Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-08-07
IN THE FORESTS OF HONDURAS.
Singular Scenes and Surroundings at an
American Settlement in the Rnsh.

oiHSulaf scenes ana surroundings at an
American Settlement in the Bush.
l would like to write you a few lines,
says a Honduras letter to the New York
San, about this beautiful and interesting
country. We have here a settlement of
Americans, 100 miles from Belize, in the
middle of forest, or bush, as it is called
here. 1t would brighten timid people to
see the situation of our house. 1t is right
in the wild woods. The brush is like a
solid wall all around us, except a place
large enough for a yard and gar
den. The frame and roof of our
house were made by the natives. the sides
being closed in with long leaves forty or
fifty feet in length and tied with vines.
There is not nail in the whole house,
and the ground serves for a floor. Some
of the settlers here plant orchards and
send the fruit to New Orleans. Sugar
cane is the crop at our settlement. 1t has
to be planted only once in several years,
and what fittle cultivation is necessary is
done with the hoe, it being impossible to
pillow the land, as the stumpS are too nu-
merOus. The forests are beautiful, and
the mahogany tree is so common that we
use its wood in our cooking stove.
The hottest part of the year is about
the end of May, which is the close of the
dry season, but the heat even then is less
than with you in summer, for the sea
breeze never fails us. The wet season
begins the first of July and lasts until
Christmas, and the weather then is pleas
ant-like our bright fall days. 1t rains
only at night, the sun shining holly all
day. But you never saw anything to
equal the mud
The Caribs, or natives, are very black,
but it is considered a great insult to call
them negroes. They are Clearly and
honest. They live on fish, cassada, and
green fruit. Cassada is a kind of bread
which the natives make of a root, baking
it on stones. 1t is very cheap, and we
have learned to like it. PlantaIns, which
are coarse variety of bananas, are a
great help to the hOusekeeper, as they
can be cooked in many different ways.
One of our men shot a large jaguar, or
tiger, which came into our field after the
oxen, and as we were told it was good to
eat we tried it, finding its meat white,
and as tender as that of chicken. The
natives cure meat by cutting it from the
bone and hanging it in the hot sun to dry.
One drawback to this beautiful country
is the innumerable crowd of insects
ants, mosquitoes, gnats, and bugs of all
sorts. There are, however, no house flies.
November is the orange season, and we
have a good many fine oranges, but we
nave 10 DuN Jlem at the coast, where
they grow better than inland. But our
lemon trees are loaded and breaking
down with ripe fruit, and it is impossible
for us to consume them all. Lemon Gus
tards and pies are luxury we can in
dulge in without expense. We treat our
selves to pots of cOcoanut candy, too. The
young people in this settlement have
fashion of getting up dancing frOlics,
which are like our surprise parties at
home, only they cook up baskets of pro.
visions, as we do for picnics, and carry
them with them. Sometimes the frOlic
lOsts until after daylight. We have some
splendid game in these woods, among
which is the gibnut, 9 beautiful little
animal, which, when cooked, tastes very
much like a nice fat little pig. .
In September we planted a second crop
of vegetables, including corn, butter
beans, Held peas, Okra, cashaws, and GU
cumbers. June and November are the
planting seasons, The fruits here are, l
think, as a general thing, unwholesOme,
and we cannot unfortunately eat them.
Every stick, fruit, leaf, or vegetable that
you touch in this country leaves an indel-
ible stain, so that our men and boys have
given up white shirts except on Sunday.
Malaria fevers are prevalent all the time.
II is fine country for poor people to exc
out living, but Americans cannot stand
the climate