*,& anrraiRv. A< 
 
 IN THK VAKIOIS E0ftlRTMENTs 
 
 D.K 
 
 I ,] ] i; K.vr [ R 1-; sci i.; > c i;, ^ i 1 i t K 
 
 vOL.A ^ li, 
 ROBERTS NARRATIVE . 
 
 VJBK PAGE nt, 
 
 EDINBURGH? 
 
 COSTS 
 
 1827. 
 
NARRATIVE 
 
 OP 
 
 VOYAGES AND EXCURSIONS 
 
 ON THE 
 
 EAST COAST AND IN THE INTERIOR 
 OF CENTRAL AMERICA ; 
 
 DESCRIBING 
 
 A JOURNEY UP THE RIVER SAN JUAN, AND 
 
 PASSAGE ACROSS THE LAKE OF NICARAGUA 
 
 TO THE CITY OF LEON : 
 
 lOINTtXG OUX THE ADVANTAGES OP A DIRECT COMMERCIAL 
 INTERCOURSE WITH THE NATIVES. 
 
 BY ORLANDO W. ROBERTS, 
 
 MANY YEARS A RESIDENT TRADER. 
 
 WITH NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS 
 BY EDWARD IRVING. 
 
 EDINBURGH: 
 
 PRINTED FOR CONSTABLE & CO. EDINBURGH ; 
 AND HURST, CHANCE, & CO. LONDON. 
 
 1827. 
 
FM3 
 
 "RM 
 
 TO 
 
 HIS EXCELLENCY 
 
 THE RIGHT HONOURABLE 
 
 EARL BATHURST, K. G. 
 
 THE FROMOTER OF DISCOVERY 
 
 AND ADVOCATE OF THE ABOLITION OF SLAVERY, 
 
 THIS NARRATIVE IS RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED, 
 
 BY HIS LORDSHIP S 
 
 MOST OBEDIENT 
 
 AND VERY HUMBLE SERVANT, 
 
 THE AUTHOR. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 FAGK 
 
 PREFACE xiii 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Want of Information regarding the East Coast, and 
 Interior Inarras Imperfect History Influence 
 of the Romish Church ineffectual in civilizing the 
 Indians Former compared with their present state 
 Progress of the late Revolution The Author s 
 opportunities of Information 25 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Voyage to the Bay of Mandingo Natives Trade, 
 &c. Sarsadee New Caledonia and Scotch Darien 
 Company San Bias Indians Their Manners and 
 Customs Their enmity to the Spaniards Women 
 Sookeah Men Rivers Forests Game Fish, 
 &c Turtle Tortoise-shell, &c 33 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Voyage to Chiriqui Lagoon Porto Bello Mosquito . 
 Shore Chrico Mola Residence there Sarsapa- 
 rilla Excursions in the Interior Story of a Gold 
 
Vi CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Seeker Hunting party View of the Atlantic and 
 Pacific Visit from a Sloop of War Character, 
 and Customs of the Valientes Soupa Tree Ser 
 pents Buccaniers Chilibee, Tiribee, and Blan 
 co Indians 52 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Rio del Oro Gold Mine River Belem Leave Chi- 
 riqui and Boco del Toro Tiribee Indians Blan- 
 cos Trade at Salt Creek Matina Cartago 
 Dreadful Earthquake Turtle Bight Natural 
 History Rio Colorado River and Harbour of 
 San Juan Indian River Vanilla Plant Rama 
 Indians and River Bluefields Lagoon Former 
 English Settlements Bluefields River Cookra 
 and Woolwa Indians 83 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Pearl Kays and Lagoon Oysters European Set 
 tlers Stores Trader^ Climate, Produce Rio 
 Grande, or Prinzapulko Indians and Chief Men 
 
 Pine Savannahs Macaws Soil Horses Iron 
 
 Captive Indian Boy Cruel Expeditions against 
 the Cookras Prinzapulko River and Indians- 
 Contracts with the Wool was Tongulas Captain 
 Tarra Brown Return to Pearl Kay Lagoon . 105 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Admiral Earnee Tribute King s Houses Towka 
 Indians Para Lagoon Brancman s Bluff Sa 
 vannahs Deer Sandy Bay Conversations with 
 the Indians Arrival, Reception, and Character of 
 the Mosquito King Counsel Music and Musi- 
 cal Instruments History of Don Carlos and Go 
 vernor dementi Soil and Produce Marl Pipe 
 Clay Journey to Cape Gracias a Dios . . . 124- 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Cape Gracias a Dios Old King George, the present 
 King Education at Jamaica Bad soil Har- 
 
CONTENTS. Vll 
 
 PAGE 
 
 hour Great Cape River Importance of the Cape 
 Origin of the Samboes Croatch River Kuka- 
 ri Spotted Indians Caratasca Lagoon Fish 
 and Game Soil, produce Crater Patook River 
 Horses Kharibees Brewers Lagoon Black 
 River and Lagoon Old Fort Settlers Mines 
 Fertility of the Settlements Story of Ian Austin 14-5 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Harbour of San Juan de Nicaragua Attack by an 
 Independent Cruiser Taken as a Spy Trial and 
 Escape Conduct of the Indians Ordered to San 
 Carlos Bongos The Fort or Battery and En 
 trances of the River Manatis Serapiqui Com 
 modore Mitchell s Expedition Islands Rapids 
 Alligators Arrival at the Castle of San Juan 
 Its present state Great Rapid Former incorrect 
 statements regarding the river ^ . 168 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Leave Fort San Juan Fine timber on the Banks 
 Village and Fort of San Carlos Proceedings there 
 Religious Tracts Depart for Granada The 
 Lake of Nicaragua San Miguel The Padrones 
 Orisons Volcanic Island Land between the 
 Lake and South Sea Arrival at Granada Exa 
 mination and Imprisonment Base Interpreter 
 Departure for the City of Leon 180 
 
 CHAPTER Xi 
 
 Massaya Remarkable Strata of Lava between the 
 Lakes of Leon and Nicaragua Wheel Carriages 
 Mules, &c. Monagua Hospitality of the Cura - 
 Matares Mama-Tomba Mountain road and 
 Game Nagarotta Pueblo Nueva Plain of Leon 
 Chain of the Andes Answer to Baron Hum- 
 boldt Arrival at Leon Its vicinity to the South 
 Sea Story of English Sailors Final examination 
 and acquittal Don Allemagne His valuable 
 
Till CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGK 
 
 trade City of Leon Its Houses, &c. Provisions 
 Luxurious mode of living Urbanity of the Go 
 vernor . 207 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 Departure from Leon Game, &c. Pueblo Nuevo 
 Monagua Political State of the Country 
 Kindness of Inygoyen Recross the Lava Effects 
 of the Eruption Massaya Colonel Sacassa 
 Medicine Indian Procession Missionaries Ar 
 rival at Granada Lake and adjacent Country 
 Earthquakes Exactions of the Government A- 
 bundance of Provisions Voyage to San Carles, 
 &c 22? 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 Guatemala Nicaragua Indians Population 
 Hostile Tribes Lake of Nicaragua SpanishPosts 
 Route by Bluefield s River Journey of Pat 
 terson Atlantic and Pacific Canal Necessity of 
 Foreign Labourers United States Contract for 
 Cutting a Canal Gold Mines Passage down the 
 San Juan Mosquito King s Letter Indian Dar 
 ing Plan of Revenge Arrival at Prinzapulko 
 Joy of the Indians 248 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 Generous conduct of the Indians Their account of 
 Lord Nelson s Expedition Journey to Cape Gra- 
 cias a Dios Size and value of Mahogany, &c. 
 Mosquito men Cruelty of Barras King s Token 
 Voyage to Balize Racon Visit to Black River 
 Kharibs and KharibBread Settlements, History 
 and Character of the Khairbees Poyer Country 
 Islands of Guanaja Roatan Stormy Passage 
 across the Bay of Honduras 261 
 
CONTENTS. IX 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 PAGI 
 
 Mosquito Country Its Fitness for European Settle 
 ments Climate, Productions, c. Former Bri 
 tish Settlements there Natives, and necessity for 
 affording them Protection Disputes regarding the 
 Mosquito Shore Opinion of Mr Edwards Dif 
 ficulty of access to the Central States from the 
 East Coast Route by Omoa to Guatemala Leave 
 Balize Taken by Pirates Escape to Cuba, and 
 Return to England 280 
 
 APPEKDIX , . 295 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 MR ROBERTS, whose Narrative of Voyages 
 and Adventures is now submitted to the 
 public, went to sea at an early period of 
 life. While a youth in the American mer 
 chant service, he visited many parts of In 
 dia, China, and the Southern Hemisphere. 
 Afterwards he was employed, in the same 
 part of the world, in the squadron under the 
 command of Sir Edward Pellew, now Lord 
 Exmouth; and subsequently, had the good 
 fortune to bring to England the first valua 
 ble American ship captured in the South 
 Sea, dexterously eluding, on that occasion, 
 the pursuit of the American frigate Essex in 
 the Pacific, and baffling, after a long chase in 
 the English Channel, that scourge of the 
 British merchantmen, the True Yankey 
 privateer. Latterly, he was in the com 
 mand of several valuable merchant ves 
 sels ; and possesses many documents bear- 
 
XIV PREFACE. 
 
 ing testimony to his good conduct and abi 
 lity as a navigator. The reasons which 
 induced him to visit the West Indies, and 
 to remain for several years, among the In 
 dians on the East Coast of Central Ame 
 rica, in the capacity of a trader, are deve 
 loped in the course of the narrative. 
 
 On returning to his native country Mr 
 Roberts was applied to by many highly re 
 spectable individuals, proposing, at that 
 speculative period, to carry on certain oper 
 ations in Central America and on the Is 
 thmus of Darien, for information regard 
 ing the present state of that coast, and the 
 dispositions of the native free tribes ; he 
 found, with considerable surprise, that ex 
 treme ignorance was not only prevalent on 
 these subjects, but that the topography and 
 real state, of the greater part of that coun 
 try, especially of many of the important 
 places on the Mosquito Shore, the coast of 
 the Isthmus of Darien, and the Interior, 
 which he had recently visited, were scarce 
 ly known. 
 
 These circumstances first encouraged him 
 to arrange his materials for the present 
 narrative, which, although in some points 
 deficient, will contribute towards the great 
 mass of valuable information lately diffused 
 regarding the actual state of the New 
 "World ; in other respects, it will perhaps 
 not be found unamusing. 
 
 By his education, and former visits to 
 
PREFACE. XV 
 
 various parts of the world, Mr Roberts had 
 not only been divested of many prejudices 
 and feelings, which would have disqualified 
 some Europeans, from associating with In 
 dians and conforming to their mode of 
 life ; but he had early acquired those ha 
 bits of observation, and that talent for in 
 vestigation, which qualified him for giving 
 a fair account of their progress towards a 
 state of civilization. 
 
 In contemplating the increasing numbers 
 or present state of the Kharibees, and 
 descendents of those British slaves who re 
 mained on the Mosquito Shore when the 
 English left it, we are enabled to draw infer 
 ences, very opposite to those of such advo 
 cates for the continuance of slavery, who 
 assert that, under the present West India 
 system, the majority of the slaves are more 
 happy, and better provided with the means 
 of subsistence, than they would be if gra 
 dually manumitted, and placed in a state of 
 freedom, dependent only on their own ex 
 ertions ; for, it appears that the persons first 
 alluded to, are not only increasing in num 
 bers, but are, by their own industry, amply 
 provided with all the necessaries, and many 
 of the luxuries of life. 
 
 It is perhaps unnecessary to state, in de 
 tail, the rapid progress of those discoveries 
 which Columbus had the glory of commenc 
 ing ; yet it may not be deemed improper, or 
 irrelevant to the subject of the following 
 
Xvi PREFACE. 
 
 narrative, briefly to notice so much of them 
 as relate to the ancient inhabitants of the 
 East Coast of Central America, and the first 
 attempts made by himself and his succes 
 sors, to subjugate those Indian tribes whose 
 descendents have been so recently visited, 
 and described by the author. 
 
 Columbus having, in the year 1492, 
 reached some of the Lucays, or Bahama 
 Islands, proceeded to Cuba, where the na 
 tives gave him such information, as induced 
 him to direct his course towards Hayti, 
 (Hispaniola, or St Domingo), at which isl 
 and he arrived on the 6th December. 
 
 We may here, however transiently, con 
 template the delightful picture presented by 
 Columbus s first account of the appear 
 ance, happy state, and good conduct of the 
 harmless natives ; we could dwell, with plea 
 sure, on their humane and generous con 
 duct to that leader and his adventurous 
 band, when in consequence of the wreck 
 of their principal vessel, they were in 
 volved in misfortune and difficulty. * But 
 
 * " As soon as the Islanders heard of this disaster they 
 crowded to the shore with their Prince Guacanahari at 
 their head. Instead of taking advantage of the distress in 
 which they beheld the Spaniards, to attempt any thing to 
 their detriment, they lamented their misfortune with tears 
 of sincere condolence, not satisfied with this unavailing 
 expression of their sympathy, they put to sea a number of 
 canoes, and, under the direction of the Spaniards, assisted 
 jn saving whatever could be got out of the wreck, and by 
 t he united labour of so many hands, almost every thing of 
 
PREFACE. XV1L 
 
 it is painful to be obliged to turn immedi 
 ately to the dark scene which followed, and 
 behold the sad change, which the arrival 
 of these licentious and rapacious strangers, 
 was destined to create among a million of 
 innocent people ; for in the short space of 
 fifteen years, they were reduced to a wretch 
 ed remnant, consisting of scarcely sixty 
 thousand miserable and heart-broken slaves; 
 and even these, were continually wasting by 
 labour and misery ; so that, in a few years 
 more, they found their only refuge in a 
 premature grave ! 
 
 On his second voyage, in 1493, Colum 
 bus discovered, what are now called the 
 Leeward Islands, inhabited by a very dif 
 ferent race of men, who fiercely defended 
 themselves, and made daring attacks upon 
 their invaders. 
 
 The third voyage took place in the year 
 1498 ; he then discovered the Island now 
 called Trinidad, and the Continent of South 
 America ; but, after proceeding some dis- 
 
 value was carried ashore. As fast as the goods were land 
 ed, Guacanahari in person took charge of them. By his 
 orders they were all deposited in one place, and armed 
 sentinels were posted, who kept the multitude at a dis 
 tance in order to prevent them not only from embezzling, 
 but from inspecting too curiously what belonged to their 
 guests. Next morning this Prince visited Columbus, who 
 was now on board the Nigra, and endeavoured to console 
 him for his loss, by offering all that he possessed to repair 
 it." Robertson s History of A 
 A 2 
 
XV1U PREFACE. 
 
 tance, along that coast, to the westward, he 
 bore away for Saint Domingo ; and, it was 
 not until his last unhappy voyage, in the 
 year 1502, undertaken in the hope of find 
 ing some strait leading to the then undis 
 covered South Sea, that he first explored 
 the East Coast, a description of which, and 
 its inhabitants, is the principal subject of 
 the following narrative. 
 
 At Guanaja, an island in the Gulf of Hon 
 duras, Columbus first had an interview with 
 the natives of the Mainland. Proceeding 
 to Cape Gracias a Dios, he examined the 
 coast southward from thence to Porto Bello. 
 He attempted to establish a small colony 
 on the River Belem, but had there to con 
 tend not only against a more warlike race 
 of people than those of Hayti, but also a- 
 gainst the insubordination of his insolent 
 and rapacious followers, and was thus 
 deprived of the honour of planting the first 
 European settlement on the Continent of 
 America. 
 
 About ten years afterwards, the King of 
 Spain having allotted the coast between the 
 Gulf of Darien and Cape de Vela, to Alonso 
 de Ojeda, and from thence to Cape Gracias 
 a Dios, to Diego de Nicuessa, both these 
 leaders made preparations for colonizing 
 and securing their new possessions, the 
 former supported by a force of three hun 
 dred, and the latter by seven hundred and 
 eighty men. But not being able to make 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 the natives comprehend by what right or 
 title a foreign priest could dispose of their 
 country, to a king of whom they knew no 
 thing, they not only refused to listen to the 
 Spaniards, or to admit them to settle in their 
 country, but, being attacked, they defended 
 themselves with such resolute bravery, that, 
 notwithstanding the most courageous and 
 persevering efforts, and repeated reinforce 
 ments, the Spaniards, with the loss of half 
 their numbers, were compelled to abandon 
 the enterprise. Cortes, Pizzaro and Balboa, 
 commanders afterwards so celebrated, were 
 among the number of volunteers ; but the 
 former, destined for a higher and more suc 
 cessful undertaking, was compelled by sick 
 ness to remain at St Domingo. The form 
 which, according to Herrera, was to be ob 
 served in taking possession of this country, 
 is too important to be omitted in the pre 
 sent work. * 
 
 After a lapse of above three centuries, 
 and the extirpation or conquest, of nearly 
 the whole of the ancient population, it is 
 not only deeply interesting in a physiologi 
 cal point of view, but matter of exultation 
 to every liberal mind, to mark the result of 
 this determined and successful resistance; 
 and we still trace with satisfaction, in the 
 undegenerated San Bias men, Valientes, 
 and other free Indians of the present day, 
 the same feelings and sentiments of inde- 
 
 Note, No. 1. 
 
XX PREFACE. 
 
 pendence which animated their courageous 
 ancestors. Farther to the northward we 
 find, in Clementi, a specimen of the ancient 
 Cazique, and in his hill-people, a modifica 
 tion of the more mild and peaceable of 
 the ancient tribes. We can also trace, al 
 though under greater modifications, a rem 
 nant of the fierce natives of the Leeward 
 Islands, in the resolute free Kharibees f of 
 the Bay of Honduras, and Mosquito Shore, 
 much softened down however, by their in 
 tercourse with Europeans, and by a slight 
 intermixture with negroes. 
 
 Balboa, by his successful expedition 
 across the Isthmus of Darien, in the year 
 1512, attracted a great number of adven 
 turers to that part of the continent, under 
 the command of Pedrarias, who, being 
 either unwilling, or unable, to restrain them 
 from the most cruel and tyrannical exac 
 tions, the natives inhabiting the country to 
 wards the Lake of Nicaragua were al 
 most totally extirpated; and the removal, 
 shortly afterwards, of the Spaniards from 
 Santa Maria on the Gulf of Darien to Pa 
 nama on the side of the Pacific, complet 
 ed the subjugation of most of the neigh 
 bouring tribes, and opened the way, not 
 only for the future conquerors of Peru, but 
 also for the discovery of the provinces of 
 Nicaragua by Davila in 1522, and the sub- 
 
 t Caraibe, in their original language, is said to signify 
 " warlike people." 
 
PREFACE. XXI 
 
 sequent foundation of the cities of Cartago, 
 Leon, Nicaragua and Granada. Cortes 
 having, in the mean time, conquered Mexi 
 co, sentDe Oli and others, in 1523, to what is 
 now denominated the province of Hondu 
 ras ; and, during the same year, he commis 
 sioned Pedro Alvarado, with considerable 
 forces to take possession of Guatemala ; so 
 that the Indians of the Central States, were 
 at once assailed both from the north and 
 south. 
 
