The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1867-10-02

kSSas . H i.
pack saddle, that b bvupd to its baok and oar
ried about twenty miles per day. The charge
10 II cents per mile for 100 pounds, whom the
cargo is smsll enough 70 be taken without In
convenisaoe; but should the pscks bs bulky.
then they are governed BY tho sise. For m
stance, II yonr trurklis large, they cannot
take over 100 pcunds, ~ greater weight, and
iarsv in properties, would be unnsnsgeabls by
tho animal ascending Of descending sssep
mountains. A feather bed oonstitutes cargo
on account Of sisc. This may appear unjust
before leaving tho SEA, but after che patient
mules arc followed few days ovor the Indian
roads, NO oomplaint will bs mAde against tho
! honest natives.
Tho roads through tho plains src smooth
| and rs desirable ~ could be wished for horse
| back exercise. The growth is cleared each
side ten or hfteen feet, and the graceful palms
| afford an almost unbroksn shade. On the
fnountains fhey are narrow and tortuous, and
vary TO every point Of the compass In travel
| ing short distance. Our feet almost touched
tho tops Of tall trees, and at tho same time
our hat was liable to be knocked of by tho
hanging roots Of others above. Passing furA
thor on we arc ushered into cut, frequently
not wider than four or ive feet by thirty In
depth, worn by tho boots Of animals, driven
for centuries that way. Those places are cool,
/ as tho sun Is entirely excluded. At the steep
points the mulstcers assist the mules by means
! Of ropes tied 70 tho packs. These mountsin
roads could be abandoned in great measure
by opening roads In the valleys; but tho ma
tives prefer tho nearest route, regardless Of
either plain or mountain. In places the roads
are neatly McAdamizcd. Ono place we notic-
cd beautiful marble used for this purpose
The scenery is grand, and 10 us the trip was
one Of pleasure, bat twas any thing else to
tho innocent mules. .-
But httle trade Is carried on In tho country
and nothing like uniformity Of prices are
known. Not STORE Is 10 DO seen between
| Omoa and Comayagua- At both Of these
places arc something like O dozen "oountry
stores" in which anything is kept that Is
wanted by the people. Their goods are
bought at the English town, Belize, l1o miles
north Of omoa. European goods were found
much cheaper than In New Orleans, no i'm
port duties being exacted.
Tho chief exports are mahogany, logwood,
dye-woods of many kinds, cattle, hides, sarsa-
parilla, vanilla and fruits. The products arc
consumed at home. Everything declines as
tonishingly MS the interior Is penetrated. For
I example; Cows, horses, mules, and hogs, that
can DO driven to the coast at triAing expense
are sold thsre for twice or thrse times ne much
as they are one hundred and fifty miles inland.
We were offered cattle at s. per head, taking
all over one year old those under that ago
were thrown In. A good article Of brown
sugar sells at $3.50 per hundred; dulco, the
common sugar. at $3.50, (syrup, Of q superior
quality IS made Of this, at Tire eoss Of fifteen
cents per gallon y rice, best quality, at 81; !;
coffee Is cents per pound pork n cents hides,
superior quality, rs cents. We saw o nice
venson, dressed, offered at l2A cents per
quarter.
Board Is plain, and not much variety,
though cheap enough. We never paid over
I23 cents per meal after leaving San Pedro,
and frequently but half that amount A
school teacher at Santa Cruz informed US that
his board and lodging at tho best house In
town, cost him I2i cents per day. Twenty.
fvo cents was paid at Omos. At Comaysgua
we saw transient natives procure their days
supply OF sugar, plantains and bread (made of
meal and potatoes,) at Two cents. This ration
Is scant and not st sll secstfabIe 10 m AmeE-
lean, bat satisfied thern fully. Travellers have
TO do the best they can, there being no hetels
In the country. At the capitol We were oom-
pelled TO seek private house. We were very
fortunate, though, in meeting Don Carlos Pc
tit, Frenchman by birth, though resident
Of comaysgsa many ysArp This kAd- heart
cd gentleman oxertod himself during our stay
to mako rs comfortable. Much valuable In
formation and many excellent meals wore CIV
on us, without money and without price.
The most secure sud desirable fences In the
country are made Of ssuciss Of 6sctus, cal.
led "Matarty." It's blade Is as broad ~ @
mans hand, thick, with priekly sdgos. When
young Il resembles tho pine apple very much
The small plants are taken In tho wot season
and planted eighteen inches apart In trench
In one yeaf, without further trouble, We were
told, 1t grew 10 sufficient height to prevent
large stock from passing, and in two years the
space between tho plants Is suficisntly closed
10 prevent even q rabbit from getting through
By this time Il has attained Its full growth,
eight or ten feet. Tho plant Is strong, grow,
almost straight, and makos tho hAndsomesi
and most durable fsnce No ever saw. A ma,
tive wal got aud set thena out at so cents per
hundred, making the fence cost 81 per hun,
dred yards. When kept In order (which ID
done with rs much case &c putting mp q rail
fence) BY pruning the branches that extend
from tho centre, ws nsver saw moro. hand
soIne enclosure. /!
The Indian labor we think equally ss good
and reliable as that Of our freedmen. The
better classes among the natives and forc;1n