The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-06-16
LIFE IN NICARAGUA.
A Former Sevannahian's 7OO-Aiile Trip
Through the Country.

1 q
Through the Country.
The MORNING News some time ago pub
lished an extract from letter Of II. L.
Stibbs, formerly of this city, but now CT
Comayagua, Nicaragua, TO his nephew,
Charles f. MaIlette, bsiliff Of the city court.
Mr.. Stibbs is engaged IN silver mining in
Nicaragua, although still retaining his real
estate interests in Savannah. II letter of
May Z, written at Comsyagua to his nephew,
Mr.. Stibbs gives an interesting account Of
his trip from Comayagua TO Cuje and return
a distance Of 700 miles, from which the
MORNING News is permitted to quote as
follows:
A portion of the way is over a fine cart
road and the balance over no road at all.
The first requisite in making journey like
| this is to secure good animals of your own
second good mozo Servant, both OF which
| was fortunate tn get All being in readi-
ness, we started on March Is very early la
the morning, so as to pass through the
/ plains of Comayagua before the sun became
very warm, and reach the mountain road,
where it is always cool and pleasant. After
two days journey, 100 miles over fine
wagon road built by Capt. Frank Imboden,
we reached Tegucigalpa, the capital of
Honduras, at about o'clock in the after
noon. Two days were spent here seeing
and talking with old friends.
BY the way, there is a class of adventures
who come over here to shovel gold up from
the sands and others who have an idea that
| the people are somewhat uncivilized and are
easy victims to their business speculations
| They generally congregate at the capital,
| and when they find out they are mistaken
| go back and misrepresent the country and
its people. As an illustration, l will men,
I'm 0nk. 4
article in the SAVANNAH MORNING NEWS
where some one of the above description
says Maj. Burke is living here under the
assumed name of Barton. Now, this man
must be either an idiot or a willful slanderer,
as have known Maj. Burke in a general
way for five years, and all here know him
by his proper name, besides, his vast con-
cession is all in the name of E. A. Burke.
Tnis is only one instance of the many mis-
Representations which emanate from the
pen of disappointed adventures on their
return to the states.
After two days pleasant sojourr in the
capital we left for Nicaragua accompanied
by an old friend for some leagues on the
| splendid wagon road to Amapala. The
| first six leagues of this road runs through
| f1ne and fertile section, aud rises to hight
| Of 5000 feet over an elevated plain, called
Sierra de Ula. From here we left the
main road to the right, and took a trail for
the pueblo of San Buena Ventura, re-
manned long enough to take some refresh
ments, and proceeded to Haimania, where
| the road branches to the left again. We
were told this was the most direct route
1t may be, but certainly the worst
there are steps to descend and
the same to ascend, having not been
in use some years since, other and better
roads having been built since, which fact
we did not know until too late to retreat.
Some parts are not over eighteen inches
wide on the side of precipices, where mis-
step of a mule would cause certain destruc-
ton to both rider and mule, but they are
accustomed to it and do not seem one parti-
Gle nervous. had never had much respect
for mule until after passing this trail.
The first day we made four leagues and
slept In small village called
Los Chares. Next day four more
leagues of the same kind of road,
and at 5 in the afternoon reached the
pueblo of Morolica, situated on the bank of
the river Cholutica, the largest in Hon
duras, which flows into the Pacific ocean at
the bay of Fonseca. From here we pro-
ceeded to San Marcos de Collar and arrived
In the afternoon, where we were received
by Don Juan BAYOU and Don Estaban
Moline, old friends which l have known for
some time. Here is situated one of the
finest coffee plantations in the re-
public, with fine outfit of
machinery, saw-mills, ETC., for
saving lumber and preparing the coffee for
market This is the property Of Senior Don
| Pedro Abadie of Amapala, a wealthy,
| polite and courteous gentleman, now absent
inFrance. On the second day we left for SUMO
ia Grande, small pueblo in the department
of Nuevo Segovia Nicaragua. At IL o'clock
| we passed the frontier and at o'clock in the
1 aftArnO0n no xuha
stayed for the night.
Early in the morning we started for
| Cuje and reached there about 3 o'clock.
| We found Don Enrique and Nina Juana all
WELL and the mines in good condition, with
a considerable body of ore on the dump
In few days l got a general
| sample from the lot and made three sepa-
rate assays, which ran up very high. The
present vein is six feet wide and shows up
in free gold quite rich. 1t is a noted fact in
this mineral district that the ore is not con-
taminated with the base metals, but is free
milling, matter of great Importance in
working ore economically. There is quite a
force of native miners at work at present,
| and the prospects are very encouraging.
After a stay of 'four weeks 1 deter
mined to return to communicate
with you from here, as the mails are much
surer, quicker and more regular.
The journey back was made in seven
days, but l assure you did not take the
same route. The first passed over the
mountain, tops aud ridges, tie second in
"Ierra Caiiente." We were well treated on
the road, and in due time entered the CAPT.
tai, to find it under the reign of la gripps
Our stay was only long enough to inquire
for letters, your last, received there, having
been for warded by my son from Comaya-
qua. In fourteen hours more / reached the
city of ComaYagua, having made 100 miles
Al 4 4 L
from you by the hand of Don Santiago
from New Orleans. l am making arrange
rnents to have the machinery built in Chi
cago in sections, for mule transportation, SC
that no piece will weigh over 200 pounds.
Will write you more anon regarding
climate, habits, etc. of the people, and cor
rect some of the MISREPRESENTATION l have
seen in the papers.
REV. j. W. ROGAN'S FAREWELL