New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-06-10

only as white az those Of the most perfect black
beauty ever caa be, but were set IN the most ex-
ouisitc share and order. What wonder that one ~
nv yourIg companions, born on the cold banks OF
the Elite f4 in love with this beautiful daughter oil
fiery cline who, however, received his addresses
with a sublime mixture 81 dignity and good
buTnOrc1 satire
Speaking once favorably of the free negroes Of
this territory, | cannot omit mentioning me excel
lent qualities of our two bOatuen. IL our Preoiosa
ws- happy representation OF TIE natural erSces
Fat can b. EXPECTED in a black wOmaB, Mr.. Bar
e,ard one Of the two negroes. was d typ, OF ma1-
illness in the best sense Of the word. tncOmmonly
tall and of a hcrcuIesn frame, but perfectly well
proportOued-uscd 10 all the hardshIps Of sailor
spd woodsman aud still easy IN his movements
be was Ms gVod-Uatured as he wac naturally lnle!ii-
cent. and as pNlite rs he was dignifed in his whole
deportment lie tried TO comply Rlth our wlshes
az soon az b. knew them and h the comforts oil
ny family be paid attention which left almost
nothing for uie 10 take care Of. When, with Jew
strokes of bis maohoto, be opened cOcoanut which
be held between bis fingers, or when he spt II II
twc While il rested freely upon the palm OF his lei'
hand, and then offered il to ore Of our company,
more easy and still striking display of physical
power and natural politeness could not possibly DC
imagined.
Tie render will allow me TO assure him that
tbese ortrait-sketches Of black woman and
black msn are consclenhOusly taken from Nature
ADD drawn without intention 10 embelhsh or cast
c.r Of romance over what is nothing but the relation
Of facts observed by Traveller. The originals can
easily be found by any one following the same route
of travel and may be compared with the picture
must add however, that, IN general, tree negroes
BON in the tropical regions OF America are race
more avOraly developed than negroes Tree or slaves
under the less genial climate and the institutions OF
the United States, under which, both physically
and mentally the strong alone are able 10 prosper.
I, isla
and the Lagoon of Manati is divided into several
branches and subordinate basins, and, by narrow
channel such as that 10y which We had entered, u
is connected with another and still larger lagoon,
situated to the nOrthward. The shores OF this
latter one are entirely unnhdblted and lis very ei
istence appears to have been unknown to the per-
s0ns-of our acquaintance at Belize, from whom We
derived our previous information. From the west
q river called Manati River enptes into the hrst
lagoon BY several falls or rapids, 1t descends frOn
the Mountainous region situated III that direction
Some ten or fifteen miles before reaching the Ia
COON il passes through the interior OF q mountain
in natural tunnel navigable for small canoes-tbe
Manat River thus repeating that remarkable feature
of which have spoken in former letter as charac-
teristic Of this country, and which l have since
learned occurs likewise in the state OF Honduras.
When visit to the Lagoon Of Manati WAS recon-
mended to Inc by gentleman OF Belize, mention
was made Of q remarkable cave in mountain on
boatmen informed us Of the existence OF two
such localities One of them, which they called
the Great Cave of Manati, was the tunnel Just
mentioned: the other one which they designated
by the name of the cave of Loeb Lonond, is STU
ated in rocky hill, at the northwestern corner OF
the lagoon Scotch gentleman, the owner OF
that tract Of land where he once Intended to esta1-
Ish sugar plantation chrstened the locality with
that nsme The same gentleman established another
supar plantation on the southwestern side OF the
lagoon and called it Cumberland Hall; but here
as We'll As at Loeb LOmond the project, hall
realized, was gwen up and great amount OF
money was lost in it. | visited the place, aud saw
a very fine clearinghouse OyergrOwn 10y the ralik
vegetation Of several years, and costly machinery
cast away in an absolute wilderness.
AS TO proceed up the river to the tunnel was de-
clared yery toilsome and difficult task at this time
of the wear, when We would have been Obliged to
drag our canoe over the sand more than dozen
times. We resolved that the idea Of visiting the great
cave should be given up, and that our curiosity was
70 remain satisfied with the bats and stalactltes OF
Loeb Lomond. For that locality, We accordingly
set sail.
Aftera navigation Of some hours, we anchored in
the shallow water of bay, before hne parK-lke
savanna, with scattered pne-trees and palmeIlos'
extending about mile from the beach inland TO the
foot of a ridge Of steep and thlckly-wooded mus.
One of them contained the cave we proposed 10
visit BY an accident, i was prevented from seeing
its int .riOr and therefore give description OF
il. The three other gentlemen Of our party, how
ever, after having procured torches consisting OF
pieces Of the resinous plHewoOd Of these regions,
entered and proceeded some distance INTO Tue Ill
terror of the mountain According to their rea-
ton. the cave is rich iB all the wonders of subter-
ranean scenery-stalactitic formations OF fantastic
shapes large halls and narrow passages, shafts and
tunnels leading up and down. As to me, While
standing before the entrance, and ready ~ enter,
discovered that the two men whom l believed 10
have remained Oh the beach, had followed us-lny
family thus being left entirely alone and unPro-
tected in all absolute wilderness. Without losing
one nI0ment i ran down TO the beach In the
mean time heavy clouds had collected, and "A thun-
derstorm was approaching. had not time enough
| TO bring my family on board of our sloop before II
broke out in all its violence. The quantity OF
water pouring down was really frighttli.
| Drepched to the skin in minute, We reached the
soop with some dlfficulty-he rain hiding her from
| our view, and the wind driving our canoe toward
her lee-side. When we got on board, II was too
late 10 derive much benefit from the protection she
was able to afford. While trying to make the best
| Of our unpeasan SITUATION our friends after haV-
inc been in the cave, were i'll danger OF being cut of
fran JUS After the rain had continued for half an
hour OR more the plain at the foot of the hill began
10 I've covered with water: and, returning Ia the
beach, they had TO wade up TO their waists at
| some places.
The scenery at the entrance Of the cave is wild
and romantic TO the utmost From the darkest
shades Of tropical Ticket, with az underground
Of y0ang palntrees, perpendicular ySall OF silver
| gray rock rises one hundred feet or HOre. Thick
ropes of gian, Vines, entirely eafess, are stretched
over its surface, from tor to bOttom-sone of them
straight Others wound in spiral like corkscrew
| Al the foot Of this wall is the entrapee-a large
vault with sta,acties hanging down from its rosf
and background lost III darkness
| l,.tt h. afnr 4 .xrau mn