amidst tangible and not painted orange trees and
palms, and in an atmosphere really loaded with tropical perfumes,
instead of the odors of oil-pots and gas lights. Eight o'clock was the
signal for general withdrawal from the streets, for then commenced the
reign of the military police, and the city became at once still and
quiet. The occasional barking of a dog, the tinkling of a distant
guitar, the soughing of the evening wind amongst the trees of the
courtyard, the measured tread and graduated "alertas!" of the sentinels,
were the only interruptions to the almost sepulchral silence. While
returning to our quarters we were startled by the "Quien vive?" of the
sentinel, uttered in a tone absolutely ferocious, and as these fellows
rarely parleyed long, we answered with all expedition, "La Patria,"
which was followed on the instant by "Que gente?" "Americanos del
Norte." This was enough--these we found were magic words which opened
every heart and every door in all Nicaragua. They never failed us. We
felt proud to know that no such charm was attached to "Ingleses,"
"Alemanes", or "Franceses."

"The day following, in accordance with the "costumbres del pais," the
customs of the country, we returned the visits of the preceding day, and
began to see more of the domestic and social life of the citizens of
Granada. We found all of the residences comfortable, and many elegant,
governed by mistresses simple, but graceful and confiding in their
manners. They were frank in their conversation and inquired with the
utmost _naivete_ whether I was married or intended to be, and if the
ladies of El Norte would probably visit Granada, when the "Vapores
grandes," the great steamers came to run to San Juan, and the
"Vaporcitas" steameretts, to ply on the lake and river. They had heard
of a Mr. Estevens (their nearest approach to Stephens), who had written
a book about their "pobre pais," their poor country, and were anxious to
know what he had said of them, and whether our people really regarded
them as "esclavos y brutes sin verguenza," slaves and brutes without
shame, as the abominable English (los malditos Ingleses) had represented
them. They were also very anxious to know whether the party of
Californians which had passed through, were "gente commun," common
people, or "caballeros," gentlemen, upon which point, however, we were
diplomatically evasive, for there was more in the inquiry than we chose
to notice. Our lady had heard that I