 Alvarado, a brave, politic, and indefati 
 gable soldier, after subduing the natives of 
 Pegnantepec, and completing the conquest 
 of Soconusco and Ponala, arrived in the 
 territory of Quichee ; and, after many des 
 perate battles with the natives the Rachi- 
 quels, and other powerful and warlike na 
 tions founded the city of Guatemala in the 
 year 1524. To enter into an account of the 
 brave defence made by many of these nations, 
 and to trace the progress of the Spanish arms, 
 would lead us into details which, although 
 possessing great interest, are rather foreign to 
 the subject of the following narrative. We 
 must therefore rest contented by observing, 
 that as the Spaniards approached the Mos 
 quito Shore, and the mountainous country 
 between that coast and the Pacific, the de 
 termined resistance of the natives, and their 
 aversion to the Spanish yoke, seems to have 
 increased. In the province of Honduras, 
 nearly the whole of which ia still possessed 
 
XXli. PREFACE. 
 
 by the aborigines, the Caziques Copan Calel 
 in 1530, and Lempira in 1536, seem to 
 have defended themselves with a courage 
 and conduct which would have done honour 
 to more enlightened warriors ; and although 
 they ultimately submitted, many of their 
 subjects, as well as those, who had been some 
 time before, driven from St Salvador, by 
 Estete and other sanguinary and avaricious 
 Spanish commanders, sought refuge in the 
 mountains, and in the labyrinths of the 
 coast, handing down to their posterity, that 
 hatred of the Spanish name, which is so 
 carefully cherished even at the present day. 
 The Spaniards seem, from this period, to 
 have given up the idea of pushing their con 
 quests in that quarter ; but, in the year 1608, 
 according to the historian Vasques, attempts 
 were made, by missionaries, to convert and 
 bring the Indians on the north and east coast 
 to acknowledge the Spanish yoke. These 
 missionaries sought the tribes living among 
 the mountains on the upper part of the Blue- 
 fields River, and were at first kindly re 
 ceived; but, afterwards, narrowly escaped 
 to Guatemala with their lives. A second 
 expedition, in 1612, escorted by 25 soldiers, 
 was sacrificed in the same quarter by these 
 unruly Neophytes. 
 
 In the year 1623, other missionaries visited 
 the country farther to the northward, and, at 
 first, seem to have had hopes of success ; but, 
 ultimately, they also, fell a sacrifice to their 
 
PREFACE. XX111 
 
 zeal. These seem to be the last serious 
 attempts of the Spaniards, in that quarter, 
 to subjugate the free natives, whose early in 
 tercourse with the English and other Euro 
 peans, especially the Buccaniers, continually 
 at war with the Spaniards, aided them in 
 maintaining their independence. The friend 
 ly intercourse which continued to subsist 
 during the period that the British had set 
 tlements on their coast, has strengthened 
 their good opinion, and taught them to rely 
 on us for that protection which it is hoped 
 the British Government will promptly ex 
 tend to them, should any future emergency 
 render our interference necessary for their 
 preservation* 
 
 EDWARD IRVING. 
 LONDON, APRIL 1827. 
 
VOYAGES AND ADVENTURES 
 
 OK THE 
 
 EAST COAST, AND IN THE INTERIOR 
 OF CENTRAL AMERICA. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 WANT OF INFORMATION REGARDING THE EAST 
 
 COAST, AND INTERIOR INARRAS* IMPERFECT 
 
 HISTORY INFLUENCE OF THE ROMISH CHURCH 
 
 INEFFECTUAL IN CIVILIZING THE INDIANS 
 FORMER COMPARED WITH THEIR PRESENT STATE 
 
 PROGRESS OF THE LATE REVOLUTION THE 
 
 AUTHOR S OPPORTUNITIES OF INFORMATION. 
 
 ALTHOUGH much valuable information has late 
 ly appeared relative to South America, no Eu 
 ropean traveller has, since the Spanish American 
 revolution, given any account of the country si 
 tuated between Mexico and Colombia, forming the 
 B 
 
26 INARRAS HISTORY. 
 
 Indian territory, and the United Provinces of 
 Central America, nor of the numerous tribes 
 of free Indians in that part of the world, who 
 continue to detest the Spanish name, and will 
 not admit one of that nation to settle among 
 them. This may in some measure he attri 
 buted to the wilful silence of the West Indian 
 traders, who are little inclined to spread informa 
 tion likely to produce competitors for a share of 
 their lucrative trade ; and partly to the want of 
 free access from the East Coast to the interior. It 
 may also be partly owing to some remains of the 
 old Spanish jealousy of strangers to the compa 
 ratively late period at which the Central Provinces 
 ventured to declare their independence, and the dif 
 ficulties incident to the first formation of a new 
 government ; but, however this may be, we are 
 still obliged to look for information regarding this 
 part of America to the Buccaneers of some cen 
 turies past. 
 
 A " Statistical and Commercial History of Gua 
 temala" has indeed appeared, * translated from 
 the Spanish of Don Domingo Inarras, a native of 
 New Guatemala ; but, although that work con 
 tains much valuable information, it is, for the most 
 part, a compilation of ancient records, and, con 
 sequently, not of a nature to satisfy the British 
 public ; or, what in this country is always an im 
 portant point, to guide commercial men in extend 
 ing their relations. Moreover, Inarras does not 
 seem to know any thing of the Lake of Nicara 
 gua, or the Rio de San Juan ; or to have the least 
 knowledge of the Indian country and settlements 
 
 * Translated by Lieut. Bailey, K. N. Printed for 
 , London, 1823. 
 
PRESEXT CONDTTION OP THE INDIANS. 27 
 
 on the East Coast, although these occupy above 
 one half of Central America. 
 
 It has heen considered hy many, especially hy 
 those attached to the Romish church, that the ex 
 ertions of the Catholic clergy, for humanizing the 
 Indians of Central America, have heen eminently 
 successful ; and that, bringing them within the pale 
 of the church, lias ameliorated their condition, ex 
 panded their mental and corporeal powers, and, 
 consequently, added to their earthly comfort and 
 happiness. But when we come dispassionately to 
 examine and consider their actual state at the pre 
 sent time, in comparison to what it was reported, 
 even by the Spaniards, to hare been at the pe* 
 riod of the Conquest, there is too much reason to 
 fear we would find ourselves obliged to pause 
 before adopting that opinion. When we also 
 compare the state of the great majority of the 
 aborigines of the present day, with that of the de 
 scendants of those brave tribes who sought shel 
 ter on the coast, or defended their possessions 
 there, it becomes a matter of doubt, whether the 
 latter have not, under the tuition of lawless Buc 
 caneers, and licentious free traders, made greater 
 progress in the scale of humanity, or, at all events, 
 retained more of their ancient, moral and physi 
 cal strength, than the descendants of their less re 
 solute brethren of the Central States, who have 
 enjoyed the tuition of the Roman Catholic priest 
 hood. In considering this question, however, it 
 is not altogether to the peculiar influence which 
 the dogmas of that church are alleged to exercise 
 over the minds of the lower orders, by keeping 
 them in slavish subjection to the declared infallibi 
 lity of its doctrines, that we must look for an ex- 
 
28 FORMER AND PRESENT STATE 
 
 pianation of this circumstance ; for it may also be 
 considered as furnishing a proof, if any were ne 
 cessary, how much more capable of mental exer 
 tion are men in a state of freedom, than those who 
 are retained in a state of slavery. 
 
 According to the Historians of the Conquest of 
 Guatemala, that country, when first invaded by 
 the Spaniards, under Don Pedro Alvarado, was 
 flourishing and populous, to a degree which, com 
 pared with the present small numbers, and wretch 
 ed condition of the aborigines, leads the mind to 
 reflect, with astonishment and abhorrence, upon 
 the massacres, cruelties and privations, by which 
 their intrepid, but bigoted and relentless conquer 
 ors, reduced the natives to their present state ; for, 
 instead of an uncultivated and not half peopled 
 country, containing, as at the present day, two or 
 three poor cities, towns and villages, inhabited by 
 a few thousands of Spanish religieuse and Creole 
 descendants of Spanish adventurers, with groups 
 of naked and degraded Indians scattered over the 
 face of the country, living in filth and idleness, under 
 the shelter of wretched huts, or travelling in droves, 
 loaded like beasts of burden, on the one hand, 
 and a comparatively small number of free and in 
 dependent tribes, remnants of former kingdoms, 
 speaking different languages, scattered along the 
 sea-coast, or among the mountains, on the other 
 we, at the time of the first invasion, read of no 
 less than thirty different nations of Indians in Cen 
 tral America, congregated in wealthy cities, in a 
 state of prosperity and civilization, their kings and 
 chiefs possessing sumptuous palaces and houses, 
 great riches, and all the apparatus of regular go- 
 
OF THE INDIANS COMPARED. 29 
 
 vemments. * According to Torquemada, and the 
 historian Fuentes, one of these ancient cities, 
 namely, Utailan, the capital of the king of Quiche, 
 was, at the beginning of the sixteenth century, so 
 considerable, that it contained a population pro 
 bably equal in number to the whole present In 
 dians of Central America ; for, to oppose the 
 Spaniards, it alone produced seventy-two thousand 
 fighting men ; and, in proof of its progress in civi 
 lization, one of its institutions was a seminary 
 where, under seventy or eighty tutors, five or six 
 thousand youths were maintained and educated at 
 the king s expense. 
 
 * It is asserted that the Central American Indians of 
 the present day still use twenty-six of the ancient lan 
 guages, viz. Quiche, Kachiquel, Zutugel, Mam, Poco-^ 
 mam, Pipil, or Nahuate, Pupuluca, Sinca, Mexican, 
 Chorti, Alaquilac, Caichi, Poconchi, Ixil, Zotzil, Pzendal, 
 Chapaneca, Zoque, Coxoh, Chaniabal, Choi, Uzpanteca, 
 Lenca, Aquacateca, Maya, and Quecchi. 
 
 The dress that the noble Indians wore was of white 
 cotton dyed or stained with different colours, the use of 
 which was prohibited to the other ranks. This vestment 
 consisted of a shirt and white breeches, decorated with 
 fringes ; over these was drawn another pair of breeches, 
 reaching to the knees, and ornamented with a species of 
 embroidery. The legs were bare ; the feet protected by 
 sandals, fastened over the instep, and at the heel by thongs 
 of leather ; the sleeves of the shirt were looped above the 
 elbow with a blue or red band; the hair was worn long, 
 and tressed behind with a cord of the colour used upon 
 the sleeves, and terminating in a tassel, which was a dis 
 tinction peculiar to the great captains; the waist was 
 firded by piece of cloth of various colours, fastened in a 
 not before ; over the shoulders was thrown a white 
 mantle, ornamented with figures of birds, lions, and o- 
 ther decorations of cords and fringe. The ears and lower 
 lip were pierced to receive star-shaped pendants of gold 
 or silver. The insignia of office, or dignity, were carried 
 in the hand. Inarms, pp. T93 and 198. 
 B 2 
 
30 THE AUTHOR S OPPORTUNITIES 
 
 The present town of Santa Cruz del Quiche 
 is said to be founded upon, or near the place where 
 it stood ; but so complete has been the destruction 
 of all the remains of former greatness in this part 
 of the world, that the site of many ancient cities, 
 nearly equal in extent to the one mentioned, can 
 not now be traced, or with any degree of certainty 
 pointed out. 
 
 Having, in consequence of the great stagnation 
 in the shipping interests prevalent in the year 
 1815, visited the Western World, I resided up 
 wards of seven years among the free tribes scat 
 tered along the East Coast, and during that pe 
 riod traded at every settlement between the 
 Gulf of Darien and the Bay of Honduras ; and, 
 in the course of that time, had a good opportunity 
 of observing, and becoming well acquainted with 
 the manners and customs of these people, and of 
 contrasting their present state of civilization, with 
 that of their subjugated brethren, in the Spanish 
 American provinces. How far the late political 
 changes, in that part of the world, will be likely 
 to benefit both, or either of these classes of ab 
 origines, appears exceedingly doubtful, especial 
 ly while the new states continue, under the in 
 fluence of a church, whose interests are best main 
 tained, by keeping the great body of the people in 
 a state of ignorance ; but, that they may ultimate 
 ly be raised from their present state of abject de 
 gradation, is ardently to be wished by every friend 
 of humanity. 
 
 It is necessary to observe, that symptoms of 
 discontent appeared in Venezuela ; and the foun 
 dation of the Spanish American revolution was 
 established there, so early as about the year 1797. 
 
OF INFORMATION, &C. * 31 
 
 The expedition of the unfortunate Miranda, took 
 place in 1806, and a sanguinary war raged in 1816, 
 while, at the same time, Mexico had become the 
 scene of ferocious contests ; yet the southern part 
 of the kingdom or domain of Guatemala, remain 
 ed comparatively tranquil, until a much later 
 period ; for, it will be perceived in the course of 
 the following narrative, that, so late as the year 
 1822, when I crossed the Lake of Nicaragua to 
 the city of Leon, the Spanish authorities were, 
 notwithstanding the declaration of independence, 
 and various revolutionary movements in the city 
 of Guatemala in 1820, still in undisturbed posses 
 sion of the government of that part of Central A- 
 merica ; yet it was evident, that the mass of the 
 population there, was adverse to the continuance 
 of the Spanish yoke, and they have since joined 
 in throwing it off. 
 
 So many writers on the subject of America 
 and the West Indies, have given minute and scien 
 tific descriptions, of the various plants, birds and 
 animals, found in that part of the world, that even 
 if I had been capable of entering into proper de 
 tails on the subject, I should only have wearied 
 the patience of the general reader, without grati 
 fying the lover of natural history, by an exact account 
 of new productions. I shall, therefore, notice only 
 such of the plants, animals, and fishes, as appear 
 ed to be of importance, either in a commercial or 
 some other point of view. 
 
 In speaking of the residences of the natives, I 
 shall, according to the custom prevalent on the 
 East Coast, and in the West Indies, use, in the 
 course of the following narrative, the terms settle 
 ment and plantation, although not, perhaps, the 
 
32 
 
 most proper designation for the abodes of abori 
 gines ; and, at tbe same time, I shall write the 
 proper names, as nearly as possible, according to 
 the most prevalent pronunciation. 
 
33 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 VOYAGE TO THE BAY OF MANDINGO NATIVES 
 
 TRAEto, &C SARSADEE NEW CALEDONIA 
 
 AND SCOTCH DARIEN COMPANY SAN BLAS 
 
 INDIANS THEIR MANNERS AND CUSTOMS 
 
 THEIR ENMITY TO THE SPANIARDS WOMEN 
 
 SOOKEAII MEN RIVERS FORESTS GAME 
 
 FISH, &C. TURTLE TORTOISE-SHELL, &C. 
 
 ARRIVING at Kingston, Jamaica, in the early part 
 of the year 1816, 1 shortly afterwards obtained the 
 command of a brig of about one hundred and sixty 
 tons burthen, with an assorted cargo of no great 
 value, but suitable to the Indian trade. 
 
 We left Port Royal, Jamaica, in the month of Ju 
 ly, and, on the fourth day, we saw the high land 
 at the back of the Bay of Mandingo, between 
 Porto Bello and the Gulf of Darien. Next morn 
 ing, we anchored on the lee-side of one of the nu 
 merous kays, that are off its entrance, and we 
 shortly perceived a canoe, with two Indians, com 
 ing cautiously round the point. On our hoisting 
 the British ensign, they approached the brig, and 
 hailed us ; to which my assistant, who understood 
 their language, replied, that we were English tra 
 ders from Jamaica. On being made acquainted 
 with the object of our voyage, they recommended 
 
34 VOYAGE TO THE 
 
 us to proceed, in the first instance, to Great 
 Playone River, as the most commodious place for 
 loading the brig, and procuring a cargo with the 
 greatest despatch. They shortly left us, hut re 
 turned in the evening, accompanied hy several ca 
 noes and dories, * from the shore, bringing plan 
 tains, bananas, cocoa-nuts, cassava, hogs, fowls, 
 and turtle ; in exchange for which, we gave them 
 fish-hooks, small glass beads, Dutch looking-glass 
 es, salt, and other articles, which, except to them, 
 were of very trifling value. Our crew, in the mean 
 time, put out their fishing-line?, and soon caught 
 plenty of groupers, red and silver snappers, stone 
 bass, and a variety of other fish, so that we had 
 abundance of excellent provisions. 
 
 Having thus apprised the Indians of our arrival 
 on the coast, we next day got under weigh, and 
 ran down the inner passage, between the small 
 kays or islands, and the mainland. This passage is 
 full of coral rocks and reefs, but the water is so clear, 
 that they are easily seen and avoided in the day 
 time, by keeping a man stationed at the mast-head, 
 on the look out, to give warning of the vessel s ap 
 proach to them. At night, however, this inner 
 passage, the whole distance from Mandingo to 
 Caret, is totally impracticable. 
 
 Between these points, are the mouths of many 
 considerable rivers, the sources of which, are alto 
 gether unknown, even to the Spaniards, being si 
 tuated in the heart of a country, occupied by hos 
 tile tribes of Indians, who have always maintained 
 their independence. Some of these rivers are said 
 to rise within a short distance of the Pacific Ocean, 
 
 * A kind of large boat, made out of the trunk of a 
 tree. 
 
BAY OF MANDINGO. 35 
 
 but no authentic survey of any of them, has yet 
 been made. 
 
 In the evening, we came to an anchor off the 
 river Daablo ; and, according to custom, fired a gun 
 as a signal to the Indians, whose chief settlements 
 are situated on the banks of the rivers, a consider 
 able way up from the sea. The report of even a 
 six-pounder on this coast, is heard an immense way 
 up the country ; but it is only the acute ear of an 
 Indian, that can distinguish between its reverbera 
 tions among the mountains, and the more frequent 
 sound of distant thunder. On hearing this signal- 
 gun, canoes are immediately despatched, for the 
 purpose of ascertaining the object of such a visit. 
 Sometimes they arrive the same evening, but at 
 all times not later than next morning. 
 
 Numbers of the Indians came off to the brig 
 next morning, and expressed much satisfaction at 
 seeing a vessel of the Clara s unusual size, visiting 
 their coast for the purposes of trade. We pro 
 ceeded, by their recommendation, to Needle Kay, 
 being the most eligible place for collecting fustic, 
 which we intended should be the most bulky, 
 although the least valuable part of our cargo. We 
 were shortly visited by the chiefs, and by the 
 Sookeah man, priest, or conjurer, of the great and 
 little Playone tribes, who promised us all the as 
 sistance in their power. By their advice we 
 hired a few Indians, who very expeditiously erect 
 ed a temporary house for us, on the kay, in 
 which we had more room to display our commo 
 dities to advantage, than we could have had in the 
 vessel. In two or three days, we landed and ar 
 ranged the goods we had to offer, cleared a spot 
 for the reception of fustic, which the Indians had 
 
36 TRADE WITH THE NATIVES. 
 
 gone to collect at their different settlements, and 
 every thing augured favourably for the success of 
 our voyage. The Indiana, shortly began to arrive 
 from all parts of the coast, with fustic, in canoes 
 and dories ; some of them brought from five hun 
 dred weight, up to three, four or five tons, but 
 none of them exceeding the latter quantity. In 
 exchange, we gave them ravenduck, osnaburg, 
 checks, blue baftas, and other manufactured goods 
 mosschettes, (or G. R. cutlass-blades), and a va 
 riety of toys and small articles, adapted to this 
 trade, for which articles, in barter, an enormous 
 price was obtained. Hogs, fowls, and an abund 
 ant variety of provisions and fruits, were brought 
 from various rivers, and sold to us at a very trifling 
 consideration. The hogs, I may here remark, 
 were turned loose on the kay, during the day 
 time, to seek for food ; but, at night, either from 
 habit, or an instinctive fear of wild beasts, they in 
 variably kept crowded together, in a body, close 
 to our house. 
 
