky streets until | found a native
lodging house, where I stretched out
across a canvas cot and finished my
nap.
We sailed next morning and ar
rived at Corinto. Nicaragua, the day
after. The pier was lined with vend-
ers of fruits and parrots. Parrots
sell here for 81 apiece, and at San
Francisco bring IS, SO some Of the
crew do a thriving business. We
landed and soldiers conducted us to
the office of the Commandante of the
port. who in these countries is a kind
Of little tin god. He was lolling back
in his chair with his soldiers around
him crOss-examining every traveller.
He wanted to know Of every one why
he a come to Nicaragua, how long
he was going to stay, where he was
going from Nicaragua and why, how
old he was. whether he was married
and if not if he intended to get a
ried. what his religion was, and a
host Of other pertinent and fmperti-
nent questions. He then demanded
a passport and papers lndentlfy1ng
him and proving all statements made.
He examined all the paper and then
invariably sent the ~aveler to his
trunk to hunt for more. This cOun-
try. is noted for its inhospitatity to
travellers, and frequently Americans
are denied admission. and as they are
jealous Of Guatemala nearly all trav-
elers from that country Of whatever
nationality are refused admission.
When my turf came / gave him my
official card and told him il he want
ed further Identification the Consul
could supply it. He said it would
have to be produced, so I went up the
Henry Leonard. to whom l showed
my authorization from the Secretary
of State. Leonard went back with
me and assured the Commandments
that / was a bona fide official in the
service of the American Government
and was not conspiring against the
peace and dignity Of the great Re-
public Of Nicaragua neither had I
any Intention of throwing a rock at
the President. The Commandante
then had the impudence to ask him
how he knew that l was the man my
card represented. Leonard, however,
is the right sort, SO he cheerfully as
sured him that he knew it to be so
because I was an old acquaintance Of
his. The Commandante could think
OF nothing to hold me up on so
finally reluctantly permitted me the
great privilege Of treading the soil of
the country owned by the great
Zelaya.
Going back to the Consulate with
the Vice-Consul I found that our
Consul at Corinto is a Florida negro
I left that afternoon for Managua.
The Dad to Managua is very dusty
and disagreeable. even though this is
the rainy season and it was fearfully
hot. At one place the train stopped
for q half an hour for no other reason
that I could see except to let the town
beggars a a fair chance at the
passengers. They came, through the
cars in orderly fashion, one behind
the other, the halt, manned, blind. de-
crepit, diseased, each one waiting at
the car door until his predecessor had
made his touch" when he then tried
his hand. At Managua I found the
hotel muc better than / had expect
ed. h town. the capital of Mica
ragua, is or the shore Of Lake Ma
nagua and has a water front that is
naturally beautiful but which the
careless town authorities use as a
dumping ground for the street a.
The police at Managua are armed
with rifles and. like the soldiers. are
mainly barefooted. They stand on
the corners at night and after eleven
o'clock they blow a whistle whenever
a person passes, SO hat at night one
can sit on the porch and by listening
to the whistles tell how many people
are passing in every section Of the
town.. This is to guard against any
sudden assembly, for there are nu-