“I spent two hours here, gazing and drawing, till ten o’clock; it was the day of St. Anne; I then resumed my route to Granada, or Salteba, which is three leagues from Masaya. Not only in this city, but even at the distance of two leagues beyond it, the volcano gave as much light as the moon some days before she fulls. “I have heard the cazique of Tenderi [Nindiri] say that he has often gone, in company with other caziques, to the edge of the crater; and that an old woman, entirely naked, has come forth from it, with whom they held a _monexico_, or secret council. They consulted her in order to know if they should make war, or decline or grant a truce with their enemies. They did nothing without first consulting her; for she told them whether they were to conquer or to be conquered: she told them also, if it were about to rain; if the harvest of maize would be abundant; and, in fine, all future events. And every thing always came to pass just as she had predicted it would. On such occasions, a man or two, some women, and children of both sexes, were sacrificed to her; the victims offering themselves voluntarily. He added that since the Christians came into the country, the old woman had appeared only at long intervals; that she had told them the Christians were wicked; and that she did not wish to have any communication with the Indians until they had driven the Christians from their country. I asked him how they got below. He answered that formerly there was a road; but that the cavity had been enlarged by the caving in of the land around it, and thus the path had been destroyed. I asked him what they did after their council with the old woman, and what was her appearance. He replied that she was old and wrinkled; that her breasts hung down over her belly; that her hair was thin and erect; that her teeth were long and sharp as a dog’s; her skin of a darker color than Indians ordinarily have; eyes fiery and sunken; in short, he described her as like the devil, which she must have been. If this cazique told the truth, it cannot be a matter of doubt that the Indians were in connection with him. When the council was over, the old woman entered within the crater, and never came out except to a new council. The Indians often converse about this superstition, and many others; and in their books they represent the devil with as much leanness and with as many _queues_ as we are in the habit of painting him at the feet of the archangel Michael, or the apostle St. Barthelemy. I am of the opinion, therefore, that they have seen him, and that he has shown himself to them; since they place his image in their temples, where they perform their diabolical idolatries. On the side of the crater of Masaya there is a large heap of cups, plates, and basins, of excellent crockery, made in the country. Some had been broken, others were entire.