 Being desirous of procuring, as much tortoise- 
 shell and cocoa as possible, we fitted out two large 
 boats, by the Spaniards called bongos, for an ex 
 cursion along the coast, putting a few goods on 
 board, and procuring the assistance of an Indian 
 trader, who partially understood the English lan 
 guage. Being anxious to become acquainted with 
 the coast, as far as I safely could, I took charge of 
 this expedition : we slept the first night, at a small 
 settlement, on the banks of the river Banana, 
 where we bartered some trifling articles for tortoise- 
 shell. From thence, we proceeded to the river 
 Mosquito, where there is a considerable settlement 
 of Indians ; but here, we could do no business, as 
 
THE DARIEN COMPANY. 37 
 
 they had agreed to keep the whole of the tortoise- 
 shell, which is of the finest quality, for the esta 
 blished traders in the employment of Shepherd * 
 and Humphries of Jamaica, who have had persons 
 stationed at this place, for some years past. 
 
 The Indians here, are particularly favourable to 
 the English, and have long adopted the British 
 flag ; from the month of April to October, which 
 is the fishing season, it is regularly hoisted every 
 morning, at the house of the chief or head man. 
 
 From Banana we proceeded, farther along the 
 coast, towards the Gulf of Darien, to Sarsadee, 
 another considerable station of the Indians, where 
 we purchased a few hundred weights of tortoise- 
 shell, and a quantity of cocoa. The natives here, 
 raise abundance of plantains, bananas, maize, cassava, 
 and all the other productions of this prolific climate ; 
 abundance of the finest green turtle are caught 
 close to the settlement ; vessels, trading to San 
 Bias, also find here an excellent harbour, and a 
 greater variety of refreshments than they can pos 
 sibly consume. 
 
 We next visited New Caledonia, the site of the 
 settlement attempted to be formed, by the famous 
 Scotch Darien Company, in the years 1698 and 
 1699. The ruins of the fort and houses, are 
 still veiy visible ; the harbour is excellent, and 
 there seems to be no want of provisions in the 
 country, in the rivers, and in the sea. Had this 
 magnificent project been properly seconded, or not 
 injudiciously opposed, by the English nation and 
 King William s Dutch subjects, the result might, 
 at the present day, in spite of the opposition of 
 Spain, have been glorious to England, eclipsing 
 
38 THE DAR1EN COMPANY. 
 
 ] 
 
 the splendour of the other great schemes of the 
 Bank of England and the East India Company, 
 also established about that time ; whose directors 
 were eminently indebted to its projector, the ill- 
 requited Patterson, for many of those ideas, in 
 which have originated, the present prosperity and 
 power, of those great national corporations. 
 
 As the particulars of this extraordinary but un 
 fortunate man s favourite scheme, are now almost 
 forgotten, it may not be improper, in this narrative, 
 to give a brief sketch of it, taken principally from 
 the writings of an author who had access to the 
 papers of the Company, " some of which are pre 
 served in the Advocates Library in Edinburgh, 
 and others in the Exchequer there ; and to the 
 family papers, of many who were the chief actors 
 in the Company s affairs. " * 
 
 Patterson, the son of a fanner in Dumfries 
 shire in Scotland, was educated for the church, and 
 first visited the Western world under pretence of 
 converting the Indians ; he was acquainted with 
 Wafer and Dampier, but got most of his informa 
 tion from the old Buccaneers. At Acta, between 
 Porto-Belle and Carthagena, towards the Gulf of 
 Darien, he found a natural harbour, capable of 
 containing a large fleet, and having a promontory 
 commanding its entrance. At first, Patterson of 
 fered his plans to merchants in London, who dis 
 couraged him ; afterwards to others on the conti 
 nent of Europe, who also treated him illiberally. 
 
 * Dalrymple, Memoirs of his own times. The reader 
 will find, also, many interesting particulars regarding this 
 ill-fited expedition, in a work lately edited by the Rev. Dr 
 M Crie, intituled Memoirs of Mr William Veitch and 
 George Brysson, written by themselves, &c. Edinburgh, 
 1825, 8 ve, pp. 222 251 
 
Jr 
 
 THE DARIEN COMPANY. 39 
 
 The Elector of Bran den burgh listened to him, but 
 afterwards would do nothing. At last the san 
 guine and energetic Fletcher of Salton, brought 
 him forward, and introduced him to the Marquis 
 of Tweeddale. The Master of Stair and Mr John 
 ston, the two secretaries of State, for Scotland, also 
 patronized him ; and, through the means of the 
 friends thus procured, a statute of Parliament was 
 passed, in the year 1695, and in terms thereof, 
 a charter from the crown obtained, for creat 
 ing a trading company to Africa and the New 
 World, granting " power to plant colonies and 
 build forts, with consent of the inhabitants, in 
 places not possessed by any European nations. " 
 
 A subscription opened, and four hundred thou 
 sand pounds, a great sum at that period, was in- 
 ptantly subscribed. Patterson s project, which 
 had been timidly considered " by people in pri 
 vate, filled them with hope when it came to them 
 on the wings of public fame. " * Two or three 
 respectable individuals being deputed to receive 
 subscriptions in England, and on the Continent 
 th English subscribed 300,000/., and the Dutch 
 and Hamburghers 200,000/. more. Patterson 
 was to have received for his remuneration two per 
 cent, on the stock, and three per cent, on the pro 
 fits ; but when he saw the magnitude of the sub 
 scription, in the generous spirit which belongs to 
 genius, he gave a free discharge of his claims. 
 
 In the meantime the jealousy of trade, " which 
 has done more mischief to the trade of England 
 than all other causes put together, " created an 
 alarm in England ; and Parliament, -without any 
 
 * Dalrymple s Memoirs. 
 
40 THE DARIEN COMPANY. 
 
 consideration, petitioned the King against it, on 
 the 13th December 1695, as detrimental to the 
 new East India Company. No committee of Par- 
 limn en t, or inquiry, was instituted ; the King was 
 induced to set his face against it, and the English 
 and Hamhurghers immediately withdrew their sub 
 scriptions. 
 
 The Scotch, however, persevered, and boldly 
 defended their rights. They built six ships in 
 Holland, of from thirty-six to sixty guns each 
 and on the 26th July 1698, twelve hundred 
 men sailed from Leith in five stout ships ; and al 
 though these men could have forcibly gone from 
 the northmost part of Mexico to the southmost of 
 Chili, " they used no force with the natives, but, 
 in all their transactions, acted fairly and honour 
 ably in every respect ; and their first act, which 
 originated in the advice of Patterson, was to pro 
 claim freedom of trade and religion to all nations ! 
 
 The Colonists, in their first letter to the Coun 
 cil of Directors, represent, that " As to the country, 
 we find it very healthy; for although we arrived here 
 in the rainy season, from which we had little or no 
 shelter for several weeks together, and many sick 
 among us, yet they are so far recovered, and in so 
 good a state of health, as could hardly be expect 
 ed any where among such a number of men to 
 gether. " A Variety of papers of the Company, 
 in the Advocates Library, prove that the soil was 
 good, the climate healthy, and the passage from 
 feea to sea not difficult. 
 
 The colonists lingered eight months, looking in 
 vain for that assistance from Scotland, which the 
 difficulties thrown in the way of the Company s 
 operations prevented being sent ; and falling short 
 
THE DARIEN COMPANY. 41 
 
 of provisions, although the Indians, by hunting and 
 fishing for them, generously gave them that tem 
 porary relief which fellow Britons refused, almost 
 all of them quitted the settlement. 
 
 In the mean time, the active enmity of the 
 Spaniards, and other enemies of the Company, 
 provoked the Scotch to send out a reinforcement 
 of thirteen hundred men ; but this expedition was 
 hastily got up, and ill provisioned. They arrived 
 at different times, broken in health, and dispirited 
 at the situation in which they found the settle 
 ment ; to add to their misfortunes, it has been 
 said, that certain gloomy and bigoted preachers 
 exhausted the spirits of the people, and spread 
 divisions and discontent amongst them. In the 
 mean time, the most active and inveterate enmity 
 and opposition to the Company continued to show 
 itself in England. 
 
 The last party from Scotland that joined the 
 second colony, after it had been three months set 
 tled, was Captain Campbell of Finab, with a com 
 pany of the people of his own estate, whom he 
 had commanded in Flanders. This brave gentle 
 man marched to Fubucantee the second day after 
 his arrival, and, with two hundred men, attacked 
 and defeated, with great slaughter, a Spanish force 
 of sixteen hundred men, which had been collected 
 to destroy the colony. On the fifth day he re 
 turned to the fort with very little loss, but found 
 eleven Spanish ships blockading the harbour, their 
 troops landed, and almost all hope of help or pro 
 visions cut off. He stood a siege of six weeks, 
 till the enemy, by their approaches, cut off his 
 wells ; and the garrison, after melting even thei 
 c 2 
 
42 SAN BLAS. 
 
 pewter dishes into bullets, were forced to capitur 
 late on honourable terms. Many misfortune s be- 
 frl them on their way home ; the Spaniards show 
 ed them generous kindness, while the English 
 treated them with the most inveterate enmity and 
 malice. 
 
 The whole were completely dispersed, and only 
 Captain Campbell s, and another small ship, with 
 about thirty men of the whole colony, returned to 
 Scotland, where they found Patterson labouring 
 for the reestablishment of the Company s affairs. 
 He survived many years in Scotland, pitied and 
 neglected, but always respected. 
 
 England, by the imprudence of causing the ruin 
 of that settlement, lost the opportunity of securing 
 to herself, greater commercial power, than will pro 
 bably ever again present itself, to any nation what 
 soever. There are times, when schemes the most 
 visionary, may succeed ; and if Spain and England 
 had, at that time, joined in opening a passage 
 through the Isthmus of Darien, the situation of 
 the former, might at the present day, have been 
 very different ; and the efforts of these ill-inform 
 ed and inadequate companies, which have recent 
 ly been got up, in various quarters, for the pur 
 pose of effecting a junction canal, between the 
 two great oceans, would have been rendered un 
 necessary ; efforts which now can hardly succeed, 
 unless heartily seconded, and powerfully patronized, 
 by all the leading nations of Europe and America. 
 
 Having made several later voyages to San Bias 
 in the Clara, I had good opportunity of inquiring 
 into the manners and customs of the natives of 
 this Isthmus, who appear to be a distinct race of 
 people from the Valiente and other Indians of the 
 
SAN BLAS INDIANS. 43 
 
 U u> Beling, Chrico Mola, Chiriqui, and other 
 places to the northward. They are much shorter 
 in stature, few of them exceeding five feet two OP 
 three inches in height ; but they have full chests, 
 broad shoulders, and are exceedingly active ; their 
 foreheads are low, and rather flat ; their eyes small, 
 and generally of a black or dark brown colour ; 
 their cheek bones broad and full ; the lips not 
 very thick. They suffer the hair on their heads, 
 which is coarse, black, and often worn tied behind 
 the head, or in queue, to grow to a great length ; 
 but they carefully eradicate it from all other parts 
 of the body. The colour of their skin is a dusky 
 yellow, peculiar to the inhabitants of this part of 
 America. There are some instances of Albinos be 
 ing produced amongst them ; and in one of my voy 
 ages to the Darien Gulf, I saw, at the River Coco, 
 a child of about five years or " seasons, " old, per 
 fectly Avhite, but without any apparent defect in 
 its sight, as the Albinos are generally represented 
 to have. The San Bias men are an active hardy 
 race of people, extremely jealous of their indepen 
 dence, which they have hitherto strenuously main 
 tained ; and, what is not very common among the 
 other Indians of South America, they are fond 
 and careful of their women. Some of these ladies 
 accompanied their chiefs 011 board the vessel. They 
 were clothed in wrappers of blue baftas, or strip 
 ped cotton of their own manufacture, reaching 
 from the breast to a little lower than the calf of 
 the leg. They wore a profusion of small glass 
 beads round their ankles, forming a band of from 
 two to three and a half inches deep, and similar 
 bands or bracelets were worked round the wrists. 
 Their ears were pierced, as well as the cartilage df 
 
44 SAN BLAS INDIANS. 
 
 the nose, in which they wore rings of gold or sil 
 ver ; the ear-rings principally supplied by the Ja 
 maica traders the nose jewels seem to be of their 
 own manufacture, being a thick ring of gold in 
 the form of an obtuse triangle, about three quar 
 ters of an inch in circumference. On their necks, 
 they wore an immense quantity of fine seed beads 
 of lively colours, and necklaces of red coral. Some 
 of those worn by the chiefmens wives, would alone 
 weigh several pounds. Their hair, which is very 
 long and black, was made up not inelegantly, and 
 fastened on the top of the head with a sort of bod 
 kin made of tortoise-shell, or hard wood. Their 
 complexion is much clearer and brighter than 
 that of the men. Over the head was thrown 
 a piece of blue bafta or sahempore, complete 
 ly covering the back, breasts, and one side of 
 the face. Altogether, the deportment of these 
 women was extremely modest, diffident, and ami 
 able/ Their husbands are exceedingly jealous of 
 strangers, and that is said to be one of their reasons 
 for refusing to allow Europeans to settle on the 
 mainland. Their trading intercourse is always 
 carried on at one of the numerous kays or islands 
 on the coast, selected at the time for that purpose. 
 Perhaps this custom, may in some measure be ow 
 ing to the necessity which they are under, of guard 
 ing with great vigilance, against their neighbours 
 the Spaniards, to whom they bear the most in 
 veterate enmity. No Spanish vessel ever fell in 
 to their power, whose crew was permitted to escape, 
 when any of them have the misfortune to suffer 
 shipwreck on this part of the coast, the massacre 
 of the crew is, under every circumstance, the ine 
 vitable consequence. During one of my subse- 
 
RIVERS, FORESTS, GAME. 45 
 
 quent trading voyages to this quarter, a fine Spa 
 nish copper-bottomed schooner, of about one hun 
 dred and twenty tons burden, laden with wine, 
 rice, maize, sugar, bricks, and jerked beef, ran a- 
 ground during the night, on a reef of rocks, a little 
 to the north-east of the great Playone river. The 
 crew, knowing the inevitable consequence of be 
 ing discovered in the morning, took to their boats 
 during the night, and reached Porto Bello. The 
 vessel being strong, and substantially built, beat 
 fairly over the reef, without suffering much da 
 mage. The Indians, immediately on discovering 
 the accident, boarded and plundered her, cutting 
 away the masts, bowsprit, &c., for the mere pur 
 pose of securing the iron works, by rendering her 
 useless. They regretted that the crew had made 
 their escape. The hull of the vessel was after 
 wards removed to Needle Kay, and I used it as 
 a hulk, by which to heave down a vessel, under 
 my command. 
 
 It is to be regretted that this part of the Isth 
 mus is still so little known. I have been assured 
 by many intelligent Indians, worthy of confidence, 
 that one of the rivers on which they are settled, 
 has its source in a kind of lake, or lagoon, within 
 only about eight miles of the Pacific. The forests 
 of San Bias, produce some very valuable woods, 
 amongst which may be enumerated fustic, cedar, 
 iron wood, ebony, brazilletto, lancewood, spars, and 
 a variety of hard woods, well adapted for the use of 
 cabinetmakers, but hitherto very little known, 
 The interior abounds in game of various descrip 
 tions, ajiiongst which are the tapir, or mountain 
 cow, the waree, peccary, gibeonite, Indian coney, 
 antelope, armadillo, and others; also currassow. 
 
4o IIAV. KSBILL TL RTLK. 
 
 guam, coquericot, partridge, and a great variety of 
 other birds. No rivers or coast in the world can 
 produce a greater variety of excellent fish, or finer 
 turtle ; and the quantity seems inexhaustible. Cocoa- 
 nut trees are never cut down, nor destroyed by 
 the Indians of San Bias ; and are so abundant on 
 all the kays, that the fruit is esteemed of little 
 value, except on account of the oil, which the na 
 tives extract and use for dressing their hair, burn 
 ing in lamps, and other purposes. Any quantity 
 of these nuts, may be procured at a very trifling ex 
 pense. 
 
 The inhabitants of this part of the coast, are 
 careful to preserve the hawksbill turtle, as much as 
 they possibly can. They never destroy its eggs, 
 and have a singular, but cruel method, of taking 
 the shell from its back, without killing the ani 
 mal; as is done by the other tribes. They collect 
 a quantity of dry grass, or leaves, with which they 
 cover the creature s back, and then setting the 
 stuff on fire, the heat causes the shell on the back 
 to separate at the joints. A large knife is then 
 insinuated horizontally, and the pieces are gradu 
 ally lifted from the back, care being taken, not to 
 injure the shell by two much heat, nor to force it 
 off, till the heat has fully prepared it for separation. 
 
 The turtle is held down by an Indian during 
 this cruel operation, and afterwards suffered to 
 escape ; but great numbers of them, reduced to 
 this helpless state, fall a prey to the numerous- 
 sharks on the coast. There have been many in 
 stances, however, of turtle being afterwards caught, 
 which had undergone the process, and the shell, 
 subsequently formed, has, instead of thirteen pieces, 
 the usual number, been in one piece only. 
 
INDIAN MANNER Of flSiilNU. 47 
 
 Traders, who are not judges of fustic, are often 
 cheated, by having a kind of spurious, or bastard 
 wood without dye, imposed upon them ; and they 
 themselves too often deteriorate the quality of the 
 genuine wood, by immersing it, during their stay, 
 in salt water, to increase its weight. These prac 
 tices, together with the circumstance, that a great 
 quantity of inferior wood is cut in low, swampy 
 places, has depreciated the character of that which 
 is collected here ; but I am perfectly satisfied, 
 that the fustic of the high land of the Isthmus, is 
 as valuable as that of Cuba, Jamaica, or any other 
 place whatsoever. 
 
 The natives are excellent hunters and strikers 
 of fish. One of their methods of fishing is rather 
 singular. The water on their coasts being very 
 clear, they can easily see the fish basking, or swim 
 ming near the surface, or in the shallow places ; 
 and they kill considerable numbers, by following 
 them in canoes, and shooting them with arrows. 
 The women and children plant and cultivate In 
 dian corn, cassava, plantain, and other provisions, 
 the mens task being to cut down wood, prepare it 
 for sale, or other purposes, and to clear ground for 
 plantations. They are not so much addicted to 
 spirituous liquors as some of the other Indians of 
 the coast ; and they use their own cliicka, or li 
 quor made from corn, cassava, and plantains, in 
 preference to rum. They have in general but one 
 wife, although there are some among tlwmi who, 
 according to their inclination and ability to main 
 tain them, have four or five. Their houses are- 
 constructed at a short distance from each other. 
 Every wife has, in general, a separate house or hut 
 and they live en friendly terms with their neigh 
 
48 SOOKEAII MEN OR PRIESTS. 
 
 hours. The husband usually takes up his resi- 
 dence with the eldest, who considers it her duty 
 to set the others a good example, and main 
 tain a friendly communication in the family, by 
 zealously directing their attention to his comfort 
 and convenience. Sometimes although not of 
 ten, they are all kept in one house, except 
 during an advanced period of pregnancy, con 
 finement, or suckling their children, at which 
 season they invariably live by themselves. At the 
 expected time, the woman, as is customary with 
 most Indian tribes, retires to a hut built in the 
 woods, at a distance from the rest of the family. 
 There, she remains some time assisted by some 
 aged female relation, who is closely secluded with 
 her. The period of travail is short, compared to 
 what is generally experienced in civilized life ; and 
 previous to returning to their usual intercourse 
 with the family, a sort of public lustration of them- 
 fielves and offspring takes place. 
 The persons of greatest consequence, next to 
 the principal chiefs, are the Sookeah-men, who are 
 both physicians and priests. These persons, are 
 supposed to hold communication with an invisible 
 agent, or great spirit, and to be empowered, through 
 its means, to foretel events. They have acquired 
 a knowledge of the medicinal virtues of some 
 plants, and are thereby enabled to cure wounds, 
 and also some of the disorders incident to the cli 
 mate. They are, consequently, held in much esteem 
 and veneration, by the more ignorant natives. Pre 
 vious to being received as professed sookeahs, 
 they are secluded, some times for months, in the 
 woods, without, as is said, holding the least com 
 munication with any one ; and here it is that 
 
SOOKBAH MEN. 49 
 
 they are alleged to have intercourse with the spirit 
 alluded to. They are deep, shrewd, and compa 
 ratively intelligent men, and, having once acquired 
 an ascendancy at home, their fame soon extends 
 to the neighbouring tribes. 
 
