The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1867-08-29

scrubby bushes and small, knottcd oaks, ro-
sombiing tho black Jacks, push themselves
down on tho plain. We Travelled eight miles In
crossing them. They arc from ono to two
hundred foot high, and as poor as any part of
4 the oarth's surface. On leaving those, going
south, We again traverse tho plain. 4.
AT tho village OF Yojoa (fftccn miles from
the lake Of the Same nancy tho hoad Of the
plain, tho country is very rocky, and at many
places the mules exercised their utmost caution
1 20 prevent falling. Leaving Yo,oa, we ascend
about two hundred foot and roach a second
plain. This Is not SO fertile, and Is cempara-
/ tivoly small. Suddenly the road winds up tho
sido Of steep mountain, two thousand foot
above this last plain. When it's summit is
reached at tho elevation of twenty-five hun
drcd foot above the level Of tho sea, we find
| ourselves in another country, rs different from
that through which wo had Just passed rs is
| possible to imagine. Tho country opens out
into beautiful and extensive savannas, covered
with fresh grass on which boards Of Inc cattle
arc feeding. The ground ut first is rocky, but
the travel Of fow miles and thcy ccase to ap-
poor. These lands are exceedingly rich, Of n
dark mulatto color, resembling veiy much tho
wheat lands of KOntucky. Those expansive
prairics contain thousands Of acrcs, watcrod
by numerous crooks and Jrivule.s, their bor-
ders fringcd by forest gro wths. Those savan-
mas rise by a, succession of terraces from ono to
two hundred feet high. At somo places thoso
lands are rolling, at others they nro lcvcl, and
occasionally q succession Of small hills dot tho
savannas, like so many mounds, all covered
with fresh grass, kept in perpetual motion by
tho constant sea breeze. Tho extcnt Of this
country is probably thirty mics square, with n
climate as salubrious as tho soil Is productive.
Wo expressed tho opinion that this was the
most desirable portion of Central America wo
had seen, awaiting only the hand of improve.
ment TO convert it into n garden.
\ We departed from tho main road Mt the VII
lago of Santa Cruz for Lako Yojoa, distant
twelve miles south west. Tho country contin-
uod pretty much t5o snmo rs that through
which wo had passed uutil wo were within four
or fivo miles of the Lake, when wc caIuo to
fine pino forests. These aro not continuous,
but alternate with the savannns. Besides the
| pinos, we saw somo othcr trees that nro coIu-
mon to this country-such as oak, dogwood'
| somo hickory, otc. Yojoa is tho most pictu
rcsquc and romantic lako OF clear water We
over bchcld. At great elevation above tho
sea this Lake rests upon tho bosom Of the fine
tablo lands, while the lovely saVGEnas stretch
for miles to tho cast, tho mountain OH it's
western shore rises TO the altitude of several
thousand feet. 1t is rs cloar as crystal, and
its pure waters nrc aliyo with multitudcs OF
fishes and turtles, whio numbers of many w.
rieties-of watcr-fowls sport upon its BOSOM
1t is twenty-five miles in length, with aver
ago width of seven miles, with several fathOms
| OF depth. The climate in tho vicinity of this
Lake is cxcellcd by no part OF Central America
in snlubrity, and may bo considered temperate
| We found tho temperature in this elevated
region pleasant during tho day, whilo at night
our blankets were necessary for comfort. We
wcrc informed that light SHOWS had fallen hero
during the coldcst days Of winter, but they
rapidly disappcar. Tho thermometer ranges
from so deg. to 80 deg. during the yoar. In
tho hotter months the shade is rs cool rs that
of North Georgia in midsummer, with q con-
slant brcozo coming fresh and puro from the
two great oceans. Tho sun, however, is quito
warm, but VIC have felt its rays moro intensely
riding at mid day in Georgia than at this ole
waited point. The plains ut less elevation arc
considerably warmer. Tho products Of tho
temperate zone grow in this region sido by side
with those of tho tropics. Wheat, rye, barley,
oats, rico, sugar cane, cotton, coffee, tobacco,
MELONS and Vegetables flourish hero luxuri-
antly. The forest shows many an old acIuain-
tance, in the trees, of our boyhood, with many
others of which We had no knowledge.
There seems to DO no coed reason why
; Southcrncrs could not reside here with much
comfort as In tho States. Tho temperature Is
never so high rs in South western Georgia
while tho winters, wo were told arc as delight
ful rs spring. Going north, VIC leave this de-
lightful region but few miles whom We do
sccnd tho mountain into q small valley two
thousand feet below. Tho descent is so grid
ual that wagon road could be mado with case
7" oven as faT as tho sea. Tho south sido of this
mount tain had o-cry appearance Of carly spring.
The refreshing showers Of tho wet season had
just begun, tho buds were bursting, and the
fresh leaves woro just putting forth, whilo the
tender, wnx-liko flowers were popping from
! tho green grass, and the birds were cnrolling
ricrrily. immediately aftor crossing tho lat
ter valley wp asccndod tho opposite mountain
on its north sido. This had all the appearance
OF mid d-summcr, and half way up its side il
! was covered wi th dcnso tropical growth, while
tho one wo had just passed ovor had ovcry
appearance Of the temperate zonc.
--s. ss&DS.
A lcttor from Mcxico says Col. Miguel
Lopez, tho traitor, after solling Maximilian
and his gonorIls, wont to Puobla to visit his
! wifo. His reception wns decidedly cool. His
wifo advanced to meet him, leading their little
son 10y the hand, and addressed him tbus.