present disturbances, he added, had been directly charged upon the English, but however that might be, that people was directly responsible for its consequences; for the insurgents would never have dared to commit overt acts, whatever their disposition, had they not thought that the controversy with England had weakened the hands of the government, and rendered it almost powerless; and that in attacking it, they would receive some kind of countenance and support from British agents, if not from the British Government. I am thus particular in giving the exact tenor of this conversation, as it was afterwards grossly misrepresented, and made the subject of not over-polite, but very characteristic official correspondence, on the part of the British agents. In the afternoon of this day, the first division of our California escort, in a uniform of red shirts, and armed like brigands, made their appearance. They reported that the remainder had stopped for the night at the town of Masaya, in order to visit the extraordinary lake at that place, and would come on in the morning. The march of the General had cleared the roads, and as our arrival at the capital was anxiously expected, I determined to leave Granada at the earliest possible moment, and made my arrangements accordingly. [Illustration: “PIEDRA DE LA BOCA.”] In the evening I visited a singular relic of antiquity, called the “piedra de la boca,” the _stone of the mouth_. It is planted on the corner of one of the streets leading to the Jalteva, and consists of a large and singularly carved stone, which had been brought here by a curious “marinero,” from an island in the lake. The accompanying engraving will convey a better idea of it than any description, and will explain why it bears its present name. It now projects about three feet above the ground, and is two feet broad by one and a half in thickness. I had made diligent inquiry for “_piedras antiguas_,” ancient stones, but got very little information concerning any,—no information, in fact, except from an old priest and some boatmen, who represented that many were to be found on the island of Ometepec, and on the large uninhabited island of Zapatero. I had, however, no time to visit them now, but made a note of them for a future occasion. At the “esquina,” or corner of the old Convent of San Francisco, was another “piedra antigua,” called “_El Chiflador_,” the whistler. It had been much broken, and the head and upper part of the body were entirely destroyed. The fragments which remained showed that it had been well and elaborately carved. Tradition says that, when it was perfect, its mouth was open, into which the blowing of the wind made a mournful, whistling noise, exciting suspicions that it was the incarnation of one of the ancient “demonios” of the Indians. The pious padres demolished it in consequence; but probably less on that account than because they often found offerings