High above the forests of the shore, are some conical hills, of
light green, bordering on yellow, which seemed to be cleared,
and which puzzled us exceedingly. We became familiar
with them afterwards, and I presume they are common in
all volcanic regions. They are the cones of scorisB, sand,
and ashes, which are heaped up during eruptions. On these,
trees rarely take root, but in their place a species of long,
coarse grass weaves a net-work of verdure over their smooth
sides. This grass is of a lively green during the rainy season,
but becomes yellow in the dry, when the hills are burned
over, after which they change to deep sable. Thus forever
varying, they constitute remarkable and characteristic fea>



"timbucos" and " calandracas." 181

tares in a Nicaraguan landscape. Upon the northern shore
of the lake we saw only the broken volcanic mountains of
Chontales, patched with trees, here black with lava, and there
red and white with scoriaa and sand. It should be observed
that it is only that part of Chontales bordering the upper
portion of the lake, which presents this burned and broken
aspect Elsewhere the shores are comparatively low and
undulating, with extensive savannas, which furnish abun-
dant pasturage. The whole district is well adapted for
grazing purposes.