 I have often heard, and have no doubt what 
 ever of the fact, that they have been known to 
 dance, in a state of nudity, in the middle of a 
 large fire, the flames having little or no effect on 
 their body ; and they generally do this until the 
 fire is extinguished. The effects of the fire is re 
 sisted by some powerful antidote, extracted from 
 vegetable substances, the preparation of which is 
 only kno,wn to the superior sookeahs. 
 
 All their knowledge, however, has been insuf 
 ficient to contend with the diseases introduced by 
 Europeans, many of the natives having been car 
 ried off by the small-pox, measles, and other com 
 plaints for which they know no cure, and by which 
 their numbers have been greatly reduced. On the 
 first appearance of the measles or small-pox, which 
 have proved as destructive to these poor Indians 
 as the plague has been to the inhabitants of other 
 quarters of the globe, they abandon their settle 
 ments, and fly to some of the numerous kays on 
 the coast for the benefit of free air ; on one of 
 these the infected are carefully secluded, and shun 
 ned, until they are free from the disease ; death 
 however generally puts an end to their sufferings. 
 
 The Mosquito-men have repeatedly attempted 
 to acquire an ascendancy over the San Bias Indians, 
 and much blood, in consoquence, has been shed. 
 The last expedition against the latter, took place 
 about twenty years ago. It consisted of about 
 
 D 2 
 
50 CARET. 
 
 three hundred men, who were nearly all cut off in 
 the different engagements that took place in the 
 disadvantageous positions into which they were 
 enticed. Very few of the assailants returned to 
 their own country ; and it is, therefore, not likely 
 that any similar attempt will again be made from 
 the Mosquito-shore. 
 
 How far it may be the policy of the new Go 
 vernments of South America to endeavour to con 
 ciliate these and other free and independent tribes, 
 remains to be seen ; but, judging from some of the 
 recent decrees of Colombia, it is much to be feared 
 their value is not justly appreciated. By restric 
 tions imposed on their trade, and otherwise, they 
 may continue to regard the Colombians as no bet 
 ter than Spaniards ; and if so, the consequences 
 cannot but be injurious to both parties. Their 
 country is naturally so strong, and the lagoons and 
 harbours so very intricate, that contrabandists, pri- 
 Tateers, or pirates, if on friendly terms with the 
 Indians can always find shelter ; and the trade 
 to Carthagena, Porto Bello, &c. may, consequent 
 ly, at any time meet with interruption and injury. 
 This part of the Isthmus of Darien presents a fine 
 field for the researches of the industrious and sci 
 entific traveller ; and, no doubt, many very im 
 portant discoveries, botanical, rnineralogical, and 
 otherwise, remain to be made by those who have 
 inclination and ability to explore it. 
 
 To return to our commercial operations Hav 
 ing left New Caledonia, we proceeded to Caret, 
 where we disposed of the last of our goods, in 
 barter for cocoa, with which we completed the 
 cargo of the two Bongos, and came back in surety 
 to the vessel, at Needle Kay. During our ab- 
 
RETURN TO JAMAICA. 51 
 
 sence, the trader had maintained the most friendly 
 correspondence with the natives, and had collected 
 about one hundred tons of fustic, besides other 
 more valuable produce, sufficient for a return cargo, 
 with which we safely arrived in Jamaica, after an 
 absence of about nine weeks. 
 
 In my subsequent voyages to this coast, I al 
 ways found the Indians anxious and willing to pro 
 mote the success of the vessels I commanded. In 
 general, they became much attached to those who 
 visit them repeatedly. Every succeeding voyage 
 improves their friendship, and desire to encourage 
 the commercial interests of their country, so far as 
 their ignorance and inexperience will allow them 
 to judge of it. 
 
 

 CHAPTER III. 
 
 VOYAGE TO CHIRIQUI LAGOON PORTO BELLO 
 
 MOSQUITO SHORE - CHRJGQ MOLA - RESI 
 DENCE THERE - SARSAPARILLA EXCURSIONS 
 IN THE INTERIOR STORY, OF A GOLD SEEKER 
 - HUNTING PARTY VIEW OF THE ATLANTIC 
 AND PACIFIC VISIT FROM A SLOOP OF WAR 
 
 CHARACTER, AND CUSTOMS OF THE VALI- 
 ENTES - SOUPA TREE - SERPENTS - BUCCA- 
 NIERS CHILIBEE, TIRIBEE, AND BLANCO 
 INDIANS. 
 
 IN the year 1817, my voyages to San Bias were 
 interrupted by severe indisposition, which reduced 
 me to a state of great debility. When convales 
 cent, I accepted the offer of a friend, to accom 
 pany him on a general trading voyage to the Bight 
 of Mandingo, and different parts of the Mosquito 
 Shore. His object was to lodge supplies of goods, 
 with his agents, at various trading depots ; and to 
 bring away from them, such quantities of fustic, 
 tortoise-shell, sarsaparilla, cocoa, &c as they had 
 collected ; afterwards, to sell the remainder of his 
 dry goods, to the Spaniards at Codec, Gold River, 
 
PORTO BELLO. 5 
 
 Matina, and at tlie River San Juan de Nicaragua, 
 for specie and gold dust. We accordingly pro 
 ceeded to the coast of San Bias, and transacted 
 business at New Caledonia, the River Mosquito, 
 Sarsadee, and the Bight of Mandingo, receiving 
 considerable quantities of tortoise-shell, cocoa, and 
 other valuable produce. Returning from the coast 
 of San Bias, we passed Porto Bello, * and pro 
 ceeded to Chiriqui Lagoon ; which, although so 
 far to the southward, is considered part of the 
 Mosquito Shore, under the jurisdiction of the 
 Mosquito King; who, notwithstanding that the 
 Spaniards consider it a part of their province of 
 Veragua, annually sends his admiral to collect tri 
 bute from the natives. Veragua joins Costa Rica 
 a few miles to the westward of Boco del Toro, or 
 the Bahia del Amirante. Costa Rica extends to 
 Punta del Gordo, which is a short distance to the 
 northward of the Rio de San Juan ; and, may be 
 considered, the boundary of the real, and nomi 
 nal, Spanish possessions on that part of the coast. 
 At Point de Gordo, the Mosquito shore proper 
 may be said to commence ; and we here meet 
 with the small independent tribe of Indians called 
 the Ramas. From thence to Cape Gracias a 
 Dios, where the Mosquito King principally re 
 sides, the coast lies nearly north and south, a dis 
 tance of about two hundred and twenty miles. 
 From Cape Gracias a Dios, the shore extends 
 nearly north-west and by west, to the River Pa- 
 took ; and the distance is about one hundred miles. 
 From thence to little Roman river, it stretches 
 
 * See Note II. 
 
5 CHinrcjui LAGOON. 
 
 to the west, aboul ninety miles ; forming a sea 
 board or line of coast, of about four hundred and 
 ten miles in extent, upon which the Spaniards 
 have never been able to form any effective setr 
 tlements. 
 
 On our arrival at Chiriqui Lagoon, I gladly 
 assented to a proposal, made by my friend, to 
 ascend the Rivev Chrico Mola (or perhaps more 
 properly Chrickam Aula), about twenty-five miles, 
 to the principal settlement of the Valiente Indians ; 
 a station said to be exceedingly healthy there to 
 remain for the recovery of my health become 
 acquainted with the manners and customs of that 
 tribe, and open a trade with the Indiana in the 
 interior of the country. 
 
 Having selected, and hired, three large canoes, 
 from those which were assembled round the vesr 
 sel, we loaded them with goods to the value of 
 ab.out three hundred pounds ; and, at noon, set off 
 for the Valiente Settlement, where my friend had 
 already formed a connexion with one of the native 
 traders. 
 
 I found that the river has two mouths, formed 
 by a small island at its entrance ; the one to tle 
 westward is broadest, having only about two feet 
 water on the bar J the other, three feet. After 
 passing these entrances, it is of considerable depth 
 up to the first rapid ; a distance of about twelve 
 miles. 
 
 . At this rapid the land rises high on each side ; 
 and, up to the settlement, the river is so full of 
 falls, rocks, and rapids, that it would be totally 
 impossible for persons, unaccustomed to such places, 
 to ascend even in the lightest canoes. The In- 
 
WHYKEB TARRA. 55 
 
 dianfl are obliged in the ascent*, frequently to lay 
 aside their paddles and use poles ; and at some 
 places even to haul their canoes, over the rapids, 
 by strength of arm, which the force of the cur 
 rent renders no easy task ; the smooth rocks, and 
 rounded stones, making it difficult to find a secure 
 footing. Between these rapids, however, there are 
 many reaches, or smooth and deep parts of the 
 river, some of them about a mile in length ; and, 
 the banks being covered by a variety of majestic 
 trees and shrubs of the most lively colours, nothing 
 of the kind which I have ever seen was more beau 
 tiful or picturesque. After passing many falls and 
 rapids, we came to the first Valiente Settlement. 
 The houses are situated at a small distance from 
 the river ; and are surrounded by large plantations 
 of plantains, bananas, cassava, and cocoa. 
 
 Above the first settlement, the land continues 
 gradually to extend ; and, at the distance of about 
 thirty miles, assumes a mountainous appearance. 
 On the evening of the day following that on 
 which we left the vessel, we arrived at the trader s 
 house, situated on a moderately high bank close 
 to the river. My new friend, Whykee Tarra, the 
 trader alluded to, being informed of my intention 
 to remain with his countrymen, received me very 
 cordially, and made preparations for obeying the 
 orders I had brought to him ; viz. to proceed to 
 the vessel with the goods he had collected ; and 
 to give his assistance in collecting tortoise-shell on 
 the coast. 
 
 After having given me possession of his house, 
 and desired his wife, who understood a little Eng 
 lish, to pay every attention to my domestic com- 
 
56 CIIR1CO MOLA. 
 
 forts, and to assivst me as an interpreter in my in 
 tercourse with the natives, he departed for the la 
 goon, taking with him a considerable stock of 
 hogs, poultry, eggs, and plantains for the use of 
 the crew. 
 
 Being thus installed in my new lodgings, and 
 the chief man of the place being made acquainted 
 witli my intentions, a messenger was, by his ad 
 vice, sent to give notice to the Indians residing in 
 the interior, that an English trader had come to 
 live among them. On his return, he informed me 
 that in two or three days many of these Indians 
 would visit me, bringing sarsaparilla, and such other 
 articles as they had to offer for sale. 
 
 I accordingly soon received visits from several 
 families, sometimes from ten to twenty in a group, 
 each person bringing from fifty to eighty pounds 
 weight of sarsaparilla, * in large bags made of silk 
 grass, having a large band of the same material 
 fastened across its mouth. These bags, when fill 
 ed, appeared like baskets, of which the band form 
 ed the handle ; and they were suspended on the 
 back of the Indian by this handle put across the 
 ford lead : Women and children were loaded in a 
 similar manner, in proportion to their strength. 
 
 Abundance of fowls, and some fine hogs were 
 brought me, and also a great many extremely neat 
 bags, or purses, of various sizes, made of silk 
 grass, and dyed of various brigbt colours, some 
 of the threads nearly as fine as lace. 
 
 Scarlet, blue, yellow, and purple, were the most 
 predominant colours ; and, when newly dyed, they 
 appeared very fresh and bright, but did not stand 
 
 * Smilax Sarsaparilla of Linn. 
 
MONTANO INDIANS. 57 
 
 the rain or weather, which shows, tliat although 
 the Indians possess some very valuable dyes, they 
 Lave not the secret of rendering them durable. 
 They also brought me a number of small lines, 
 from twenty to thirty fathoms in length, made of 
 the interwoven fibres of cotton and silk grass. 
 These they are in the habit of bartering with the 
 fishing Indians of the coast, who use them as stink 
 ing lines for securing turtle, &c. I gave in 
 barter for these articles, fish hooks, glass beads, 
 small Dutch looking-glasses, eeamens knives, and 
 other articles of little value. 
 
 The Indians on the coast think themselves en 
 titled to assume a superiority over these " Mon- 
 tanios M in consequence of the connexion of the 
 former with the traders. So far as regarded my 
 self, I found these natives of the interior, harmless, 
 inoffensive, honest in their dealings, and satisfied 
 with whatever was given to them in exchange for 
 the commodities they brought. It is true, that 
 many of these commodities were perfectly useless 
 to me, but I made it a rale never to refuse any 
 thing offered, or to send the persons home entirely 
 disappointed in their expectations. On such an 
 occasion a few beads, a small looking-glass, a bit 
 gf tobacco, and a few pipes, or some other trifle, 
 satisfied and pleased them. 
 
 Many of the people, who then and subsequent 
 ly visited me, came, as I was told, and had every 
 reason to believe, from the low country, border 
 ing on the Pacific Ocean ; having crossed the moun 
 tains about thirty miles above this settlement. 
 These mountains are of considerable elevation, 
 covered with wood to the summits, and form 
 (he natural boundary between the Valientes, aujl 
 
58 SARSAPARILLA. 
 
 thoso Indians who occasionally trade with the 
 Spaniards. 
 
 Sarsaparilla being one of the principal articles 
 of trade witli these people, and its virtues, as a 
 medicine, becoming every day more popular in 
 Europe, I may here remark, that the kind which 
 is collected in the Savannahs is more esteemed 
 than that which is brought from the mountains ; 
 being much thicker, and containing a greater 
 quantity of medicinal substance. The latter sort 
 is so fibrous, that it is rare to see a stalk the thick 
 ness of the stem of an ordinary tobacco-pipe, and 
 much of it is spoiled, by being dried in an artifi 
 cial, careless, and hasty manner, instead of by a 
 regular and gradual exposure to the sun : by the 
 former method it is frequently scorched, or be 
 comes so black and discoloured, as to be nearly 
 useless ; on the^ accession of the least damp, it is 
 apt to become mouldy, its essential qualities spoil, 
 and it is then totally unfit for use. 
 
 After I had resided some time at Chrico Mola, 
 the Indians from the south side of the mountains 
 frequently brought me Spanish money and pieces 
 of silver, for the purchase of iron pots, cutlass 
 blades, earthen ware, and dry goods. Many of 
 these Indians have incurred the jealousy of the 
 Valientes, who dislike their familiar intercourse 
 with the Spaniards. Their quarrels on this sub 
 ject often end in bloodshed, and the Valientes 
 seldom approach, or trust themselves within reach 
 of the Spanish territory. * 
 
 From my first arrival at Chrico Mola, I gradual 
 ly acquired bodily strength, and I followed the 
 example of the inhabitants, old and young, by 
 daily bathing in the river, which is here as clear 
 * See Note III. 
 
SARSAFARILLA. 59 
 
 as crystal, and pleasantly cool. Alligators do 
 not ascend higher than the first fall, so that there 
 is no danger of annoyance from them, and to these 
 frequent ablutions I attributed, in a great mea 
 sure, my rapid recovery to perfect health. 
 
 In less than six weeks after my arrival I had 
 procured upwards of five thousand pounds weight 
 of sarsaparilla ; and conceiving that a regular sup 
 ply of this valuable article might be obtained here 
 for supplying the Jamaica market, provided the 
 Indians were properly encouraged to collect it, I 
 came to the determination of remaining at Chrico 
 Mola, until next season at least. On the return 
 of the vessel which had left me here, I went down 
 to the Lagoon and communicated my ideas on the 
 subject to he rowner, who, forseeing the advanta 
 ges likely to be derived from the residence of a 
 European among the Valientes, immediately as 
 sented to my proposal. Having delivered over to 
 him the produce that I had collected} I received 
 a farther supply of the goods which I considered 
 necessary, for the consumption of the natives, un 
 til he should return. It was not without some 
 doubt of my own prudence that I found myself 
 and property, entirely at the mercy of my new 
 friends : I had however acquired considerable 
 confidence with the headmen, who, in one of their 
 Talks, or Councils, came to a resolution to give 
 me every protection, and all the facilities in their 
 power, for trading ; and, as a farther proof of their 
 good will, the principal headman offered me an 
 Indian wife, and every other accommodation. 
 
 As I recovered strength, having much leisure 
 time on my hands, and having always been o:id of 
 hunting and fishing, I gradually extended my rum- 
 
60 GOLD SEEKER. 
 
 hies into the interior. With the assistance of a 
 small pocket compass, I had little fear of losing 
 myself ; and, becoming acquainted with the Indian 
 tracks, I often penetrated many miles into the 
 woods, reaching solitudes where, apparently, no 
 human being had ever preceded me. I had often 
 heard that gold might be found in abundance, 
 in the country about Chrico Mola, and that 
 the old Indians, were well acquainted with the 
 places, where i t has been discovered. Their jea 
 lousy of strangers, and their dread of exciting the 
 cupidity of the Spaniards, induces them, how 
 ever, carefully to conceal this knowledge, and the 
 following occurence which took place a few years 
 ago, is illustrative of this feeling on their part. A 
 Mulatto, from Jamaica, of the name of Wedder- 
 burn, who had been some time resident at Chrico 
 Mola was in the habit of trading at places where 
 he occasionally met with Spaniards. He became 
 acquainted, in one of his excursions, with a 
 Spanish Creole, who, having become disgusted 
 with his employers, proprietors of a gold mine 
 about twenty miles up Gold River, and about 
 thirty from Valiente Point, agreed to accompany 
 the trader, and take up his residence at Chrico 
 Mola. Shortly after his arrival he discovered in 
 dications of gold in the vicinity of the river, and, 
 by absenting himself for several hours every day, 
 attracted the notice of the trader, to whom he con 
 fessed that he had discovered gold ; and, with the 
 help of an old crow-bar, had already dug up and 
 collected several ounces. He was either not 
 aware of the jealousy of the natives, or had not 
 used the precaution necessary to elude their ob 
 servation. One of them called a Council of the 
 
EXCURSIONS INTO THE INTEBIOK. 61 
 
 hcodmen, who next day sent for the trader, and 
 demanded that the Spaniard should he given up to 
 them, to he sent out of the country. He was as 
 sured that no harm should happen, and that a ca 
 noe and every thing requisite to enahle his friend 
 to reach Portobello, or some other place of safety, 
 should he granted to him. Accordingly he de-- 
 parted, accompanied hy some of the natives, who 
 were to see him safely out of the river. They re 
 turned in two days, but the Spaniard was never 
 again heard of hy any of the traders ; and, I have 
 no doubt, they put him to death, to avoid the risk 
 of any annoyance from Europeans on account of 
 the gold mines in their country. Notwithstand 
 ing this example, I often, in my hunting rambles, 
 stopped to look for gold, particularly when my 
 path has been obstructed by deep ravines and old 
 dried up water-courses from the mountains ; but 
 I was then unacquainted with the indications of 
 this precious metal ; and I never considered it safe, 
 or prudent, to remain stationary for any length of 
 time, in these solitary places, so remote from the 
 habitations of men. 
 
