Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-01-14
OUR SERIAL LETTER
Something About Honduras, ITS People
and Products.


Contributed TO the Ledger.l
We have reached Comayagua and
comfortably quartered with DR.. Julius
Mundt, the Alcalde of the city, who
was very courteous to us during our
brief sojourn.
Comayagua is the nominal capital of
Honduras, though the present seat of
government is at Tegicigalpa. 1t is
situated in a great plain and upon a
river Of some name. Its population
is about 1900, which is far behind its
former number Of neal 100000 souls.
The city was burned by the monarch
zeal faction of Guatemala several
years ago and has never recovered
from the effects Of the revolution.
Nearly ene-half Of it is now a lot of
crumbling ruins and the dilapidated
walls of what appear TO have once
been grand edifces, is all that is left.
II bears every appearance Of having
once been a large and prosperous city.
1t, however, has a cOmmOdiOus and
beautiful cathedral, which fronts the
plaza, as well as a handsome hospital.
The cathedral is certainly a fine struc-
ture, both internal and external, and
in our own country would pass for an
excellent building. This was built
during the PALMER days of the repub-
lie and bespeaks a civilization gone BY.
During one of their revolutions, three
years ago, the government troops took
refuge in this cathedral and we're sur
rounded by those Of General Medina.
who, when upon the point of achieving
a signal victory over the ~beleagured
troops, by their want of water, beat
an unexpected retreat and left a field
he had unknowingly won.
AT this place we met Senior Valen-
zuly, who spoke English quite fluent
ly, and extended us some courtesies
during u stay. He had only recent
ly returned from Europe, where he
and his sister had been educated in
English colleges.
After a pleasant rest at this city and
enjoying many Inequalities, we again
turned upon our journey. Looking
west from ~Comayagua, the eye sketches
a great Yerdant valley-a vast basin of
tropical vegetation, walled in by i'm
mense mountains. Our course now
lay, for eighteen leagues, down this
vast plain, and the beautiful road for
this distance somewhat atOned for our
rugged path over the mountains. In
this great valley we could view all that
the tropics yielded. Trees of incredi-
bic height lowered aloft-huge cylin-
drical cactuses rose here and there in
the form of eandelabra-the pumated
Of the palm, spreading their
branches in the form of an umbrella. |
this period, too, vast numbers Of
trees add their tribute of beauty. and
the hOwer-donned forest looked truly
magnificent. Peculiar birds are also
lending their presence to the scene.
The toucan, parrot and oriole are
upon the fruit of the cactus
and m%uttering each his peculiar Ian
guage. Pairs Of Ginning thrusaes are
warbling their alternate notes and the
motmOts and chatterers make no ces-
Of their noise. Paths of pee
carries or wild hogs crossed the woods
in various places, and very frequently
we encountered the tiny species Of
deer common in this country.
We stopped the next evening at Los
where we had a most delightful
meal Of venison, which our host had
killed the day before. OF. the diet To
which we had been introduced, | hayel
not yet spoken. The food Of the lower
throughout the interior, con
Of tOrtilles and f%rejoles, the latter
a species of large bean, while
the former is merely common maize.
grain is boiled whole, ground
between two large stones, then baked
in an earthen vessel. This constituted
our only food for many days at a time.
occasionally by a slice of yeni-
son or other wild game, the fruit of
Dur rifles. We were also %abnormally
TO a dish Of Cassava-a yory
preparation from the Man
root. This is the principal diet
Of the natives Of the West Indies. II
also from this same plant that tapio-
ca is produced.
Our next days journey was a menu
one from the priyation we suf-
tered from want of water. We had
lgain entered the mountains and for
many leagues our road threaded a
abrynthine route through valleys,
mountains aud over narrow,
dangerous passes. The path, in many
but fifteen inches wido, was
,ordered by q dangerous p%recipIoo OF
100 feet down. The absence Of water,
mid all the varying scenery, was
something strange, yet We travelled
ourteen hours this day without water
or ourselves or animals, aud passing
lnly one deserted hacienda during the
day A. j. MILLER.
To mothers-Sheuld tine baby be
a. a. Nfeu vwttk -. e Al. Al ri