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HEADQUARTERS
DISTRICTS OF MATAGALPA AND JINOTEGA
MATAGALPA, NICARAGUA
20 MARCH 1928
INTELLIGENCE MEMORANDUM:
A native by the name of JEREMOIS RIOS, a trader,
was questioned at Matagalpa, on 16 March 1928,
and gave the following information.
Rios purchases merchandise such as coffee,
clothing, and food stuffs at Managua and
Matagalpa and sells his wares on a trail leading
to the East Coast, Prinzapolca, and on the East
Coast. The trail followed is called the PICADO
REAL. It takes him eighteen days from Matagalpa
to reach the East Coast traveling at the rate of
six leagues a day by pack animal during the dry
season and from twenty-two to twenty-five days
in the wet season. There are some large fords
encountered during the rainy season at the RIO
GRANDE. There are boats a available at these
places to transport travelers which have a
capacity of four. The fords at the rivers IRAS
and UANI have boats with a capacity of ten.
There are only Indian settlements along this
trail. The Indians he claims are very friendly
and do not discuss Sandino. He heard nothing
about the possibility of Sandino coming in their
direction and heard nothing while on the East
Coast about Sandino coming there for arms or
other aid. He reports that to him everything
appeared quite [quiet] at PUERTO CABEZAS. He
only feared Sandino when he approached TUMA as
he had heard that some of Sandino's men had been
near there, the trail otherwise seemed peaceful.
He states that this trail is over very rugged
country and very mountainous, at times, the
rivers are high. The timber along this trail is
considered the best in Nicaragua. The only food
which can be brought on this journey is food
beans, and rice, corn can be purchased for the
pack animals. He states that there are no
mosquitos until reaching the East Coast. Shelter
can be procured for at least twenty men at the
villages. These shelters are the straw hut
variety. Rios is making another trip in May.
This month is still dry in the area passing
over, July being the most rainy month. Rios owns
a small piece of land one half mile south of
Matagalpa.
/s/ A. C. Larsen
M28.03.20a,
RG127/209/1
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