 On my return from one of these excursions the 
 chief man, of the settlement, named by the traders 
 Jasper Hall, told me, that some of the women 
 had discovered the track of an extraordinary ani 
 mal, which had filled them with much apprehen 
 sion ; and that none of the hunters could make 
 out, from their description, what it was ; the wo 
 men insisting that it could only be " Devils track." 
 The story excited my curiosity ; and not doubting 
 but that it plight prove to be that of some large 
 animal, probably unknown in Europe, I persuaded 
 E 
 
62 HUNTING PARTY. 
 
 him to make up a hunting party and go in search 
 of it. Jasper, myself, and other three men, pro 
 vided with provisions and other materials to en- 
 .able us to remain a night or two in the woods if 
 necessary, set out at day-hreak well armed 
 and having three of the women with us to serve 
 as guides. After proceeding more than four hours 
 by an unusual route, we came to a deep ravine, 
 which we ascended nearly a mile to a place where 
 the tract had become visible. Here old Jasper 
 burst into a loud laugh, calling out, " Hai Robert ! 
 him devil tract found" and on investigation it 
 proved to be the marks of a pair of coarse hobb- 
 nailed shoes, which I had worn on one of my long 
 excursions. We had approached the ravine by a 
 different path than that by which I had penetrat 
 ed, and I was amused to find that I had come so 
 far in search of my own footsteps. 
 
 I would not dwell upon this trifling occurrence, 
 were it not that besides being descriptive of Indian 
 life, it led to an excursion which I had often wish 
 ed to accomplish. We had seen several kinds of 
 game during our progress, but had not fired one 
 shot, for fear of alarming the strange animal we 
 sought. The women had brought plantains and 
 cassava, and we now proposed to stay a day or 
 two in the woods, and endeavour to procure some 
 game to carry borne with us. The Indians soon 
 erected some rude huts on the spot, and the wo 
 men were left to cover the roofs with leaves of the 
 wild plantain. We proceeded a considerable way 
 up the ravine, and at last heard the noise of the 
 peccary or wild hog, and shortly discovered & drove 
 of nearly a hundred of them. We killed about 
 twenty; and the noise of our firearms having 
 
THE PECCARY. 63 
 
 brought the women to our assistance, all hands 
 wore soon busily employed in cutting out the gland 
 on the back of the animal, and dividing the carcass, 
 into quarters, for the purpose of being barbacued. 
 This operation is performed by erecting a low 
 frame, or grating of wood, upon which the meat is 
 laid, and covered with leaves ; a fire is lighted un 
 derneath, and the flesh is in this manner not only 
 smoked, but sometimes half roasted, before it is 
 considered sufficiently cured. It will keep good 
 during several weeks. 
 
 The ears of the peccary are short, pointed, and 
 erect ; the eyes are sunk deep in the head, the 
 neck is short and thick, the bristles are nearly as 
 large as those of the hedgehog, longest on the neck 
 and back; it is of a hoary black colour, annulate with 
 white, having a collar, from the shoulders to the 
 breast, of dusky white ; in size, and colour, it 
 something resembles the hog of China ; it has no 
 tail, on the back there is a glandulous opening, 
 from which constantly distils a thin fetid liquor. 
 If the animal is killed in the evening, this part 
 carefully cut out, and the liquor instantly washed 
 away, the flesh is agreeable food. They grunt 
 with a strong harsh sound ; and, when vexed, make 
 a most disagreeable noise with their tusks, which 
 are scarcely conspicuous when their mouth is shut. 
 They will sometimes turn, with fury, on their 
 assailant, whose best refuge, in that case, is to 
 climb upon a tree, and then, if he has good dogs, 
 to keep them in play he may kill them at plea 
 sure so long as his ammunition lasts. They princi 
 pally feed on fruits seeds and roots ; and some 
 times do much mischief in the plantain and cassava 
 walks. 
 
64 VIEW OF THE 
 
 Wo remained at the huts all night, and, next 
 morning, leaving the women to complete the opera 
 tion of curing the produce of our labour, we re 
 newed our expedition. 
 
 Having often heard that the Atlantic and Paci 
 fic Oceans ceuld he seen at the same time from 
 the summit of a mountain ahout thirty miles from 
 Chrico Mola, or twenty from the spot where we 
 now were, I was exceedingly desirous of ascer 
 taining the fact, and I persuaded Jasper to take 
 that direction. Our way, in pursuing our route 
 towards that point, was nearly free from under 
 wood or any material impediment, unless when 
 we met with ravines, which are, in some places, 
 wide, and the bottom and sidos partly composed 
 of large masses of rock. There were some deep 
 pools of clear water in these hollows, in which I 
 could perceive a number of small fish. In the 
 rainy season when these ravines must by every ap 
 pearance contain an immense body of water, to 
 Qross them will be impossible, 
 
 In the afternoon wo succeeded in gaining the 
 summit of the mountain, where I was well repaid 
 for the groat fatigue and trouble of ascending. It 
 did not terminate in any peak or cone, nor had it 
 the particular appearance of volcanic origin, but 
 was rather the continuation of a chain, or ridge 
 of mountains, which rose higher than any of those 
 in the immediate neighbourhood. 
 
 About five hundred yards across its summit, the 
 descent, towards the Pacific, commences rather 
 abruptly ; and, is more precipitous than on the side 
 by which we ascended. Mountains still higher 
 appeared to the eastward in the direction of Pana- 
 
ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC OCEANS. 65 
 
 ma and Chagre. To the north-west, an immense 
 and continued unhroken chain of mountains pre 
 sented themselves as far as the eye could reach ; 
 and, here and there, various high, isolated, peaks, 
 having the appearance of volcanoes, sprung up 
 from the chain. / had a clear and distinct vieiv 
 of both seas ; many of the islands in the Boco del 
 Toro and Chiriqui Lagoons on the Atlantic side, 
 were distinctly seen, but I could not perceive Qui- 
 bo, nor any of the islands on the Pacific, which I 
 thought would, if correctly laid down in the charts, 
 have heen visible. The immense forests of stately 
 trees which vegetate on the sides of all rivers in 
 this country, and clothe most of the mountains to 
 their very summits, effectually prevented our tra 
 cing the course of these rivers ; nevertheless, the 
 country, from the spot on which we obtained this 
 delightful view, presented the map of an immense 
 mountain forest, drawn on Nature s grandest scale. 
 As night was fast approaching, and there is lit 
 tle twilight in this climate, the Indians became im 
 patient to descend ; and with regret, I left the 
 ridge on which I had experienced such perfect en 
 joyment. We got down to a ravine, and having 
 procured a quantity of wild plantain leaves, we 
 ascended one of its sides, and, gathering wood, 
 made a large fire, by the side of which we made 
 our supper of the peccary meat, brought with us. 
 I stretched myself upon my bed of leaves, and, 
 having commended myself to Him whose mighty 
 works I had been admiring, and who, by his Pro 
 vidence, equally guides the Indian and European, 
 I sunk into profound repose, with as complete a 
 feeling of security, as if I had been in the midst of 
 E 2 
 
66 ARRVIAL OP THE 
 
 civitobtion, and surrounded by numerous friends 
 and relations. 
 
 On the first appearance of daylight, we put our 
 t>-uns in order, and descended the mountain at a 
 quick pace. We shot several guams and curras- 
 so ws on our way down ; by mid- day came to 
 the huts, and found the women in safety. Having 
 rested and refreshed ourselves, we prepared for 
 our journey homewards, each carrying- a propor 
 tion of the provisions and game, the produce of 
 our hunt. We reached the settlement after sun 
 set, much fatigued, but highly pleased with the 
 result of the expedition. 
 
 Immediately on our return, I had a good 
 opportunity of ascertaining how far the Valientes 
 could be depended upon to repel any attempt of 
 invasion from their enemies. I found the settle 
 ment in considerable alarm, and the whole popu 
 lation on the alert. A strange ship of war had 
 arrived in the lagoon, and come to an anchor off 
 the mouth of Chrico Mola river, after having fired 
 at two Valiente fishing-canoes, as a signal, no 
 doubt, to bring them to the ship ; but the In 
 dians, mistaking this for an indication of hostility, 
 jumped overboard, swam ashore, and gave an alarm 
 that the Spaniards were coming. A red flag had 
 been hoisted, on a small island off the mouth of 
 the river, probably as a signal to the natives to 
 come to that place ; but when these people heard 
 the drums beat, and the evening gun fired, they 
 concluded that they were to be attacked, espe 
 cially when a canoe returned with intelligence that 
 they had seen a large boat, with armed Europeans, 
 on its way down the river, a little beneath the 
 first foil. I found the Indians removing their wo- 
 
BRIG SHEERWATER. 67 
 
 men, children, and valuables, across the river, to 
 tho woods for safety ; and, as I had at this time a 
 very considerable quantity of tortoise-shell, sarsa- 
 parilla, and other produce under my charge, I 
 stated my opinion, that if they were Spaniards, or 
 others coming with hostile intentions, it was pro^ 
 bable, that, having reconnoitred, they would at 
 tempt to force their way up, during the night, or 
 early in the morning ; and, that if they were al 
 lowed to pass the falls, the destruction of the set 
 tlement was inevitable ; but that by fighting at 
 each fall successively, we might easily defend our 
 selves not only against this ship, but any greater 
 force likely to be sent against us. The Valientes 
 seconded me with alacrity. I distributed among 
 them all the fowling-pieces that I had for sale. 
 Moreover, we mustered forty-three muskets and 
 fowling-pieces, besides spears, bows and arrows, 
 in the different houses along the river. I served 
 out some kegs of gunpowder, and all the bullets, 
 and Bristol blue shot, that I had in the store. The 
 men were posted at the different falls, and if we 
 had been attacked, all felt confident of the re 
 sult. In the morning a largo armed canoe was 
 sent down the river for intelligence, and met Cap 
 tain Cox with some of the officers of his Majesty s 
 brig Sheerwater, coming up the river in a largo 
 boat, conducted by three of the Valientes. Captain 
 Cox informed me, that on his way down the coast 
 to San Juan, he had, owing to calms and a strong 
 west current, been carried to leeward of Boco del 
 Toro ; and, hearing there was an English settlement 
 at Chrico Mola, curiosity and a desire to be useful 
 to his countrymen had induced him to endeavour 
 to find them out. These ofiicere remained with mo 
 
68 CUSTOMS OF 
 
 until next day ; curiosity had attracted a number 
 of the Valientes, who assembled about my house 
 to see the strangers ; their deportment was or 
 derly ; the Valiente girls were much admired, and 
 my countrymen were pleased to admit, that, alto 
 gether, the people were much superior to any 
 tribe they had seen on the coast. When the cap 
 tain and his officers left me they expressed them 
 selves much pleased with the visit. I furnished 
 them with such fresh provisions as I could collect 
 upon so short a notice, giving them all the native 
 curiosities I had collected, as well as those I could 
 procure among my friends. The Indians, who 
 accompanied them back to the vessel, brought me 
 a present of tea, coffee, sugar, and wine ; and, in 
 return, I induced my friends to follow Captain 
 Cox through the channel of the Split Hills, in the 
 Boco del Toro Lagoon, with a few more dozens, 
 of fowls, plantains, &c. .,; % 
 
 This visit created considerable speculation a- 
 mong the Indians, whom I laboured hard to con 
 vince, that it was their interest to court a friendly 
 communication with the British ; that their coun 
 try contained many articles, very valuable in Bri 
 tish commerce ; and, that they only required to be 
 known, to be visited by large trading vessels di 
 rect from England. Upon the whole, this visit, 
 and these representations, made a considerable im 
 pression on the minds of the natives ; and, subse 
 quently, in consequence of it, I stood much higher 
 in their estimation. 
 
 Several customs of the Valientes, seem peculiar 
 to that race only. When one of them dies, the 
 body is always buried in the floor of the house oc 
 cupied by the family ; the only exceptions to this 
 
THE VALIENTES. 69 
 
 rute, arc wten an Indian has been stung fro death 
 by a serpent, or slain in a quarrel with one of his 
 own tribe : in either of these cases, they are in 
 terred under a house, in their own provision- 
 ground, and their implements of war, and other 
 moveables, are buried with them ; their canoe is 
 also generally split in two, and laid on the grave. 
 Moreover, even the plantain-walks and provisions, 
 on the grounds immediately belonging to such 
 persons, are destroyed. At the death of a rela 
 tion, they manifest extraordinary grief, the women 
 especially who beat their bosoms, tear their hair, 
 cut their flesh, and use other demonstrations of 
 the most extravagant sorrow. The son, if there 
 is one, succeeds to his father s house and women. 
 The moveables, such as canoes, hunting and fish 
 ing implements, arms, trinkets, &c., are divided 
 amongst his children. If there be no children, 
 the eldest brother succeeds to every thing. The 
 women havd little choice in the disposal of their 
 persons in marriage : that affair being always ar 
 ranged by their father, or nearest male relations. 
 
 The children, of both sexes, are early taught to 
 swirn ; one of their principal pastimes is sporting 
 in the water, to which they resort almost as soon 
 as they can walk. As they increase in years, 
 they are instructed to use the bow and arrow and 
 the spear ; and they acquire dexterity by practis 
 ing with blunted instruments upon the fowls, dogs, 
 or other domestic animals or birds, reared about 
 the house. As they acquire strength, the boys, 
 have other duties to perform ; they are taken to 
 fish and spear turtle : on these expeditions they 
 are sometimes absent, with the men, three weeks 
 or a mouth ; and, on returning, they always divide 
 
70 CUSTOMS OF 
 
 part of the spoil among their neighbours and 
 friends. The girls are early taught to accompany 
 their mothers to the provision grounds ; to carry 
 light burdens of wood, plantains, cassava and other 
 articles ; to grind corn, wash and prepare cotton 
 and silk grass, and attend to other domestic offices. 
 They, equally with the hoys, bathe frequently in 
 course of the day ; but, from the age of six years, 
 at which time they are generally betrothed, these 
 ablutions are performed at a distance, under the 
 protection of their mothers, who after that period, 
 seldom allow their daughters to be out of their 
 sight, until marriage, which generally takes place 
 at the early age of ten or twelve years. 
 
 When a Valiente Indian considers himself af 
 fronted, or injured, by one of his own tribe, be 
 deliberately sharpens his moscheat or cutlass ; and, 
 taking a friend with him, goes to the hduse of his 
 adversary, whom he challenges to fair combat. 
 The challenge is frequently accepted on the spot, 
 fair play is allowed, and the duel never ends until 
 one, or sometimes both, are killed or disabled. 
 
 They display considerable dexterity in the use 
 of the cutlass, both in attack and defence ; and it 
 is rare to find a Valiente without the mark of deep 
 cuts on his body, and particularly about the head. 
 If the challenged party puts off the decision of 
 the quarrel to a future day, it is generally made 
 up, by the intervention of friends. Being " called 
 out " by one of these slashing gentlemen, I insist 
 ed upon substituting rifle guns, a proposal which 
 lie declared " English fashion, no good ! " and, by 
 the interference of friends, we settled our dispute 
 without bloodshed. Few of them can use fire 
 arms with effect, but they are very expert with 
 
THE VALIENTES. 71 
 
 the bow and arrow, aud arc good aiul dexterous 
 spcwmen. 
 
 Tliey are in general courageous, possess much 
 sense of honour, and continue to merit the appel 
 lation given to them by their first discoverers, of 
 " Indies Bravos " or " Valientes. " They are a 
 much taller race of people than those of San Bias, 
 and may, from their intercourse with European 
 and other traders, be considered more civilized than 
 most of the other tribes, inhabiting this part of 
 Terra Firma. Their avowed hatred to the Spa 
 niards, and partiality to the English, as may 
 be seen from what has already been stated ou 
 that subject, renders a temporary or perhaps per 
 manent trading settlement amongst them per 
 fectly secure ; and, in point of honesty, they 
 are far superior to their neighbours the Mos 
 quito men, to whose king they, however, pay a 
 sort of tribute, or acknowledgment, annually, which 
 they consider in the light of a gratuitous present 
 according to ancient custom, rather than a mark of 
 subjugation. On more than one occasion they have 
 refused to pay this tribute, and about fifty years 
 ago, when a dispute took place on the subject, the 
 Mosquito king s uncle, with the whole of the 
 chiefs, and people, who then accompanied him to 
 the number of about fifty men, fell a sacrifice to 
 their resentment. 
 
 No Sookeah man, or priest of any kind, resided 
 amongst them during the years I visited, or resid 
 ed in, their country. Marriage, baptism, and other 
 ceremonies, commonly considered religious, were 
 performed by the elders of the settlement. They 
 are not, however, without ideas of a future state, 
 and an overruling Providence ; and, to any wonder- 
 
72 THE VALIENTES. 
 
 fill, or providential, escape from danger ; or, un 
 accountable preservation, they sometimes give the 
 name of " God business. " For instance, in one of 
 my excursions above the great falls, the Indians 
 inadvertently allowed the canoe to drift so near 
 to a tremendous precipice, that they had no chance 
 of paddling her out of danger. They instantly 
 leapt overboard and swam ashore. Being so com 
 pletely taken by surprise, I saw no chance of 
 safety but by keeping in the canoe, which went 
 over the fall and was dashed in pieces. When I 
 recovered my recollection, I found myself in the 
 water, by the side of a small island, a little dis 
 tance beneath the fall, grasping firmly some bushes 
 that overhung the river. Some Indians on the 
 other side of the river, who had not seen the ac 
 cident, conveyed me down to my own house. 
 Feeling sick from the shock I had received, I lay 
 clown to recover myself. In the meantime my 
 companions in the canoe had gone home and re 
 ported my death, in confirmation of which they 
 pointed out the splinters of the canoe floating past 
 the settlement. I had scarcely been an hour in 
 my hammock when old Jasper, and other head 
 men, came to my house, lamenting my death, and 
 proposing to take an account of my effects, that 
 they might be taken care of for my relations, or 
 creditors. Nothing could equal their astonish 
 ment when I sat up and asked them what they 
 were about to do ? " By Robert ! " a favourite 
 exclamation of the old chief, " you no drown ! " 
 then he added with a certain degree of reverential 
 awe, " this is God business, Robert I only God 
 business ! ! " 
 
 They have also some faint^ ideas of clisembodi- 
 
THE VALIENTES. 73 
 
 ed spirits, and of another world, where they ex 
 pect to find good hunting ground, with plenty of 
 game and provisions. I firmly helieve that were 
 a steady sensible missionary, of liberal principles, 
 capable of making them a little acquainted with 
 the arts of Europe, to accompany any trader go 
 ing to reside among them, by gradually overcoming 
 their prejudices, and pointing out the advantages 
 of civilization, religious observances, and certain 
 fixed laws, he might acquire influence, and do 
 much good. 
 
 Their houses are generally built near the banks 
 of a river, and are constructed as follows : three or 
 sometimes four hardwood posts are driven into 
 the ground, at equal distances, the intended length 
 of the house, to these is secured the main beam or 
 roof-tree. Small posts are also driven, in like man 
 ner, at each side, at intervals of ten or twelve feet ; 
 long poles or rafters are then laid upon these from 
 the roof-tree and along the sides ; the roof, thus 
 formed, is covered with a particular species of 
 palm, extremely durable, and the sides are finished 
 in a similar manner. Sometimes the roof is brought 
 down, at the sides of the house, to within five 
 feet of the ground, and the sides left entirely open, 
 without any wall to shelter the inmates from the 
 weather ; in this case they sleep on what they call 
 crickeries, a kind of elevated platform, constructed 
 by four posts being driven into the ground at equal 
 distances, so as to form a square frame ; a plank of 
 cedar wood is then cut into proper lengths, to form 
 the bottom. This sleeping place is generally large 
 enough to contain the husband and two or three 
 wives j and, when the family is numerous, several 
 
74 THE VALIENTES. 
 
 of these bed-places are erected round the inside 
 of the house on a level with the eaves, or lower 
 side of the roof. A notched log of wood, serves 
 for a ladder to mount to this couch, as, without 
 any other instrument than the axe, only one board 
 can be cut out of a cedar tree ; to form one of 
 those sleeping places is a work of great labour. 
 
