Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-10-04

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barefooted, 30 that in any case ours
would be . bootless journey before we
got back, and our feet were already
blistered, so we turned homeward,
and swore that the next time
an Indian said q road was bad we
would be content to take his word
for II. When we reached the plan
tation we limped as though we had
been ON nine-days' tramp, and before
We were under cover q shower oil rain
drenched us to the skin. The conse-
ouencc was a burning fever all night,
our torture being increased by hun
dreds of tiny wood-ticks that had
worked their way under our skin. To
complete our chagrin, we were assured
by one who had been there that at
Buena Vista there was building orna-
mented with hieroglyphics sculptured
in stone; but We did not decide to try
il again.
We then made up boat party with
some of our countrymen who were try
ing TO form colony there. The boat
belonged TO them, and was not more
than fifteen feet long, but was big
enough for a party Of five. After sail
ing for about half an hour along the
coast we stopped to see the place where
the American colony was to be. IL was
n lovely spot, and the first house was
being built. but the owner of 1t com
planned bitterly that the native work
men did as little as possible, and
charged twice as much as they
usually received from their own people.
Further down the coast we stopped at
a plantation and had opportunity OF
seeing immense fields Of garlic and
others Of sago, articles which grow
abundantly there and are exported.
Then we again sailed away, keeping
near the coast and looking out for the
entrance to a certain lake; but night
overlook us before we found it, so we
hauled cur boat up on the beach and
took shelter in a deserted fshermn's
hut. Next morning, after two hours
sailing, we found the channel by which
we were to reach the lake. The chan
mel was about five yards wide, and closed
overhead by mangroves. The water
proved to be only five feet deep. and
with swift current, as it was low
tide, coming from the lake. We strug-
gled forward for about an hour, cut
ting away the low boughs, but ms in
that time we had only advanced little
more than half mile, the idea Of pen
etrating to the lake was abandoned and
we continued along the coast till we
came to a place where the water was
crystalline and shallow. with a number
of large touches on the sandy bottom.
We secured some Of these and went
ashore to breakfast. The couch-shell
is exceedingly hard, but largo tur
ties that abound in these waters
break them between their jaws without
apparent effort. We roasted some
conches, but found them much nicer
uncooked, though they had to be soft
ened by hammering them with a stone.
We sailed all day, and in the evening
saw in the distance some huts, that we
decided should be our hotel that night.
When we came before them we were
lured on by what we took to be mas
siye and extensive wall, and only after
landing we discovered that what looked
like a magnificent fortification was
in fact millions Of shells, principally
oonches, that formed a high perpendicu-
lar bank. There was also smaller
ba,k composed Of thousands of tons OF
dry sponge and seaweed that might be
utilized for commercial purposes. Near
by. on the top of rock, was a small
shrine and stone snake-head; after
ward we found others Of the same kind
at intervals along the coast, and we
learned that fishermen went there to
make offerings Of fish and burn copal
to their di, whites or the sea.
Next morning We sailed to the end Of
the island, or as near as possible, for it is
an iron-bound coast that would afford
no protection to any shipwrecked
crew. On the sandy beach We found
turtle tracks, and dug up one hundred
eggs that we took on board. We came
near remaining on that spot all day, for
when it was necessary to turn the boat
every member of the party wanted to
be captain, and consequently we
stranded on the beach five times each
time the sails had to be lowered and
the captains got into the water to push
off the boat. When they were tired Of
it they agreed that only one
should be captain for five minutes
each; then we succeeded in
starting Lomeward, and reached
San Miguel village just in time to es-
cape tempest, for as soon as we en-
tered our house we heard small lizard
making a noise in a corner of the roof,
and half an hour later a regular
nOrther" set in. This lizard is
small and dark, subsists on insects,
and is a veritable living barometer. II
has loud voice that is never heard ex.
cept just previous to bad weather
and this is so well authenticated that
even if the weather is fair, no sailor
will venture out if warned by that
lizard.