Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-07-14
CENTRAL AMERICA.
EXPERIENCES OF A NIGHT ON THE
CORDILlERAS.
Adventures in Honduras-A Muiish Mona
and His yindication--war Upon
the Monkeys.

and His Nindicatfon-War upon
the Monkeys.
Jutigalpa Honduras correspondent
! of the Chicago Ne1cs writes: Our journey
| from Comayagua TO this city was one OF a
varied and adventurous character. Our
| first real experience was one commanding
no little diplomacy and some considerable
! courage, through the disgracetul con-
duct of our moza, or muleteer. Any one
/ who has travelled in this country
and engaged the services of a moZa,
whose slowness and unfaithfulness are
proverbial, can keenly appreciate our
| tribuletion when at II o'clock noon, on
n bright day we reached little village
AT the foot Of the Cordilleras. and this Off
cious individual informed us that here he
/ intended 10 stop for the night. We had
/ ONLY travelled twelve miles that day, and
were in a hurry TO get over the mountains
! before night. But because little speck or
| cloud had appeared upon the horizon he
| declared he would not risk the calentura
/ by getting wet. The proposition was so
| audscious that we naturally flew into a pas
sion when he persisted III his determine
tion. and swore out series of anathemas
in various languages. But he only answer
ed with an aggravated grin, which he wore
handy. while he deliberately took down
our packs and unsaddled the mules. We
were determined not to submit TO such an
outrage. and as we had made firm friends
with two Of the barefooted dlgnitaries OF
the village through the subtle influence OF
our stock of Cognac and Havanas we re-
solved 10 put in practice resolution often
made-to resort to force.
BRINGING THE MozA TO TERMS.
After brief consultation of war it was
determined TO employ another moza, sad
die our mules, and start. Ihls brought
the rascal ont with threats against any one
who would touch the mules, but instantly
! four revolvers we're levelled at his head and
he was calmly but firmly convinced that
/ the slightest interference on hispart would
end his existence Ii was an instantaneous
cure. as be at once changed front and an
nounced himself ready TO proceed on the
tourney. Flushed with our victory,
we left with flying colors, and even
the plaudits of some of the villagers
who had witnessed the whole pro:
ceeding. Our Joy, however was OF
short duration. as within two hours, ana
as if TO verify the warning of thescoundrel,
| the rain overlook us while hallway up the
mountain The rainy season having Just
set in throughout this immediate section,
we were prepared for the emergency. or at
least thought we were, until the aggravating
discovery that the trifing moza had lett our
capotes (rain-coats) behind through his IN
ferual careleeSness. This not only exposed
ms in the fury of drenching clOud-burst,
but su biected our hammocks and blank
cts to the same immersion. There
was another chorus OF anethelnas
heaped upon the muleteer's head,
but 1t had no more effect than his mo-
notonous "Vamos. vamos," hurled athls
needless and obstinate mules. We hasten
ed up the mountain, leaving him behind
with the cargo to come at his lazy leisure.
We succeeded in soon passing through the
rain-cloud, reaching dry ground and bright
sunshine upon the crest OF the mountain
Here we were treated to sight which
atoned to some extent for our dilemma
and hardships and made us forget our
many tribulations. Below us and all
around the mountain side hung a
dark mass of clouds, rolling and
souirming like the boiling waters of
some giant caldron. The mutterlng
thunder and roaring winds, seconded
by vivid flashes of lightning, gave to the
view scene of such awful grandeur that
| it could not be faithfully portrayed by
tongue or pencil. The giant palms and
celbas, swaying before the wind, looked
through misty squall and rolling clouds
| like the troubled ocean heaving IN tenn
per. At each brief lull We could hear the
| ominous dashing of mountain streams,
swollen by the cOpious rainfall into furious
torrents foaming madly over their rocky
beds. Altogether it was gorgeous piano.
rama which seldom falls to the view of
| mortal eyes.
A MOUNTAIN RETREAT.
When the storm had subsidized night was
upon us and no sign of any human habita-
| ton in view. We had to descend cautious
" through the darkness. as many preclpi;;
tous passes and yawning gorges lmperlllesd
/ our road at various points. We hnally
reached q little lonely hacienda d.
| Gated upon one of the terraced plains
Of the mountain side and here we
| stopped for the night. The hacienda
was a very small. grass-rooied struccc
/ ture of one room, every cTeVlce OF
which seemed filled with greasy, naked
| children and few pieces of primitive fur-
/ niture and cooking utensils. 1t was out OF
| the question for us to sleep there IN that
room. so we had to content ourselves with
a small. grass-covercd she'd IN the YARD,
which was then occupied by few hungry
hogs who very slowly and grudglngly
welded w. possession. They goC WEir
| of some of the corn which the moza had
| brought in sack. and throughout the
night Waged q sleepleSs warfare 10 OBTAIN IL
! They had to be fought away with
/ clubs. and we had 10 take turns at
standing watch lest the ravenous beasts
would Overrun our temporary camp. II
| the mean time couple OF hail-starVed
/ ours took lodging Cd our pallets and by
! the law of gravitatlon we were reminded OF
| fowls roosting overhead Our hammocks
! having been soaked by the rain could not
| be stretched and our blankets being ID the
/ same condition we We're compelled to use
the odds end ends of everything that could
contribute to our enjoyment a. IN tins
! mountain retreat.
CAPTURE OF TWO MONKEYS.
One other incident of the journey to
| Jutigalpa was the capture OF tive spider
monkeys. These little creatures had been
| encountered at various points, but then
! shyness had enabled them to always keep
| out of reach But Just before reaching the
Guayape Valley we observed large troop
of these mimics sporting by the roadside.
A quick run Of our party pressed them TO
climb the trees, and contrary to our mutual
agreement, one of the party fired his rifle
and wounded one, which commenced most
piteous wall. 1t was shot through the alb
dumen, and another bullet would have
ended its sufferings, but Just then It's
mate ran down from another part OF the
tree and sustained his dropping strength
by holding him in her arms. She then eX-
amined his wound and, seeing that 1t was
bleeding profusely, pulled off with one
hand a number of green leaves and care
fully inserted them into the hole made by
the bullet TO staunch its flow OF blood. A
surgeon could not have been more careful
and deliberate with patient than was this
wild denizen of the forest with its mate.
During this proceeding it uttered low,
muttering sound, as though trying TO as
SAUCE its sufferings, with a consideration
and pity that looked so human. In few
moments the wounded monkey died, and
his widow monkey tried 10 get away with
his dead body, but in jumping from one
limb TO another fell to the ground, where
the moza easily effected her capture. The
almost human instinct displayed by this
little creature made US ashamed of our
cruelty in shooting her mate The female
was then taken by US TO Jutigalpa, where
she refused all food and water, and the
| morning after our arrival was found dead
in her cage, it being reasonable to suppose
Of grief for her dead mate.
TROPICAL VEGETATION.
The general scenery of this route has
already been described, and while its beau
ties cannot be exaggerated one cannot help
but marvel at the wonderful and often