New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-06-10
FROM BRITISH HONDURAS.
gou..pop5eno. Of The N. Y. Tribune.

Panama, is the occurrence Of numerous and eI-
tcnsve logOOnS branching out in the plains, or be-
tween the hills and mountains Of the adjoining
country, and often separated from Che sea BY strip
efland 90 narrow that flying ssb might almost pass
over il. Most Of them, being connected with the
ava by a channel through which the tidce are run
ming in and out are filed with salt water "ble
some Others are sb-ws.er basins situated above
the level of high tide, excluded irofn any oohhec
tion with the sea and ed only by the cop"ss rams
of tbese climates or By the suPeraetbdSht water VI
river. ce
n the Manat Lagoon, situated OF the csst oi DIZZY
ash Honduras tveHty miles ir9u nero 10 the SOUTH
AS some accounts Of interesting scenery and re,
marksble natural phenomena IN ITS neghbor1oOd
had been oiyen,J1e We resolved to wit the locsly
Our party consisted Of myself aud family, Mr. W.,
who had been our travelling c0IDpsgiOn fr@n New
Orleans and tHO young Germans CLERKS II com
rnercial houses Of Belize, whom invited u JON US
for the trip. The pleasurC~boat Of MI Deseldofi'
a fine little slOOp drawing q feet wafer, was
Kindly offered for the excursion She vas manned
with two harculean negrces--experienced sailors as
well ns woodsmen such found IN the ma
hoqany works OF this region Provisions were lad
In for a few days, and, on the morning OF the 10Th,
we passed over the bar OF the Behze River, ana
TOOK cur course to the sOlthward.
The coast Of British Honduras, like that Of Yucca
fan affords an casT and pleasant navigation TOR
small crafts. Followed, at CERTAIN distance from
The land, by almost continuous line OF reels and
GAYS by which it is protected against the heavy
swells Of the ocean it's washed bya smooth and quiet
Sea on which even the nutshell canoe OF the negro
woman or Carib boy may 20 safely along. Our
course lay close enOggh to the land to see the huts
of the village Of SherbOOn at the mouth OF the
river Of that name Inside Of the bar, was tod
second village exists, composed Of the habitatlens
of mahogany cutters TO whom the banks OF the
SherbOOn afford al active occupation. The cuttlngs
of the house Of Young Toledo d Co. here, as
high up in the interior as the head waters Of the
southern branch Of this river. BY and by, as we
proceeded, the hills aud mountains Of the southern
part of the British territory higher and higher
until as we came close to the shore, they were
again concealed by the trees OF the forest which eI
tends along the beach. After navigation Of four
or five hours we anchored before the inlet to what
appeared TO be narrow river, lined with man
groves, but the connecting channel between
the sea and the Manati Lagoon through which the
salt water runs in and out with the tides. The tide
being low at the time, the water over the bar was
TOO shallow to allow US to pass; but, after having
spent some hours in very pleasant manner on the
beach, We at last drifted in with the water OF
high tide.
The channel is some miles long, narrow and wind
ing From time TO time, the high mangroyes on
either side intercepted the faint breeze OF the even
ing hours. Then two bOatmen took TO the
oars and their powerful arms kept our sOOp IN mo-
hon. Our progress, however, could not be but very
slow in this manner and the sun had set when we
arrived at the end Of the channel, where scene OF
striking effect was suddenly unrOlled before our
view. Through an opening between the two walls OF
mangrOves double stream OF golden light and
rermiOn hues burst upon our eyes. Emanatlng
from the western horizon above chain of steep
and densely wooded hills, its rays were reflected
from the surface Of q wide and forestb0und basin
i 49,, E.,% A
ferrous region Of darkness between two oceans OF
ethereal brightness, these hills wrapt already in the
shades of night stood like barrier, as it were, be-
tween an upper aud lower sky.
Here we entered the Laguaa de Manat. IL
water in the neghbOrhOOd of the outlet. is very
shallow. Our IOop touched the ground several
fines when our Two sailors would jump into the
water 10 get her slost again. We anchored near
long and narrow strip of land running out far into
the lagoon from 3 southern extremity to the north
ward. Here, between groups OF cOcOanut trees,
and unknown to the rest of the world, are the hao-
tations of small population of negroes aud mulat-
toes, who, according 10 the languages they speak,
must have gathered from different quarteTs-sOme
Of them speaking the French, some the Spanish,
some the English in preference, and some others
language composed nOdOubt OF some ldom OF AL
riean origin, mixed up with some elements of the
different European languages spoken IN the west
Indies. OF this population of black squatters,
scarcely anything was known at Belize, where even
the best-informed todd us that we would be Obliged
"a camp out in the wilderness wherever should
no on shore around the agOOn-a statement to
which our bOatmen would only respond with
smile, or with mysterious Let us take care OF
"that and you will see " Indeed, here they had
their own huts though they had left them uninhab-
ied for long time, while they were working IN
come Of the mahogany cuttings of the interior, or
in the port of Belize. All the neghbors around
were their friends relations, with whom they
passed the night leaving us on board of our slcop,
as We refused their invitation TO 90 shore with
them that night Next morning, they retained and
landed us close to some cane hnts surrounded by
palm trees, on a strip Of land not over a hundred
Yards broad. Black and brown women and children
gathered around us. OF the male portion of the
little settlement, only few appeared to be present
No trace OF cultivated land was 10 be seen, and in
deed, the soil, though Overgrown with trees, shrubs
grass and herbs, seemed ~ be very poor--a mere
sccumulatiOn Of sand. Fresh water is not 10 be
found At all on this long and NARROW dixie. They
fetch it. 10 canoes, from some Places on the opposite
shores But the refreshing liquid Of tbe cccoanut is
90 beautifully at hand and 80 generally IN use as to
make water alIlOst superfluous fer drinking.
Thosgh well recommended by our hoatIen, as
supposed we ere, the population OF thus secluded
place appeared 70 be ill-disposed toward us Or at
least no, TO Ike cur visit. But this, If IT really
were so must be confessed So be very natural.
Who ear doubt tat, wherever, on American soil
an independent bkck population exists, sufficient
causes for dishking white peoP<e must be reta2.d
IN their memory; an1 who can doubt 6st they VIII
be disturbed in their peace and IN the enjoyment ct
their independence as Whit men shall settle
around them At TIE present time, TIER life IL
that Of an independence almost absolute, and ot an
nndisturbed peace-pst Of idleneUs but neither
al toll. The lagoon contains an inexhsusllbe
quantity and gpest variety of the mast excellent