Omaha daily bee., 1889-06-03

blood-sucking propensities were related
TO us in frightful details. This creature
has been often known TO invade a ham
mock and take a tribute in the blood OF
the unconscious sleeper. But we have
not yet encountered him, and shall pray
for complete exemption from his ac-
quaintauce.
A peculiar sort OF individual is en-
countered at Puerto Cortez, whose
color, physiognomy, language, and en-
tire demeanor marks him n distinct
race from those around him. He is the
Carib, whose ebony hue, bushy hair,
fat nose, and thick lips, at once strike
you as a pure African. But his origin
from this latter race IS denied. He is
rather shy in demeanor, possessing but
few il any OF the traits OF the other
people among wnom he lives. Rather
in contrast TO other natives around
him, who are moro or less in
clined 10 Incidence and laziness,
he is very thrifty and energetic, and,
though ignorant, he would seem to con-
stitute a very substantial element of
Spanish American. We are informed
that they are one of the most peaceful
elements on the coast, never taking any
part in the civil wars which have so
often agitated these republics. Their
favorite occupation is fishing and man
ufacturing boats, oars, ETC., as most OF
the little pitpans, dories and other
small craft sailing the sea to which
they have given their name are the
work of their hands. Their strange
tongue was for long time un1istin-
guishable, but OF recent years il has
been carefully and earnestly studied,
and one missionary has undertaken the
laborious task of compiling grammar.
10 don npn Tf hn not RI N
cult languages spoken in this country,
and the labor of collecting its difficult
phrases, disjointed terms, and strange
gibbersh is by no means an easy task.
Tho city is very picturesquely located
at the head of the Sula valley. Upon
either side are located spurs of the Cor
dilleras, rising abruptly from the sea
and running n zigzag course into the
interior. From its advantageous posi-
tion it was selected rs the northern ter
minus of the Inter-Oceanic railway,
and the thirty-seven miles of the COM
pleted portion OF this road traverses
the heart of the valley and now termi-
mates at San Pedro.
The history ana many vissitudes OF
this road, the immense sums squandered
in its construction, the fruitless efforts
TO revive its dropping stocks. and its
present dilapidated condition would fill
volume of immense proportions and
even q succinct resume would fill more
space than we can now devote. In a
future letter | may have something to
say on the subject, as an effort is now
being made by New York railroad mag
mates to absorb the road.
After brief stay at Puerto Cortez we
took the railroad for San Pedro. It's
course through the Sula is bounded by
deep, shady verdure. The ground is
perfectly level and thickly carpeted
with dried leaves beaten flat to the
earth by the rains, through which thou
sands of delicate green sprigs and beau
tiful blossoms were springlng and load
ing the air with grateful Ordors. In
many places the road led through long
bowers, where the prolific tropical
vines looped together overhead the i'm
mense cahoon and mangone trees.
Amid this wild and romantic growth
tluttered and chattered the parrots aud
parroquets, while at intervals the harsh
scream of the macaw would be heard
from the top Of some tall coacoanut or
guanacaste. There are several small
stations along the line of this little
narrow-gauge road, where we encoun-
tered numerous types of the varied races
which constitute the population of Hon
duras. The custom of intermarriage
in voguebetween the whites, Spaniards,
Indians, Mestizos, and even the Caribs,
while not universal in this section, has
been so much practiced that IL has left
but few distinct races, and perhaps no
regular and uniform type OF Civilization.
There is consequently encountered upon
every hand all shades and sizes of peo-