The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-03-05
BRITISH HONDURAS.
OUR HAVANA CORRESPONDENCE.


Progress of the Indian War Against the Eng
iish-Belize In Danger-A United states
Gnnboat from Havana TO Aid the British
An Indian Challenge TO the Redc0ats-0rigin
of the Trouble-The Mexican boundary
HAvAsA, Feb. "a, 1867.
The English schooner Venice, Captain Peters, from
Belize, Honduras, the 18th instant arrived here late
the evening OF the 22d instant with the mails from
Honduras for the West Indies and Europe
According to reliable information the ostensible object
Of the Venice coming to this port was to communicate
with the English Consul General for the urgent necessity
Of his Immediately sending English man-of-war to
Belize, to prevent the disasters which II was feared
would within very few days after the sailing Of
the Venice. The Consul not having any British war
ships within communication, applied to the American
Consul for OF gunboats now in harbor This.
understand, will be cheerfuy and promptly complied
with II ia regarded very gratifying to observe the
prevalence truly cordial feeling between the two
principal functonares representing the two great mari
time nations in this island.
Tho Spanish admiral, l am also informed, has offered
TO send down one Of his ships to Belize
The schooner Venice will return 10 Belize the moment
the English mail steamer arrives; she is now due. When
the Venice left Belize there were no vessels bound for
the United States
From the information which have obtained 1t APP
pears that instead of four hundred troops reported by
Colonel Harley only hundred and nifty arrived.
At the hour of the sailing OF the Venice no demonstra
tons Of any serious character had been made by the In
dans but It supposed that they only six days
journey from Belize The Governor detained the Venice
long he could, with the intention OF leaving In her
himself, but that after due consultation he decided to
remain aud send TO Havana for immediate assistance
After the troops rereaed from San Pedro, the par
ticulars OF which already before your readers, .
stronger force was despatched from Belize Three hum
dred went up the Sibon river TO march by land to
San Podro and one hundred more, under Captain Della
mares, sent up to Rio Hondo When they arrived
at San Pedro not single Indian was met wth-they
all scattered about in the various timber :. walks"
chief or the San Pedro Indians gave that they
quite ready to meet any force which the English could
bers to carry on war successfully for ten years Kanul
sent formal challenge to the English for battle
At the same time committee Of four Indians were
sent down by Santa Cruz, representing the chief Lotch
Of separate section OF aborigncs to hold parey with
the English, offering the Governor to bring down 70 Be-
lie and deliver Kanu and his men If the former would
send him some and ammunition wherewth to aid
him the capture The Governor being already greatly
alarmed weak enough to comply with the PROPOSE
tion and Immediately despatched ''bungyn load nifty
or sixty keg) Of powder or course the success which
ignes very 'saucy" since and encouraged them
s'mcasure" themselves with tho English
One of the coored natives named Frederick Reynolds
''upper' classes, engaged beilman to go round and
give notice that no intended to edy the people with
ernor's acIs The Attorney General endeavored
TO prevent this but failed and the sable
matchmaker, having obtained platform, rdiculed the
weakness Of the Governor for having ougeneraed
by the Indians in supplying them with the
which enabled them TO carry hostilities with the
English The watchmaker's speech appears to have
been logical enough have elected three cheers from
his audience, and went far TO show that Kanul and
Santa Cruz did appear antagonists II would only end
in sham fight to attain their object, and further that
they obtained the power, the two chiefs will
have Joined their men, 70 enable them TO take Belize
The intention Of the Governor have left the place by
the Venice would appear to corroborac those premises
with the Of this tc but Troublesome In
dian war; but believe that It originated with Mr. j.
RIO towards the end Of y
The Indians ailese that the lands are Mexican
territory and tina. the annual = tribute has
70 acknowledge the right OF Marcos Kanu the plea
that the lands English, and that no only paid
those annual tributes formerly to avoid difficulties
Marcos threatened 70 make prisoners Of the English
there unless Mr. Hodge continued to pay up, but AS
Marcos made the on previous occasions
Hodge did not think that tho Indian chief would carry
the threat into execution. Mr. Hodge, however, made
great mistake and the time referred to Marcos made
loss than thrtyseven prisoners Zone OF whom Is al
this moment IN Hayana, and carried them far in the
interior on to Mexican territory, demanding $4,000 for
their ransom. The English authorities in Belize we're
humane but weak enough TO pay the money, and the
prisoners reeaned their liberty But the conseq uences
further
Before closing ought speak Of another little affair
which occurred recently at place called Indian Church.
The Indians word to tho master Of the locality
70 say that unless the boundary money! was mmedi-
ately RENTED, they would within eight days there
themselves 10 demand the payment thereof The nhab
itants Immediately made tho necessary preparations
await the visit; but tho time having expired when the
threat be carried the guard sent homo,
and the people quietly returned to their occupations
Three days later, however. while they all in the
fields, the Indians appeared at an carly hour Of the
morning, all IN marching order and having formed in
file dened the rcd men. There . watchnan
ct Indian Church. who. he the Indians approach
ing, fred, and killed Of them. Tie Indians
then scattered about the town, killing and stealing
they along and took away prisoners, lied,
whom they afterwards released The Indians carried OF
q large number OF cattle Some Of the people at tho
first alarm attempted TO escape and jumped into tho
river but fired aud several OF the fustives
killed, while others escaped by land TO Belize Tho
Of the locality got up few volunteers,
bering nteen men, to pursue the Indians but the force
insufficient to do anything enectually
Here the story ends II may as well form part Of
the never ending ''muddle OF Mexico ~