The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-10-31
rhe Failure OF the Emigration Scheme
to Black River, Honduras.
TO THE EDITOR {

TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD.
In. the summer OF 1860 two Americans issued
a circular, in which they set forth in glowing
coiers certain grants Of land which they had
from the government Of Honduras, the Black and
Foyer rivers and in the valley of Oancho Possessing
extraordinary facilities aud advantages for emigration
A company Gormed in New York, and enigran,s
solicited their expense these grants
The company represented the Black river broad ard
deep whose SIDES perfectly lined with evergreen
foliage, whore The cocoanu, cashuc, shaddock and host
of fruits hung III tropical abundance that uy the lovely
stream for eighty miles, to the EmbaAaalar, the CEN.
panys steamer would convey the enigraats and from
thence to the colony, distance of some Niy miles,
excellent wagon road and plenty OF mules and horses
offered every facility; that the colony was located in
vast sapannah on which roancd herds Of cate that
owned masters stall and whose reh sol needed but
the brand to clear it for the husbaaden; that 10 this
tropical paradise everything grew spontaneous;
| fort and wealth were equally garca and sau-
brtous climate, and without disease. The first to
Teach the colony was party q gentlemen who after
nnumerahle hardships, fordty the Black river forty
times reached Olanchio w ere al Frustrated
! with the fever Next came a rarity Of five ladies two
boys and hvo gentlemen, who after bosterous passaa
OF twenty eight days were landed on the 5tn % July,
| 1861, this inhospitable shore. small mahogany
clearing on the banks Of the lagoon, with no friendly
| sho,ter in sight, no quarters FOR tho poor oni-
grants, received thea. The agent Of the soia,
I
lii u. Left TO themselves they finally found theg way
to the deck of the stamboa of forty tons), WHERE Tor
two months, amid the heavy rains and burning Of
this country, through hardsbds and privsons and sick
with fever from which one OF their aumbeg--a a1y-
died and others barely eseaped thcy continued to exist
Finding the rves unnav for the steamer party or
them attempted 10 reach Ae colony with native ppan
"a boat dug IRON log and Hat 1T both enes) With hard
padding against strong current sleeping at night
sand bars ufesed with mosquitoes sand flies and other
vermia and sick with ever they nj last reached the
place Of embarkmon, frcm whence they found only
mule pa.h through trackless forests and mountain
gorges only toa Mosquito indsB aud horses
or mules for the journey TO the colony. Sick dis
couragcd ndng the statements Of those connected with
this company tissue OF abrications river unnnviga.
bic whose banks were lined with f1penetrabe ckets,
and whose water course was filed with shifting sand
bars; where fer ten months in the year the heavens
ole and the waters descend in torrents, and from tho
mountain streams avalanche OF waters, rushing down.
inundatc the valleys; 70 The drftwood and logs
sweep all before them. tearing huge from their
earth bound beds presenting Of wild devastation
where during the two dry months, the sand bars
dry, aud the pitpan must be carried ovcrsck and dis
Outraged they returned to tho lagoon and sought speedy
passage home. Belize oeredS the and surest
route, and for two hundred miles the stormy Ca
rbbean sea- in an oren boat some OF them found their
way. Those who penetrated the colony first Jared no
better. Constantly down with the fever, the splendid
under water one little matched cabin, no comforts or
convencnccs OF e-thoy, too, fed from the aocarsed
spot as fast az fever mules aud weather would permit,
through TruxillO aud Belize broken down IN health ana
ruinod in pocket All but two or three, whose means
are gone have wendcd their way bomeward, u suffer
for years from the representations Of the reverend doc
tor and others connected with this grand swiadle.