The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1910-09-15
ZIP yY ONDTRAS is n particularly ap-
a n prOpriatc name for that cOGn-
try of hills and valleys. 1t Is
III III said that Las Honduras (The
nanthul 10 tho unrnp yiVgn the

try of hills and valleys. 1t Is
W III said that Las Honduras tThe
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 FL
/ Tigre island in the Bay Of Fonseca.
There is only q short wharf at ANA
pala to accommodate vessels OF light
draught, so we were hustled into Il
canoe and rowed to the wharf by a 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 ga pesos, the equiva.
lent Of one dollar in our coin, and the
bargain was made.
We found the hotel to be two.
story wooden structure, old, dirty and
infested with rats, bedbugs and other
yermin. 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-half 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
/ Funseca We wound our way through
channels between the heavy ever
gladcs, twisting and turning until
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 a 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 flock OF
cranes or aigrets.
Arriving at San Lorenzo, we found
n natboat unloading provisions and
merchandise for the San Rosario mine
at san Juancito, 100 miles away. These
supplies we're 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 curious
wooden yoke which fits upon the heads
of the beasts and is dashed there with
buckskin thongs and rags. 1t is very
crude method OF yoking oxen, but is
invarlable throughout Central Ameri-
ca.
After partaking of breakfast of tor
| tlllas honey, turtles egg and chicken.
we we're informed that our beasts were
waiting to take us to the capital, Te-
gucigalpa. We found awaiting us the
poorest 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.
some 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 q beautiful growth OF
tropical 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 a few
inches apart, and matched with palm
leaves or monkey tail" sort OF thick
Jungle grass; others of adobe with red
| CLAW tile roofs. These huts of the poor.
or people have only the earth for
floors. and the furniture seldom COM
prises more than table and chair
or two. The poorer ones seldom see
and money and the commodities are
exchanged by system Of barter.
| Hence we see few scattered mil
mas" or crops of corn or suga: cane,
seldom exceeding a couple of acres in
| extent. while underlined cattle and
stock Craze over leagues OF as rich ag.
ricultural soil as ia found anywhere
in the world. We stopped at one or
two of the huts for lunch. but the
best to be had was tortilla. a piece
OF curd. a banana or plantain.
The capital with It's environs boasts