River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1910-09-15

IA try of hills and valleys. 1t Is
l A said that Las Honduras (Tbe
Depths) is the name given the
country by the Spanish Conquistadores
In their march northward during their
conquest of Central America-proba-
bly, SO named for the difficulties en-
countered in making trail over the
mountains.
Entering the republic on the Pacific
or south side, we landed at Amapala,
well-protected port situated on Ell
Tigre island in the Bay of Fonseca.
There is only a short wharf at Anna
pala to accommodate vessels of light
draught, so we were hustled into
canoe and roWed to the wharf by ma
tive boatman. Here we were set upon
by a throng of natives ranging from
small boys to gray-haired men, every
one Of whom wished to carry our bag
gage to the hotel After much bicker-
ing, one youth agreed to carry all our
bundles, fifteen in number, from the
wharf to the custom house and thence
to the hotel for 21a pesos, the equiya-
lent Of one dollar in our coin, and the
bargain was made.
We found the hotel to be a two
story wooden structure, old, dirty and
infested with rats, bedbugs and other
vermin. In settling for our meals we
were obliged to change some of our
money for the coin of the country, and
received two and one-haf for one, one
peso being worth approximately 40
cents United States coin.
We next entered a gasoline launch
for the trip to San Lorenzo, the main
land port of Honduras in the Bay of
Fonseca. We wound our way through
channels between the heavy ever
glades, twisting and turning until l
wondered at our boatman's being able
to find the way at all. In places we
entered lanes where the trees would
approach one another till only few
feet Of water remained on either side
of the boat, only to emerge into open
water again and perhaps to be startled
by the sudden rising of a flock of
cranes or aigrets.
Arriving at San Lorenzo, we found
a flatboat unloading provisions and
merchandise for the San Rosario mine
at San Juancito, 100 miles away. These
supplies were loaded upon heavy bull
carts of crude construction; the
wheels were of solid wood four inches
in thickness and about three feet in
diameter. The oxen were hooked to
the pole of the cart by a curious
wooden yoke which fits upon the heads
of the beasts and is dashed there with
buckskin thongs and rags. 1t is a very
crude method of yoking oxen, but is
invariable throughout Central Ameri-
ca.
After partaking of breakfast Of tor
tillas, honey, turtles egg and chicken,
we were informed that our beasts were
waiting to take us to the capital, Te-
eucigalpa We found awaiting us the
noorest and scrawniest lot of stock
that / have ever had the misfortune to
encounter, and the saddles simply beg
cared description; some were discard
ed cavalry saddles of antique design,
:scyxse were old Spanish saddles and
some were simply pieces of stiff cow
hide stretched over wooden frames.
However. we mounted and set out
upon our way northward. The road
lies over a succession of rolling hills
covered with a beautiful growth of
+ronical verdure. Cattle and hogs OF
inferior breeds were scattered through
the country and paid no attention to
us as we passed by.
At irregular intervals we passed ma
tive huts by the roadside. some built
of vertical poles set upright few
inches apart. and matched with palm
leaves or monkey tail" sort of thick
iungle grass; others of adobe with red
-clav tile roofs. These huts of the poor
or neoDle have only the earth for
doors and the furniture seldom COM
Urises more than a table and chair
or two. The poorer ones seldom see
and money and the commodities are
EXCHANGED by a system OF barter.
Hence we see a few scattered MIL
pas" or crops of corn or sugar cane,
seldom exceeding a couple of acres IN
extent, while underSred cattle and
stock Craze over, leagues Of as rich az
ricultural soil as is found anywhere
in the world. We stopped at one or
two of the huts for lunch, but the
best to be had was tortilla, piece
OF c,.rd, banana or a plantain.
The capital with its environs beasts
5000 inhabitants. and is built along
the lines laid down by the Spanish oc-
cupanrE~ narrow streets, adobe houses
with thick walls, embrasured windows
and heavily-barred doors. The Rio
Grande de Tegucigalpa flows through
the city and divides it into two Sec
tions, the capital proper and Comya-
guela, the poorer section. On the high
bank of the capital side and at one
end of the large concrete bridge which
spans the river, is situated the palace
of the president, a three-story frame
building, at every entrance to which
IS stationed an armed sentry solemnly
pacing back and forth in the goose
step" Of the German army. On the
west hsde Of the plaza Is the American