 Their plantain walks are very extensive ; and, 
 at Chrico Mola, extend several miles along the 
 banks of the river. These walks are never ex 
 hausted, as on some parts of the Mosquito Shore, 
 where the soil is poor ; on the contrary, a conti 
 nual succession of suckers, or young plants, are 
 always found springing round the foot of the ori 
 ginal plant ; and, such is the luxuriance of their 
 growth, that they are frequently thinned, trans 
 planted, or destroyed. Large quantities of cassa 
 va and Indian com are cultivated farther back ; 
 but, for subsistence, they principally depend upon 
 the plantain, banana, and cassava. Their method 
 of preparing ground for a maize crop, is very sim 
 ple ; the person invites his neighbours to a chichee 
 drink, states his wish to clear a certain piece of 
 land, and requests their assistance. On the day 
 appointed every man comes with his axe or mos- 
 cheat, the trees and bushes are soon levelled, and 
 the grain is loosely scattered on the ground amongst 
 the fallen trees. This generally takes place a few 
 days before the commencement of the rainy sea 
 son. The fallen branches screen the young shoots 
 from the heat of the sun, and in about five months 
 the grain, having overtopped this covering, is ready 
 for gathering ; rather a troublesome business, the 
 grain being only reached by climbing over the 
 trunks, branches, and remains of the fallen trees. 
 
THE SOUPA TREE. 75 
 
 When the grain has been collected, the wood, 
 which is by this time well dried, is set on fire ; 
 and, assisted by the dry stalks of the maize, hums 
 so fiercely as to leave merely ashes, and the stumps 
 of the trees on the surface. By this simple plan, 
 the ground is considered sufficiently clear for every 
 agricultural purpose. The cocoa tree grows in 
 every banana or plantain walk ; the soil on the 
 borders of the Chrico Mola, and other rivers 
 emptying themselves into Chiriqui Lagoon, being 
 particularly adapted to its growth ; it comes to 
 perfection in not more than four or five years, 
 with very little trouble to the cultivators, who 
 raise it merely for their own consumption ; al 
 though, were they encouraged to raise it as an 
 article of commerce, an immense quantity, of ex 
 cellent quality, might be produced on the banks 
 of all these rivers. 
 
 The soil about Chrico Mola, as has, in effect, 
 been stated, is exceedingly rich ; it produces in 
 the greatest perfection almost all the fruits inci 
 dent to South America ; such as the niammee, 
 sapodilla, cocoa-nut, orange grape tree, locust, 
 soupa (which in season is preferred to the plan 
 tain, banana, and cassava) ; and a variety of other 
 fruits of the most delicious and valuable descrip 
 tion. 
 
 The soupa merits particular attention. It is 
 a species of palm ; the trunk completely armed 
 with prickles or thorns, is from fifty to sixty feet 
 high : on the top, the leaves branch out similar to 
 those of the cocoa tree they are pinnated very 
 thin undulated and frizzled toward the points. 
 It bears several clusters of fruit, each cluster con 
 taining from eighty to a hundred. They are first 
 
76 MODE OF LIVING 
 
 #reen, then yellow like an apple, and grow red as 
 they ripen. They are the size of a lien s egg, 
 and sometimes without any kernel ; the fruit is 
 farinaciotts, and an excellent substitute for bread 
 or vegetables. The wood of the tree is extreme 
 ly hard, heavy, and close-grained ; it is used for 
 bows, staves for striking turtle, and for spear 
 shafts. The stem is so prickly that the fruit can 
 only be gathered by means of long bamboos, or 
 when it becomes so ripe as to fall from the tree. 
 
 The mode of living, of the Valientes, is upon 
 the whole comfortable : Nature has supplied them 
 abundantly with the necessaries of life : their plan 
 tations are managed with very little labour, and 
 their woods contain abundance of game: their 
 rivers abound in the finest fish, and their Lagoons 
 are plentifully furnished with the richest turtle, 
 and other food for their support. Anciently the 
 common covering of these Indians was made of a 
 sort of tree bark, prepared by being some time 
 soaked in running water, and afterwards beaten 
 with a smooth heavy club into a consistence re 
 sembling shamoy leather. This was formed into 
 a square piece, six or seven feet long, and about 
 five feet wide, with a hole cut in the centre to ad 
 mit the head. Now, however, they are dressed 
 with greater decency, many of them put on even 
 a complete European suit ; and I have seen their 
 traders, and head men, even well dressed, or, in 
 their own words, " true English gentleman fa 
 shion, " and followed by numbers of their less for 
 tunate countrymen, who had some favour to ask, 
 or were desirous of paying their court to the great 
 man, who, in the mean time was, perhaps, strui- 
 
OF THE VALIENTES. 77 
 
 ting about with a silk umbrella over his head, to 
 protect him from the sun. 
 
 The wet season is not, witli them, considered 
 an unhealthy period ; on the contrary, it is one of 
 rest and enjoyment, during which, they form par 
 ties for drinking weak preparations of cocoa, of 
 which they take immense quantities. Their me 
 thod of preparing it is extremely simple, it being 
 merely bruized, or crushed, between two stones, 
 and ground to a consistence of paste, diluted with 
 warm water ; and, in this state, passed round to 
 the company in calabashes containing each about 
 a quart : Some Indians drink eight or ten quarts at 
 a sitting, which induces a state of sleepy insensi 
 bility. At these meetings, it is a favourite amuse 
 ment to tell long stories, or make harangues, in a 
 singing monotonous tone of voice, to which all 
 listen without interrupting the speaker, however 
 improbable the story may be. I have frequently, 
 in my turn, endeavoured to give them an account 
 of some remarkable occurrence of my life, or some 
 idea of European power and attainments : how 
 ever incomprehensible and impossible some of these 
 things must have appeared to ignorant Indians, 
 they never offered the least interruption. V/hen 
 a story was ended, some of the elders would per 
 haps consider a few minutes, and, after looking round 
 to collect, as it were, the opinions of the company, 
 would gravely say " lie Robert, lie," to which I 
 would answer, " no lie, all true, English fashion," 
 " but ntnv" I would add, " I am going to tell 
 you a lie story " when they would with tho great 
 est good nature gather round, to hear " Robert 
 tell story. " 
 
 F 2 
 
78 SERPENT. REPTILES, &C. 
 
 Tiieir clrichee thinks arc of a different descrip 
 tion ; and, in some cases, that liquor, as well as a 
 sort of wine, made from the fruit of a species of 
 the palm tree, renders them outrageously intoxi 
 cated. Such occurrences are, however, much more 
 rare amongst the Valientes and San Bias men, 
 than any other tribe of Indians with whom I am 
 acquainted ; and these drinking matches are only 
 given on some particular occasions, such as previ 
 ous to setting oif for the turtle fishing, gathering a 
 harvest of maize, at a wedding, or the birth of a child. 
 
 There may he many places, on the coast, hetter 
 situated for trade ; but, for a healthy residence, or 
 permanent settlement of Europeans, I would pre 
 fer Chrico Mola River to any other I have seen. 
 Domestic animals increase very fast when the 
 least care is taken of them ; a few hogs, which I 
 procured for breeding, as also a quantity of tame 
 fowls, increased so rapidly, that in the end I was 
 at a loss what to do with them until the month of 
 May, when the traders should arrive to take them, 
 and some cows and calves off my hands. 
 
 Mosquitoes, sand flies, and other insects, which 
 on the coast are so very troublesome and torment 
 ing, are here scarcely known ; and, during the 
 whole time of my residence, I slept without be 
 ing under the necessity of using mosquito curtains. 
 Serpents or other poisonous reptiles are equally 
 rare, and it is still rarer that any injury is sustain 
 ed from them. On one occasion, however, I had 
 a narrow escape from one of these creatures. I 
 had as usual been bathing one morning, and was 
 turning, to go up the bank, to my house, when 
 one of the Indians, coming down the river in a 
 caiioe, pointed to some large, round, dark-colour- 
 
CHIRIQUI LAGOON. 79 
 
 ed stones, close to those on which my shirt and 
 trowsers liad hccn laid a few minutes before, and 
 called " Hai Robert, you see him, great serpent. " 
 I, hpwever, could perceive nothing of the kind : 
 The Indian begged me to keep back from the 
 place, go for my fowling-piece, and come into the 
 canoe. Paddliiag opposite to the place he pointed 
 out, I at last saw, coiled up among the stones, a 
 large dark-coloured serpent, with his head resting 
 in the centre of the circle, a little elevated, seeming 
 ly asleep. Taking a proper distance, I shattered his 
 head to pieces with the contents of both barrels. He 
 was said to be of a species whose bite is mortal, 
 but I rather think he was of the dark- coloured boa 
 kind : he was above twelve feet long, and the In 
 dians affirmed that he must have crossed the river 
 from the opposite forest, as it is very rare that 
 they venture into the plantations. 
 
 As I frequently made excursions to Chiriqui 
 Lagoon, I can with certainty assure any navigator 
 who may visit it, that he will find it a safe and 
 noble harbour. It has three entrances, one from 
 the eastward round. .Valiente or Valencia Point ; 
 the other, from the north-west, by the Sapadilla 
 kays ; and a third by the Boco del Toro Lagoon. 
 The first and second entrances command a sufficient 
 draught of water for ships of the largest class ; and 
 the Lagoon is capable of containing the whole 
 British Navy secure from all winds. There are 
 several banks of soft white coral in the Lagoon, 
 but all distinctly visible when the sun shines ; and 
 the water being, in general, perfectly smooth, a 
 vigilant look out is all the pilotage requisite. At 
 the eastern entrance is a small kay, * opposite to 
 * Pattrson s Kay. 
 
80 PROVISION ISLAND. 
 
 which, at the northern end of a sandy beach, ami 
 not far from the entrance of the harbour, is a cas 
 cade, falling from a rock of the height of about 
 five feet from the ground, forming one of the 
 most convenient watering places, as a seventy- 
 four gun ship may lay close to it. It is superior 
 to water kay, which, together with Tigers Island, 
 Provision Island, and many other places on this 
 coast, received its name from the old Buccaneers. 
 The entrance to the Boco del Toro Lagoon, OP 
 Bahia del Amirante, from the north-west, is nar 
 row, yet sufficient for a smart vessel to work in 
 or out ; and, it has about three fathoms water in 
 the channel ; the other entrance, from Provision 
 Island, is also a good channel, of considerable 
 depth ; but the best entrances into Chiriqui La 
 goon, are those from the eastward. 
 
 Provision Island has for several years been oc 
 cupied by fishermen, from San Andres, and the 
 Corn Islands, who barter their tortoise-shell, and 
 other produce, with the annual traders. 
 
 I made many excursions to the various islands 
 and kays in these lagoons, and found plenty of 
 quams, curassowos, pigeons, monkeys, deer, and 
 a variety of other game on all of them. They al 
 so produce vanilla, a valuable plant, to be here 
 after noticed. On some of these islands there is 
 a small species of tiger, but they are not at all 
 dangerous ; the climate is considered healthy, 
 the lagoons, notwithstanding the very heavy rains 
 during the season, being at all times open to the 
 sea breeze. Between Provision Island and a small 
 island opposite to it, their is a deep height, called 
 Nancy s Cove; completely sheltered from all winds, 
 and in which the water is alwavs as smooth as in. 
 
THE BUCCANNIERS. 81 
 
 a millpoml. From this place to the north- west 
 entrance of the port of Boco del Toro, is ahout 
 sixteen miles ; and the whole length of both la 
 goons cannot he less than ninety to a hundred 
 miles. 
 
 The Buccaneers and free traders, used, occasion 
 ally, when afraid of an enemy, to conceal their 
 vessels, in these lagoons, by hauling them into 
 creeks, or intricate passages, under the overhang 
 ing branches of the trees ; and, then, by lowering 
 the topmasts, and fixing green boughs to the yards 
 and masts, so disguised their appearance, that it 
 was almost impossible even for the practised eye 
 of an Indian to discover the smallest indication of 
 a vessel. 
 
 Even when a discovery was made, no moderate 
 force dared venture to attack an enemy, who, un 
 der cover of the bushes, and assisted by their In 
 dian allies, could beat off their assailants without 
 exposing themselves to a single well aimed shot. 
 
 The banks of many of the rivers falling into 
 these lagoons, are now totally destitute of inhabi 
 tants ; although, at one period, the country con 
 tained a numerous population consisting of various 
 tribes, some of them, from the apparent remains 
 of their ancient settlements, of considerable an 
 tiquity. The Chilibees, the Tirribees, and Blan- 
 cos, were once numerous ; but in consequence of 
 their wars, and the introduction of European dis 
 eases, they are now almost extinct. Of the once 
 numerous tribe of Chilibees, who possessed t- e 
 borders of Boco del Toro Lagoon, not more than 
 three families are left at that place ; and the Tir 
 ribees, and Blancos, are falling off in liVe manner, 
 their country being now very thinly inhabited. 
 
82 DEPARTURE FROM CHRICO MOLA. 
 
 The Valientcs however seem to hold their ground 
 and have concentrated themselves principally about 
 Chrico Mola, the rivers Coco, Beling (or Beth- 
 elem of the Spaniards) and some other streams 
 the sources of which are very little known. 
 
 By the time the traders returned the season af 
 ter I settled at Chrico Mola, the produce of my 
 exertions was upwards of nine thousand pounds 
 weight of good sarsaparilla, besides cocoa, and a 
 considerable quantity of tortoise shell, and other 
 valuable produce. My reasons for finally leaving 
 that station will be hereafter explained ; and should 
 any new trader shortly visit that part of the world, 
 I can recommend my friend, the native trader, 
 Whykee Tarra, to him, as a faithful and honest 
 assistant. 
 
83 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 RIO DEL ORO GOLD MINE RIVER BELEM 
 
 LEAVE CHIRIQUI AND BOCO DEL TORO TIRIBEE 
 
 INDIANS BLANCOS TRADE AT SALT CREEK 
 
 MATINA CARTAGO DREADFUL EARTH 
 QUAKE TURTLE BIGHT NATURAL HISTORY 
 
 RIO COLORADO RIVER AND HARBOUR OF 
 
 SAN JUAN INDIAN RIVER VANILLA PLANT 
 
 RAMA INDIANS AND RIVER BLUEFIELDS 
 
 LAGOON FORMER ENGLISH SETTLEMENTS 
 
 BLUEFIELDS RIVER COOKRA AND WOOLWA 
 
 INDIANS. 
 
 DURING one of the turtle fishing seasons, I fitted 
 out a large canoe ; loaded her with goods to the 
 value of about three hundred pounds, and, taking 
 two stout lads to assist me, I visited several places 
 on the coast of the Province of Veragua ; calling 
 at Cocoa Plum Point, and the small island Escuda 
 Veragua off the river of that name, both places 
 much frequented for turtle. From thence I went 
 over to the entrance of the Rio del Oro, the last 
 Spanish settlement on the coast in the above named 
 province, where I found a party of four people 
 stationed for the purpose of apprising the Spanish 
 
84 GOLD MINE. 
 
 merchants at La Concepcion, a town in the inte 
 rior, of the arrival of any trading vessel on the 1 
 coast. Here, alsf), I met with two Spanish Cre 
 oles, from whom I procured, in payment of goods, 
 several ounces of gold dust. These people rather 
 hurriedly left me, under pretence of going up the 
 river to a gold mine, for the purpose of bringing 
 down more dust, with some of their companions, 
 who, as they said, wrought at the mine four days 
 in the week, for their employer, and the remaining 
 two days for their own benefit ; but, being too 
 weak to protect myself, against any body of men, 
 however small, and suspecting treachery, I con 
 sidered it imprudent to wait their return. 
 
 The information I then and subsequently, ob 
 tained, was, that this valuable mine had, some time 
 ago, been discovered, about thirty miles up the 
 river ; and that the patriot commanders at Old 
 Providence, hearing that its proprietor, Don Juan 
 Lopez, occasionally sold gold to the Jamaica and 
 other traders, to the amount of three or four thou 
 sand dollars at one time, determined upon plun 
 dering him, and sent a vessel for the purpose, 
 from that island. 
 
 Lopez got notice of their approach in time to 
 escape, with his people and treasure, into the 
 woods. These patriots, or pirates, abandoned the 
 place after murdering, in cold blood, a faithful old 
 negro who had given the alarm, and this attempt 
 so frightened the Spaniards, that the workmen de- 
 gerted, and the mine was some time abandoned. 
 Lopez had since procured fresh workmen from Pa 
 nama ; and at the time of my visit to the coast, 
 the mine was again wrought, although in a very 
 bungling manner. The fellows from whom I pro- 
 
RIVER BELEM. 85 
 
 cured the gold dust were without shirts or breeches ; 
 their only clothing was a piece of blue cotton 
 cloth, in which the gold was concealed, round their 
 loins. 
 
 It is doubtful whether the former Spanish au 
 thorities knew any tiling of the situation of this 
 mine ; which, in its present unprotected state can, 
 at any time, be plundered by the Valiente In 
 dians, or even by the crew of any common pirati 
 cal vessel. 
 
 At the river Belen, or Belem, where, in the 
 year fifteen hundred and two, Columbus was pre 
 vented, by the outrageous opposition of the natives 
 and the turbulent disposition of his followers, from 
 fixing a colony, I procured tortoise-shell from 
 two Spaniards, who with their wives and families 
 were residing there. 
 
 The river is large, and wide at its entrance ; 
 but being open to the north-west, it is barred up 
 with more than four feet water at its mouth. The 
 country, on each side of the river, appeared to be 
 very fertile, and abounding in provisions, and o- 
 ther natural products of the soil. From thence I 
 proceeded to Codec, a river of a similar descrip 
 tion, where I found a guard of Spaniards, who, 
 after having bartered the tortoise-shell which they 
 had collected, paid for the remainder of my goods 
 in cash. These people always appeared glad to 
 see me, and pressed me to renew my visits, and 
 continue to trade with them. 
 
 The whole of the coast, from Chiriqui to Cha- 
 
 gre, is destitute of harbours for large vessels, the 
 
 mouths of the rivers being completely exposed to 
 
 the heavy seas which roll in from the north, north- 
 
 G 3 
 
86 THE TIRIBEES. 
 
 west, and north-east, are completely barred up ; 
 and, having only a very few feet water at their en 
 trances, they are totally unfit for navigation. 
 
 This short trip was a very profitable one, and 
 only occupied three or four days. As I could 
 have disposed of double the quantity of goods, I 
 was encouraged to undertake similar voyages, in 
 larger canoes, and on a regular plan, along the 
 whole coast of the Mosquito Shore ; and, for the 
 purpose of procuring such canoes, I embraced the 
 opportunity of accompanying a trader returning 
 along that coast in a convenient vessel. 
 
