Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-01-09

mains Is Vet Wholly U~QoVel0pSd.
Sunday afternoon, March 81, our
steamer raised anchor and sailed out
of Belize harbor. Ii was with no
small regret that l left this place, for,
Independent of the many pleasant ac-
quaintances | had formed, from this
time on | was to encounter all the
difficulties and attendant h~ardships Of
strange and uncivilized country.
After a voyage Of twelve hours GROSS
ing Honduras bay, we reached
PUERTO oABALLos,
the chief port of Spanish Honduras
on the Caribbean sea. Here I bid
adieu to all my fellow passengers, who
had shared my wearisome voyage
across the gulf. 1t was here that u
formed the acquaintance Of Senior
Pedro Price, the Venezuelan consul
Of this port, to whom | became in.
debted for numerous cO~urtesies. X He
is also agent for Colonel j. +. DeBrot,
who is extensively engaged in mercan-
tile ana other large business transac.
tions here.
Spending several days at Puerto Ca,
ballos, | proposed to take an insight
into my surroundings. The popula-
ton is almost entirely Spanish-no
other tongue prevailing here. The
houses, like almost all I encountered
in the interior, have thatoked grass
roofs or many of more humble preten-
sions, were made entirely of grass or
leaves. They generally consist of one
room, and you might encounter "a
thriving merchant with his whole do
mestic department in the same room,
being a mixture Of merchandise, fam
lily furniture, cooking utensils, cats,
dogs, half-naked sWarthy children, ETC.,
in one conglomerated mass.
The natives do but little work, but
content themselves with a small sup
ply Of ~plantains and bananas, which
they grow around their hats, and pass
the greater part Of their time in
dreamy inertness. Though indolent
and lazy, the character Of these people
exhibits many excellent traits. They
are gentle and easily led by kindness.
Their ~faithfulness to atrust or engage
ment is admitted BY all who are ac-
quainted with them, and the idea of
their being dishonest or m~istrustful is
inconsistent with the truth. This is
particularly true of the humber and
poorer classes. Every trader bears
witness to their hospitality and oblig-
ing disposition. Surrounded by a
bountiful nature, they are naturally
lazy and impoverished.
1t was at this port that | hrst ap-
preoiated the real luxury Of sleeping
in a hammock. One lies down peace
fully without the annoying conscious
ness, as many suppose, of savage
beasts, and still more savage men.
The idea of the troublesome mosquito
molesting your rest, is another falla-
cious impression, which people of the
North are naturally inclined to asso-
ciate with warm climates. They are
common enough, but concentrated in
dispropOrtionate numbers. Around
the stagnant pools and lagoons they
congregate in vast numbers, but are
sparsely scattered elsewhere. The
chief annoyance and tho one most to
be dreaded is the vampire bat, who is
often known to invade a hammock and
take a tribute in the blood of the un-
conscious sleeper. They have been
known to kill cattle and horses by re-
peated visits at night. The most sin
gular thing connected with the visits
of these bats is, that you never awake
when they infict a bite. | received a
severe wound on my cheek from one
Of them while in the interior. and
knew nothing Of the fact until the
next morning, when | awoke to find
my face all bloody and feeling faint
and weak from the loss of blood.
Fishing is fayorite occupation Of
the natives on the coast, and their
dexterity with the spear and harpoon
- something remarkable. It was also
a frequent sight in the interior, when
ever We camped near a large stream.
TO see the natives
IN REGULAR FLEETS
Of pitpaus, each with a pitch pine
torch in the bow, intermingling in
picturesque confusion. The light in
the bow attracts the fish and enables
the bowman to spy his prey, which is
soon trsns6xed with a harpoon.
From this port there is a short rail
road OF 81 miles, running down to San
Pedro, at which point l was TO secure
my interpreter and mules. Perform
Ing this journey, / WIS placed in the
midst Of the Sula valley, which, for
richness and fertility has no superior
in Central America. Honduras is an
exceedingly mountainous country. be-
ing traversed from every side by hills
and mountains, radiating from the
Cordilleras. They are Of immense
Importance in this tropical climate In
breaking the severe heat of an almost
vertical sun. Amid the valleys Of
these variOus mountains is where ma
ture has done her work of beauty and
grandeur, beauties which lie smiling
at the isolated traveller or perhap1
never met the admiring eyes Of any.
save the unciVilized native. Yel
here, where no poet has lived TO re-.
hearse It's praises, nature has placed
her mountains higher, grander and
mightier than the Catskill OF The
Cumberland streams, whose beaut,
aud melody would vie with that 81
our own Hundson, whose cataract,
and waterfalls stand unequaled flow.
ers Of rare beauty and odor-birds q
brightest plumage and sweetest melo.
dy. All this can be found in a lane
remote from the avenues Of cmiviliza.
ton and the enlightened touch o.
education. He who would ken tn,
glories Of nature may find them here
marshalliug their vast and solemn