MARK TWAIN

stretching their charming maze of festoons bright with
their beautiful blossoms, some scoundrel interrupts with:

"You'd oughter gone ashore, there where we wooded—
bananner trees till you couldn't rest—leaves 7 ft. long
and i*/2 ft. wide, and natives doing something or other
with coffee trees—what is it—and what were they doing
it for?"

I got up and left.

San Juan Bay—Neat little semicircle shut in by wooded
hills. Fine breeze. Must remain this afternoon and leave
early in A.M. on account of cholera—brought by San-
tiago—300 soldiers and several hundred passengers—
26 deaths among former and 9 of latter and 40 of natives
—all in past II days—all subsided now.

Dec. z8. Left San Juan in carriages—native drivers
armed with long knives—native soldiers barefooted, with
muskets. Threatened war between 2 candidates for Presi-
dency of Republic of Nicaragua—case of a contested elec-
tion—present President going to hold his posish and whip
both parties.

Long procession of horsemen and hacks—beautiful
road and cool, rainy atmosphere. All on lookout for wild
monkeys.

Orange, banana, aguardiente, coffee, hot corn, carved
cups—stands, pretty native women, ruffles around bot-
tom of dress.

Snake cactus clasping trees. Calabash trees. One hack
broke down. Threatened bloodshed between passengers
and drivers.

Beautiful breezy lake—2 circus tent mountains—cloud-

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