 After leaving Boco del Toro, we visited the 
 principal river of the Tiribees, a tribe of Indians 
 who, at the instigation of the Mosquito king, are 
 constantly at war with the Blancas and Talaman- 
 cas, tribes in the interior, whom they hunt like 
 wild beasts, and no emotions of pity prompt them 
 to spare the aged of either sex : the young only 
 are saved, and sold as slaves to the principalchiefs 
 of the Mosquito nation. These Tiribees inhabit 
 the country from the entrance of Boco del Toro 
 Lagoon, to the river Banana ; a small bay to the 
 northward of which may be considered the boun 
 dary between them, and the two tribes above men 
 tioned. These Blancas and Talamancas frequent 
 the coast from thence to Salt Creek, for the pur 
 poses of hunting and fishing during the season, but 
 have no permanent habitations on the shore. 
 
 The Tiribees are, as yet, far behind the Valien- 
 tes and San Bias men, in point of civilization ; 
 but notwithstanding the inhuman, and selfish 
 policy of the Mosquito men, in encouraging their 
 savage habits, they manifest a strong disposition to 
 follow the example of the more civilized Indians 
 
THE TIRIBEES. 87 
 
 who have intercourse with the British. It is only 
 of late years that they have heen drawn from their 
 native mountains, by the example of the success 
 ful industry of the Valientes and others, to watch 
 the hays for turtle, and collect sarsaparilla for the 
 purposes of traffic. They are for the most part 
 entirely in a state of nature, except some of the 
 old people, who clothe themselves with the hark 
 cloth formerly described, or the spathes of a par 
 ticular species of palm-tree. They preserve, as 
 trophies, and decorate their huts, with the skulls of 
 their enemies ; and every Tirihee who has van 
 quished a foe, perforates the centre of the under 
 lip with a peculiar sort of white thorn, or fish 
 bone about the size of a pin, adding a fresh one 
 for every enemy they put to death ; and I have 
 seen some of the chief men with twenty, or thirty 
 of these pins, their lips presenting the appearance 
 of an inverted comb. They pressed me much to 
 remain among them, and stated that their country 
 abounded in vanilloes and sarsaparilla, of which, 
 they offered to collect any quantity I might re 
 quire. 
 
 If the baneful influence exercised by the Mos 
 quito chiefs over these poor people was put an end 
 to, it would add to the general happiness of them 
 selves and the neighbouring tribes ; and would 
 tend greatly to their advancement in civilization. 
 The hatred which all these Indians bear to the 
 Spaniards, has prevented the Roman Catholic 
 missionaries from penetrating their country ; but 
 I feel convinced that zealous and sensible mis 
 sionaries, from England, would here find an am 
 ple field for their exertions, in a delightful coun 
 try, among people who manifest the strongest de- 
 
$8 THE BLANCOS. 
 
 sire to promote an intercourse with the British. 
 It is to be hoped that wl]en these Indians become 
 better known, their wants and desires will be at 
 tended to by those who have at heart the welfare 
 of the human race. 
 
 From the Tiribee River to Monkey Point (Pun- 
 ta Chica) the last headland in the province of 
 of Ve-ragua, the distance is not more than eight 
 or ten miles ; it is easily known by a remarkably 
 bluff rocky islet, distant only a few yards from the 
 Mainland, from which it has the appearance of 
 having been separated by some convulsion of na 
 ture. The islet itself is perforated in a remark 
 able manner through the middle in the shape of a 
 high imperfect arch, under which there is room 
 for a large boat to pass. A few people from the 
 Corn Islands, under the direction of a Mr Forbes, 
 have been induced to settle here : they live on 
 friendly terms with the Tiribees, whose country 
 is fertile, and as the coast is excellent for turtleing, 
 it is to be hoped that, in many respects, they may 
 do much good in civilizing the tribes in the neigh- 
 
 uring country. 
 
 The Rio Culebras, or Snake River, is consider 
 ed the boundary between the province of Veragua, 
 and Costa Rica; and, to the northward of this 
 river, the Blancas, who are believed to be the fair 
 est Indians in South America, sometimes repair, 
 in large parties, for the purposes of hunting and 
 fishing. They are a mild race, extremely shy, and 
 obliged to be constantly on their guard against 
 their enemies, the Tiribees and others, who on 
 one occasion, when I was at Chiriqui Lagoon, fit 
 ted out, at the instigation of the Mosquito Admi 
 ral, ten large canoes on a kidnapping expedition 
 
SALT CREEK. 89 
 
 against them ; but, after being absent several weeks, 
 they returned, fortunately without having made a 
 single captive. 
 
 Having on our passage kept close to the shore, 
 we saw a party of these Blancos, who had con 
 structed a hut on the sandy bay between Snake 
 River and Grape Kay. We pulled through the 
 surf, and landed opposite to their hut ; but, the 
 instant we were perceived, they fled into the 
 woods ; leaving a considerable quantity of dried 
 warree, peccary, and turtle meat, with which we 
 did not interfere. I left a few beads, looking- 
 glasses, fish-hooks, and other trifles which, to 
 them, would appear valuable in a conspicuous 
 part of the hut. 
 
 Between Matina and Monkey Point, the coun 
 try, which is thinly inhabited, presents a beautiful 
 appearance of hill and vale, well watered, but des 
 titute of good harbours and headlands. The fol 
 lowing are the names of rivers and places in this 
 tract, viz. Rio Quemado, Point Caneta, De las 
 Doraces, De Dios, Banana, Blanco Point, San An 
 tonio, Lime Bight, Grape Kay, Salt Creek, and 
 the small open roadstead of El Portete. The Blan 
 cos are said to have admitted Roman Catholic mis 
 sionaries among them, who are supposed to pre 
 vent any intercourse with the traders ; and to have 
 assisted in bringing upon these Indians, the enmity 
 of their neighbours, who hate the Spanish name. 
 
 Salt Creek is about twelve miles from Matina, 
 which, with the small harbour of El Portete, may 
 be called the sea-port of Cartago ; the bay oppo 
 site to Matina River being nothing more than a 
 wild open roadstead, where it is almost impossible 
 
90 CARTAGO. 
 
 to land in an European boat : Salt Creek may be 
 distinguished by several small islands lying off the 
 point of land at the south end of the bay, from 
 which it is not more than five or six miles distant. 
 This is the principal resort of the contraband tra 
 ders, when their cargoes cannot be landed at Ma- 
 tina River. That river has its source more than 
 eighty miles in the interior ; and it is joined, at 
 about thirty miles from its mouth, by a tributary 
 river, where the Spaniards have a fort, named Cas 
 tillo de Austria ; from whence, for about eight 
 leagues, there is a road to an Embarcadero, or car 
 rying place, about twelve miles from Salt Creek. 
 The Americans from the United States, have re 
 gularly, but secretly, visited this port every sea 
 son for the last ten years ; one house in New 
 York annually sends three or four fast sailing 
 schooners to their agent, a Mr Smith, at Salt 
 Creek, who disposes of the cargo, and collects the 
 proceeds, during the time schooners are running 
 down the coast, trading with the Indians for tor 
 toise-shell, copal and other gums, sarsaparilla, tas- 
 sao, &c. This business is extremely lucrative to 
 the Americans ; who are enabled to dispose of a 
 considerable quantity of Indian goods at such prices, 
 as prevent the Jamaica traders from effectually 
 competing with them. * 
 
 The city of Cartago is the capital of the pro 
 vince of Costa Rica ; its estimated population, in 
 1823, was thirty-seven thousand, seven hundred 
 and sixteen souls ; but, about two years after that 
 period, it was nearly destroyed by a tremendous 
 earthquake, which shook the whole Isthmus of 
 
 * A list of goods adapted to this trade, and that of the 
 whole coast, will be found iu the Appendix. 
 
EARTHQUAKE. 91 
 
 Darien. On the night that this event took place, 
 I was in an Indian house at Monkey Point, and 
 had an opportunity of witnessing its effect on that 
 part of the coast. About the middle of the night 
 in question, I found the frame of the wicker bed 
 stead on which I slept, shaken with very great vio 
 lence ; supposing that it was either my companion 
 (one of the traders), or some of my Indian friends 
 who wished to frighten, or awaken me suddenly, 
 I rather angrily demanded, whether they meant to 
 shake me to pieces ? In a few seconds, however, 
 the screams of the women, and the cries of the 
 men, in the adjoining huts ; together with the 
 rolling motion of the earth, which was twisting 
 the hut in all directions, put an end to my suspense. 
 I instantly ran out of the place to the open air ; 
 and, although scarcely able to keep upon my feet 
 from the rolling and trembling motions of the earth, 
 I observed such a scene as will never to the last 
 hour of my existence be erased from my memory. 
 The ground under our feet seemed to heave con 
 vulsively, as if ready to open and swallow us, pro 
 ducing a low terrific sound ; the trees, within a 
 short distance of the huts, were so violently shaken 
 from their upright position, that their branches 
 were crashing, and their trunks grinding against 
 each other, with a groaning sound ; the domestic 
 fowls, the parrots, macaws, pigeons, and other 
 birds, were flying about and against each other, 
 in amazement, screaming in their loudest and 
 harshest tones : the shrieks of the monkeys, and 
 the bowlings of the beasts of the forest, which 
 seemed as if approaching near us for protection, 
 were mingled with the cries of the terrified In 
 dians, and their domestic animals, every living 
 
EARTHQUAKE. 
 
 creature seeming to be overwhelmed with dismay. 
 Although I had often contended with hurricanes, 
 and storms at sea, I was utterly confounded by 
 this unnatural scene, and it was some moments 
 before I could rally my faculties sufficiently to 
 think what should be done for my own preserva 
 tion : considering that the greatest danger would 
 be in the event of the sea rising so high as to 
 sweep the beach, I hastily roused my stupified 
 companion ; and, hurrying to our small vessel got 
 her shoved off from the shore, considering that 
 she, at all events, would likely keep afloat ; and 
 we awaited the result, with fear and trembling. 
 The shocks gradually became less violent ; and, 
 towards daybreak, had entirely subsided. No 
 lives were lost here, or at the other Indian settle 
 ments, in the neighbourhood, but the ground ap 
 peared rent in various places, the sand on the 
 beach was either raised in ridges, or depressed in 
 furrows ; a place, which in the evening had been 
 a small lagoon, or pond, in which several canoes 
 were floating, was now become quite dry; most of 
 the huts were violently cracked and twisted ; and 
 the effects, of the earthquake, were everywhere 
 visible. The Mosquito men, who were at this 
 season on the coast, were so terrified, and over 
 whelmed with superstitious dread, that they aban 
 doned the turtle fishery, and returned home before 
 the season was half finished. * 
 
 * The only persons in the neighbourhood not frighten 
 ed by this event, were a trader, and some of his Indian 
 friends, who were so intoxicated at the time it happened, 
 that, until next morning, they were not aware that any 
 extraordinary occurrence had taken place. They had a 
 confused recollection that a puncheon of rum, which was 
 
TURTLE BIGHT. 93 
 
 The mountain of Cartago is an active volcano, 
 situated far back in the interior ; it frequently 
 emits fire and smoke, and is an excellent land 
 mark to navigators being seen, in sailing along 
 the coast, at an immense distance. 
 
 From Matina, in proceeding along the shore, we 
 meet with the two rivers Vasquez, and Azuelos ; 
 and to the northward of these, the Boca de la 
 Portuga, or Turtle Bight : at this place hundreds 
 of the finest turtle are killed annually, merely for 
 the sake of their manteca or fat, which is melted 
 into oil, and used by the Indians, and others on 
 the Mosquito Shore, as a substitute for butter. 
 Most of the fishermen on their return from the 
 southwards towards home, stop at this place for 
 the purpose of procuring this oil, and turtles eggs ; 
 which latter are dried in the sun to preserve them : 
 and in this way many thousands of turtle are 
 annually destroyed or prevented from coming to 
 maturity. 
 
 During the months of April, May, June and 
 July, the green turtle comes from various kays, 
 and places a great many leagues distant, to several 
 parts of the Mosquito Shore, especially to the sandy 
 beaches in the vicinity of Turtle Bogue, to deposit 
 their eggs. At this season, the sea is covered 
 with what the fishermen call thimbles a small 
 blubber fish, in shape not unlike a tailor s thim 
 ble ; these, and a peculiar sort of grass growing at 
 the bottom of the sea, is their principal food. It 
 is to be observed that the turtle have large lungs, 
 
 in the hut, could not be kept from rolling on the floor; 
 but whether some person was trying to steal it from them, 
 or it was endeavouring to run away of its own accord, 
 they could not, at the time, dclennine. "7 : 
 
94 TURTLE BIGHT. 
 
 and cannot go deeper in the water than five or six 
 fathoms, being obliged to come frequently to the 
 surface, for the purpose of blowing, as all fish do 
 that have lungs. The male and female remain 
 together about nine days, during which time the 
 female feeds, and keeps in good condition ; but, 
 when they separate, the male is totally exhausted, 
 worthless, and unfit for use as food. Sometime 
 after this season, the female crawls up the sandy 
 beaches, and prepares to lay her eggs ; she makes 
 a circle in the sand until it is fully prepared ; she 
 then digs a hole, about two feet deep, in which 
 she deposits from sixty to eighty, covers them up, 
 and goes off, generally before daybreak ; about 
 the fifteenth night afterwards, she returns, and de 
 posits a similar number, near the same spot. The 
 young turtle come out of the shell in about thirty- 
 two days, and immediately make their way into the 
 sea. Both the hawksbill and loggerhead turtle 
 keep the same season ; but, if a trunk turtle, a 
 species of immense size, and exceedingly fat, is 
 found dead on the beach, neither of them will lay 
 their eggs within a mile of the place, for which 
 reason that kind is never molested. 
 
 The handle of the spear with which the Indians 
 strike the turtle, is made of very hard wood ; the 
 head is a triangular-shaped piece of notched iron, 
 with a sharp point ; a piece of iron is joined to 
 this which slips into a groove at the top of the 
 spear handle, and has a line attached to it which 
 runs through eyes fixed, for that purpose, to the 
 shaft of the spear to which a float is fastened. The 
 Indians, when near enough to strike the turtle, 
 raises the spear above his shoulder, and throws it, 
 in such a manner, that it takes a circular direction 
 
BLACK TIGER. 95 
 
 in the air, and lights, with its point downwards, 
 on the back of the animal, penetrating through 
 the shell, and the point becoming 1 detached from 
 the handle, remains firmly fastened in the creature s 
 body ; the float now shows on the surface of the 
 water which way the turtle has gone ; and lie is 
 easily hunted up, and secured, by means of the 
 line, which has remained attached to the spear 
 head. 
 
 The turtle has many other enemies which de 
 stroy both itself and its eggs ; such as the racoon, 
 squash, fox, &c. The congar or American lion, 
 and a species of black tiger, will also watch the 
 turtle when coming to deposit its eggs, seixe and 
 haul it into the bush, and there, notwithstanding 
 the coat of mail with which it is furnished by na 
 ture destroy it at leisure. 
 
 I may here remark, that in the course of my 
 excursions in the woods, on various parts of the 
 coast I have met with these beasts of prey, and 
 have also seen them at a distance, but they never 
 showed any disposition to attack me. When 
 they did stand at gaze for a minute or two, it 
 appeared more the effect of surprise than of a 
 desire to spring forward or approach me ; and the 
 levelling of my rifle, or a flourish with my cutlass 
 or moscheat, invariably made them steal off. On 
 one occasion an acquaintance had, however, nearly 
 fallen a sacrifice to one of these animals : he was 
 with a friend watching turtle near the beach, but 
 having in the dusk of the evening retired for a few 
 seconds into the bush, a very large tiger, of the 
 black species, approached, unnoticed, to within a 
 very few yards ; fortunately the man s friend disco 
 vered the glaring eyes of the animal, and knowing the 
 
96 KIO COLORADO. 
 
 unguarded position of the other, fired his piece at the 
 animal, which sprung immediately into the bushes. 
 Next morning they traced him by the marks of 
 blood which he had left ; and they found him dead 
 in his lair, with one turtle half devoured, and the 
 shells of another one lying beside him. 
 
 Pursuing our voyage from Turtle Bogue, we 
 come to the Rio Colorado. Its entrance is wide, 
 but there is too little water on the bar to admit 
 ships of any size, otherwise there would be suffi 
 cient depth for that purpose inside. It takes its 
 name from the muddiness of its waters, which dis 
 colour the ocean to a considerable distance ; and, 
 in the rainy season, they may be obtained fresh a 
 long way out at sea. Its entrance may be easily 
 found on the coast, by this discoloration, and by 
 extensive green savannahs on its south bank. 
 
 A communication between it, and the great 
 river de San Juan, (running out of the lake of 
 Nicaragua,) takes place at a distance of about 
 thirty miles from its mouth, by the branch Serapigni. 
 Its course in the interior is nearly parallel to the 
 River San Juan, and is said to be joined by many 
 streams having their sources in the mountains to 
 the southward of the lake of Nicaragua. It enters 
 the ocean about ten miles from the harbour of San 
 Juan ; but, in most charts, it is erroneously laid 
 down at a much greater distance to the south 
 ward. 
 
 The next harbour, viz. that of San Juan de Ni 
 caragua, is unquestionably the best for ships of 
 war, or large vessels, on the whole range of coast 
 between the Boco del Toro, and Cape Gracias 
 a Dios to which latter it is also superior in not 
 being exposed to southerly winds. There is a 
 
THE MAKATEE. 9? 
 
 sufficient depth of water, and room, at the upper 
 part, for fifteen or twenty sail of vessels of the 
 largest class, besides smaller vessels ; which, when 
 there, would he completely land-locked. 
 
 Many of the fishermen, Indians and others, on 
 their return from the southern fishing grounds, 
 call in this neighbourhood, for the purpose of tak 
 ing manatees, which are very plenty in the river, 
 and in a creek at the upper end of the harbour. 
 Hundreds of these fishermen remain to cure the 
 meat, on the low sandy point, at the entrance of 
 the harbour, without being molested by the Spa 
 niards. This singular creature may be consider 
 ed the connecting link between quadrupeds and 
 fishes ; it retains the fore-feet, or rather hands, of 
 the former, with the tail of the latter spreading 
 out in a horizontal direction like a large fan. Be 
 neath the skin, which is uncommonly hard and 
 thick, there is a deep layer of very sweet fat. The 
 meat in its thickest parts, lias the singular pro 
 perty of being streaked throughout with alternate 
 layers of fat and lean, being most excellent food. 
 Persons subject to be afflicted with scorbutic, or 
 scrofulous complaints, find speedy relief ; by using 
 it freely, their blood is said to become purified, 
 and the virulence of the complaint is thrown to the 
 surface of the body, and quickly disappears. The 
 manatee is extremely acute in its sense of hearing, 
 and immerges itself in the water on the slightest 
 noise ; it feeds on long shoots of tender grass 
 growing on the banks of the rivers, and will rise 
 nearly two-thirds of its length out of the water to 
 reach its food ; it is found only in the most soli 
 tary, and least frequented creeks, and rivers ; the 
 H 
 
98 RIO TRIGO. 
 
 male and female are generally together ; their com 
 mon length is from eight to twelve feet, and it 
 weighs from five to eight hundred pounds weight : 
 some of them are however much larger, weighing 
 from twelve even to fifteen hundred weight. The 
 Indians generally steal upon them early in the 
 morning when they are feeding, and kill them with 
 a harpoon ; but, if the least noise is made in ap 
 proaching, they immediately sink, and escape. 
 
 From the Rio de San Juan to Point de Gordo, 
 a distance of between thirty and forty miles, the 
 coast forms a large bay, into which flows the Rio 
 Trigo, (Corn River), Indian River, and several 
 smaller streams, some of which, in most of the 
 charts of JefFeries, Lawrie, and Arrowsmith, are 
 erroneously laid down as having communication, 
 in the interior, with the River San Juan ; for, al 
 though I have heard it reported on the coast that 
 such a communication by Indian River does ex 
 ist, I never could trace the report to any au 
 thentic source ; neither in the passage up and 
 down the Rio San Juan, could I discover such a 
 communication. Between Corn River and Point de 
 Gordo, is Grindstone Bay, with anchorage in from 
 four to five fathoms water. At a short distance 
 from the coast the country here rises considerably ; 
 and, from the neighbourhood of San Juan to Blue- 
 fields, it is occupied by the Rama Indians, whose 
 principal settlement is at Rama River, or Rio de 
 Punta Gorda, a noble stream, which is said to 
 have a course of about eighty miles, or upwards, 
 from the interior, through a fertile country, and 
 passing between two mountainous ridges at a 
 short distance from the sea-shore. Its mouth 
 may be known by a remarkably high, round, bur- 
 
VANILLA. 99 
 
 ren islet, laying about four miles distant off its 
 entrance. The bay is shallow, but there is good 
 anchorage under the lee side of Monkey Point, 
 about four miles farther to the northward, a place 
 which may be distinguished by its having several 
 small islands and kays in its vicinity. 
 
 The country from San Juan River to this point 
 abounds in vanilla * of the finest quality. This 
 plant climbs with ease to the top of the highest 
 tree. At a distance the leaves slightly resemble 
 those of the vine ; the flowers are of a white 
 colour, intermixed with red and yellow, when 
 these fall off, they are quickly succeeded by the 
 pods, growing in bunches not unlike the plantain, 
 and generally of the thickness of a child s finger. 
 The pods are green at first, grow yellow, and 
 finally brown ; the method used to preserve the 
 fruit, is to gather it when yellow, before the pods 
 begin to open or burst it is then laid in small 
 heaps for the space of three or four days to fer 
 ment. The fruit is afterwards spread in the sun 
 to dry ; and when about half dried, flattened with 
 the hand, and rubbed over with cocoa, palm, or 
 other oil : it is once more exposed to the sun, to 
 be fully dried, rubbed over with oil a second time, 
 put in small parcels, and closely covered over 
 with the dried leaves of the plantain or Indian 
 reed. Care is taken not to allow the pods to re 
 main upon the stalks too long before they are 
 pulled, as, in that case, they transude a black 
 fragrant balsam, which carries off both the smell 
 and delicate flavour for which alone they are 
 valued. The vanilla plant is also found on most 
 
 * Vanilla aromatica (Epidendrum vanilla of Linn.) 
 
100 RAMA INDIANS. 
 
 parts of the Mosquito Shore, and in the neigh 
 bourhood of Breo del Rero and Chiriqui Lagoons ; 
 it requires heat, moisture, and shade, to bring it to 
 perfection, and when used in that state it gives a 
 most delicious flavour to coffee, chocolate, &c., 
 forming an important article of commerce, espe 
 cially among the Spaniards. In the neighbour 
 hood of the Lagoons and places last mentioned, a 
 very fragrant bean, resembling, if not in reality, the 
 true Tonquin bean, is also found. * 
 
 The Kama Indians were formerly numerous, 
 but, at present, do not exceed five hundred ; they 
 are under subjection to the Mosquito King, to 
 whom they pay an annual tax in tortoise-shell, 
 canoes, hammocks, and cotton lines. The Kamas 
 are considered mild, and inoffensive ; they have 
 little intercourse with other Indians ; and, during 
 the fishing season, seldom go to the southward of 
 Matina ; they are more expert in the management 
 of canoes and other boats, than the Mosquito men, 
 and will effect a landing in their barks, where the 
 best European boats would meet certain destruc 
 tion : their canoes and dories, are much broader, 
 and shallower, than those generally used on the 
 coast ; they are also much more buoyant, and bet 
 ter adapted for landing in a heavy surf, or for 
 crossing the bars of rivers. The Hamas, when 
 engaged by the English settlers, have always 
 proved very faithful servants. The source of the 
 Rama River, is unknown to the settlers at Blue- 
 fields ; but some of them have examined it for sixty 
 
 * We have been assured that the bean alluded to is the 
 true Jtaryosmo Tonga of Gecrtner possessing the same 
 flavour and other (jiialitics as that brought from the East. 
 Edit. 
 
BLUEFIELDS LAGOON. 101 
 
 or seventy miles, and assert that it runs through a 
 country rather level, but having an appearance of 
 very great fertility, and abounding in mahogany , 
 locust, santa maria, and other valuable timber. 
 
 The several small kays and islets, which lay 
 off this part of the coast, and that of Bluefields, 
 are, like many places already noticed, much fre 
 quented by the Indians from all parts during the 
 season for hawksbill turtle. 
 
 Bluefields is the next place of importance on 
 the coast, and is said to derive its name from a 
 celebrated English Captain of Buccaniers in the 
 seventeenth century. For trading vessels of an 
 easy draught of water, the upper lagoon is per 
 haps superior to any other harbour on the Mos 
 quito Shore, being completely sheltered from all 
 winds. There are two entrances ; that to the 
 southward, through Hone Sound, is very difficult, 
 and dangerous even for small craft ; the bar being 
 generally covered with breakers, and having only 
 tour to five feet water : but, the principal and 
 only one for ships, is to the northward, close to 
 the Bluff, a high rocky eminence, capable of being 
 easily fortified, completely commanding the en 
 trance, upon the bar of which, extending across 
 to Deer Island, there is never less, but sometimes 
 more, than fifteen feet water. After passing this 
 bar, there is from four to six fathoms water. Close 
 to the shore it continues deep, but it gradually 
 shallows to three, and three and a half fathoms, 
 which is the general depth throughout the upper 
 and lower Lagoons. There are many banks, and 
 shoals, about the entrances, but none of them dan 
 gerously situated for shipping ; many of them are 
 H 2 
 
102 COLONEL HODGSON. 
 
 dry at low water, and abundance of fine oysters 
 can then easily be procured. The Lower Lagoon 
 is full of small kays, or islets, and is from fifteen 
 to twenty miles in length, having sufficient depth 
 of water for vessels of considerable burthen, but 
 the channels are intricate, and only known to the 
 settlers at Bluefields. 
 
 The Upper Lagoon, which is a continuation of 
 the Lower, is not more than a mile broad at its en 
 trance, but its width, farther up, increases to five 
 or six miles ; and, into it, the great river of Nueva 
 Segovia of the Spaniards, and several smaller ones, 
 empty themselves. 
 
 The lands bordering on all these rivers are ex 
 tremely rich and fertile, capable of growing cot 
 ton, cocoa, coffee, sugar, and all the different kinds 
 of produce raised in the British West Indies. The 
 forests abound in cedar of the largest description, 
 mahogany, and many other valuable woods. 
 
 The pine Savannahs, bordering on Bluefields, 
 and pearl kay lagoons, can furnish an inexhaust 
 ible supply of the veiy finest pitch pine timber, 
 some of it fit for the largest masts. 
 
 Colonel Hodgson, the British Superintendant, 
 resided at this place for a number of years, dur 
 ing the time the English held possession of 
 the Mosquito Shore, and he had extensive ma 
 hogany works on the banks of the principal ri 
 ver, and a very considerable trade was carried on 
 with the Spaniards and Creoles in the interior. 
 This active and intelligent gentleman, had also ex 
 tensive grants of land at Black Kiver, and left the 
 Mosquito Shore with much regret, at the time 
 when the extraordinary policy of the British Go 
 vernment compelled their settlers to abandon that 
 
BLUEFIELDS RIVER. 103 
 
 country in the year 1786. He spent a great por 
 tion of his life on this coast ; * and the old In- 
 dians still speak of their former Governor, with 
 respect, and marks of regret, that no accredited 
 person now resides among them. 
 
 Previous to his leaving Bluefields, several of his 
 slaves and people who were established in the in 
 terior, refused to leave the place. These people 
 and their descendants, who are Mulattoes and 
 Samboes, are settled at the southernmost extre 
 mity of the harbour, about nine miles from its 
 principal entrance, and they have considerably in 
 creased in numbers since Colonel Hodgson s time. 
 They live without fear of molestation from the 
 Indians, none of whom reside within many miles 
 of them ; and, although it is not acknowledged as 
 such by the British Government, it may be truly 
 considered a British settlement. It is principally 
 under the influence of two intelligent young men, 
 who claim affinity to the late superintendent. The 
 river of Bluefields, or Rio de Nuevo Segovia, rises 
 in the country possessed by the Spaniards, within 
 fifty or sixty miles of the South Sea, and has a 
 course of several hundred miles ; but few of the 
 present people at Bluefields have ascended its 
 course to any great height. The Cookra and 
 Woolwa tribes of Indians, who are settled on its 
 banks, at a considerable distance in the interior, 
 are a quiet peaceable race of people, on good terms 
 with the Hamas, and the people at Bluefields La 
 goons. They possess very little energy, and are 
 often enslaved, or murdered, by the Indians resi- 
 
 * Sec " Some Account of the Mosquito Territory, &c. 
 from the original manuscripts of the late Colonel Robert 
 Hodgson, " 2d Edition. Edinburgh, 1822. 
 
104 BLUEFIELDS HARBOUR. 
 
 dent about Great River, whom I shall afterwards 
 have occasion to notice. 
 
 These Indians occasionally descend the river, 
 to the settlements at Bluefields, bringing peccary, 
 warree, iguanas, and other provisions. 
 
 Bluefields, with its excellent harbour, protected 
 by a rocky, bluff point, capable of being made al 
 most impregnable, is in an excellent situation for 
 opening a communication across the country to 
 the Lakes of Nicaragua, and possesses such other 
 advantages as a commercial station, that, sooner 
 or later, it must become a place of very consider 
 able importance. 
 
105 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 PEARL KAYS AND LAGOON OYSTERS EURO 
 PEAN SETTLERS STORES TRADERSCLIMATE, 
 
 PRODUCE RIO GRANDE, OR PRINZAPULKO 
 
 INDIANS AND CHIEF MEN PINE SAVANNAHS 
 
 MACAWS SOIL HORSES IRON CAPTIVE 
 
 INDIAN BOY CRUEL EXPEDITIONS AGAINST 
 
 THE COOKRAS PRINZAPULKO RIVER AND IN 
 DIANS CONTRACTS WITH THE WOOLWAS 
 
 TONGULAS CAPTAIN TARRA BROWN RE 
 TURN TO PEARL KAY LAGOON. 
 
 FROM Bluefields, to Pearl Kay Lagoon, the dis 
 tance is about thirty miles : a moderately elevated 
 headland, named False Bluefields, is the only high 
 land on the coast, until we reach Brangmans, or 
 Branckmans Bluff, called by the Spaniards Monte 
 Gordo ; it consists of three or four moderately 
 high hills, of a light red colour, rising almost per 
 pendicularly from the beach ; they are composed 
 of stiff clay, and extend along the shore for nearly 
 two miles, falling off at each end with a gentle 
 slope terminating in the savannah. About half a 
 
106 PEARL KAYS. 
 
 mile to the southward of the bluff, tliere is good 
 anchorage. The soil in the neighbourhood of the 
 bluft is sandy, yet covered with verdure ; and 
 tliere are several tall pine trees close to them, 
 under the shade of which, a " king s house," si 
 milar to those before mentioned, had been erected 
 for the convenience of travellers, there being now 
 no Indian resident here, although at one time there 
 was a small British settlement near it. 
 
 The entrance to Pearl Kay Lagoon is little 
 more than a quarter of a mile in width, and is at 
 the bottom, or south end of the bay, over a bar, 
 on which there is about ten feet water. The 
 safest anchorage for vessels is under the north 
 side, off which, there are several small islands, 
 kays, and reefs, on which pearl oysters are said to 
 have been found. Moreover, these places are 
 called the Pearl Kays, but, for what reason, I 
 never could ascertain, as there is certainly no pearl 
 oysters, or oysters of any kind that I could dis 
 cover, upon them, or on the reefs by which they 
 are surrounded ; although, in the Lagoon, there 
 are abundance of good oysters, on banks, many 
 of which are dry at low water. These oysters are 
 in bunches of about eight or ten in each bunch ; 
 they are rather larger than the mangrove oyster, 
 but of a different kind from those in the Bay of 
 Panama, and other places producing pearls. I 
 have frequently examined the oysters found in the 
 Lagoon, but never could discover pearls in any of 
 them ; and I mention this more particularly, be 
 cause, since my return to England, I found, that 
 these reports, and the blind zeal of certain igno 
 rant speculators, had induced one of the compa- 
 
EUROPEAN SETTLERS. 107 
 
 nies recently formed in London for Foreign Ad 
 venture, to determine on sending a vessel, which 
 was in fact ready to depart, to this quarter to fish 
 for pearls ; but, on informing them of the truth, 
 they altered her destination. 
 
 There are several islands in Pearl Kay Lagoon, 
 some of them from one to three miles in circum 
 ference ; and, in some instances, they are used 
 for raising ground provisions. Several rivers 
 and considerable streams fall into it, the principal 
 of which is Wawashaan, about twenty-five miles 
 to the northward of the entrance. On the banks 
 of the Wawashaan, about eleven miles from the 
 place where it discharges itself, Mr Ellis, a French ) J 
 gentleman, has established a very neat plantation. 
 When the island of San Andres, off this coast, 
 was given up to the Spaniards, he was Governor 
 there ; and he, with Mr Goffe, their families, and 
 followers, retired to the present settlement, where 
 they justly considered themselves perfectly safe 
 from the Spaniards, and, having obtained a grant 
 of land from one of the late kings of the Mosquito 
 Shore, they proceeded to cultivate it. By his own 
 exertions, and the aid of about twenty negroes, 
 men, women, and children, Mr Ellis has succeed 
 ed in establishing a plantation of coffee, cotton, / . 
 and sugar-cane, that for beauty and regularity, 
 may vie with any of the same extent in the island I 
 of Jamaica. His attention was first directed to 
 the cultivation of coffee and cotton ; but finding 
 that rum would be a more profitable article, he, 
 about eight years ago, commenced its distillation ; 
 and, when I left the coast, he was in the habit of 
 retailing twenty or thirty puncheons annually, at 
 
108 SETTLERS AT 
 
 an immense profit. Mr Goflfe, whose settlement 
 is at Jupiter s Head, or Old Bank, a few miles from 
 Wawashaan, and near the Lagoon, has turned his 
 attention more to the raising of stock, arid culti 
 vation of ground provisions. He has a great num- 
 her of bullocks^ hogs, goats, and poultry of all 
 kinds; with abundance of yams, cassava, plan 
 tains, and Indian corn, which he sells to the traders, 
 settlers, and occasional visitors. Mr Ellis may, 
 however, be said to be the only planter on the 
 whole coast, according to the West Indian accep 
 tation of the term ; but there are many situations 
 which, in point of soil, and other local advantages, 
 are far preferable to the one he occupies. 
 
 There are few settlements of Mosquito Indians, 
 and Samboes, at Kirkaville and Rigmans Bank, on 
 the borders of the Lagoon ; but the principal set 
 tlement, is at a place, about six miles to the south 
 ward of the entrance, and being composed of peo 
 ple similar to those at Bluefields, it may also be 
 considered an English settlement. The people 
 are principally Creoles, Mulattoes, and Samboes 
 from Jamaica, San Andres, and the Corn Islands ; 
 many of them have married Indian women, and, 
 every tiling considered, they live in a very com 
 fortable manner. Their place of residence, con 
 sisting of thirty or forty houses, is called English 
 Bank, and faces the shore of the Lagoon. The 
 population may be about one hundred and fifty or 
 two hundred souls, living in very neat compact 
 houses of one story high, the sides for the most 
 part made of clay, beaten down hard into a frame 
 work of lath and hardwood posts, and roofed 
 with a durable species of palm leaf. The Jamaica 
 
ENGLISH BANK. 109 
 
 traders have established two stores for the sale of 
 goods among them, and there is also one supplied 
 from the United States ; the agents in charge of 
 these stores constantly reside at English Bank, 
 and are visited by different tribes of Indians, and 
 by Mosquito-men, from all parts of the coast ; 
 bringing tortoise-shell, gum copal, caouch one, &c. ; 
 skins, paddles, canoes, and various articles to bar 
 ter for duck, check, cutlass blades, and other goods 
 adapted for the Indian trade. The inhabitants em 
 ploy themselves in turtleing during the season, and 
 in raising provisions, hunting, and fishing, during 
 the remainder of the year. They maintain a 
 friendly correspondence with the regular Indians ; 
 are, in general, fair and honourable in their deal 
 ings with them, and with each other, and are truly 
 hospitable to those Europeans or other strangers 
 who happen to come amongst them. They are 
 however without any religious instruction, and I 
 have again to lament that no missionary has hi 
 therto visited this part of the coast ; where, al 
 though he might, at first, meet with a little occa 
 sional opposition from the visiting traders, he 
 would ultimately do much good ; and I may ven 
 ture, at all events, to affirm, that he would not 
 meet with that discouragement, which has lately 
 been experienced by his brethren in the more 
 civilized colonies of Barbadoes and Demerara. 
 
 I never knew an instance of a marriage being 
 celebrated among them, according to the prescrib 
 ed forms of the English, or of any other church ; 
 these engagements are mere tacit agreements, 
 which are sometimes, although rarely, broken by 
 mutual consent. The children here, and at Blue- 
 i 
 
110 TRADERS. 
 
 fields, are in general baptised by tbe captains of 
 trading vessels from Jamaica ; who, on tlieir an 
 nual return to tbe coast, perform this ceremony 
 with any thing but reverence, on all who have 
 been born during their absence ; and many of them 
 are indebted to these men for more than baptism. 
 In proof of this, I could enumerate more than 
 a dozen of acknowledged children, of only two of 
 these captains, who seem to have adopted, without 
 scruple, the Indian idea of polygamy in its fullest 
 extent. By this licentious and immoral conduct 
 they have, however, so identified themselves with 
 the natives, and with some of the principal people 
 on the coast, as to obtain a sort of monopoly in the 
 sale of goods, which it would be difficult for any 
 stranger, not possessed of an intimate knowledge 
 of the Indian character, to shake ; they have also 
 so insinuated themselves into the good graces of 
 the leading men, that their arrival on the coast is 
 hailed with joy by all classes, as the season of 
 festivity, revelry, christening, and licentiousness. 
 Funerals are however conducted with decency 
 and comparative propriety ; Mr Ellis, or one of 
 the agents of the traders, with the old men of the 
 place, generally give their attendance on these solemn 
 occasions. Notwithstanding that they live in this 
 tree manner without fixed laws or religious re 
 straint, they, in absence of the traders, maintain an 
 order and regularity, that would not lose by com 
 parison, with any of the small provincial towns in 
 England. In cases of dispute, a reference to the 
 arbitration of some of the elders, or to their gene 
 ral friend Mr Ellis, decides the matter at once. 
 Mr Ellis has done much good both among the 
 
CLIMATE, PRODUCE, &C. Ill 
 
 mixed residents, and the Indians ; and has, on 
 many occasions, given the strongest proofs of a 
 most kind, and benevolent disposition. In com 
 mon with every person who has visited the settle 
 ment, or resided in its vicinity, I have experienced 
 his attentions ; and have much pleasure in thus ac 
 knowledging the great personal obligations which 
 he thereby conferred upon me. 
 
 During the short time that the British were 
 fixed on this part of the Mosquito Shore, under 
 the superintendancy of Colonel Hodgson, many 
 persons became settlers here ; and, if the British 
 Government had not withdrawn their protection, 
 the vicinity of Pearl Kay Lagoon would now 
 have been covered with flourishing plantations* 
 The climate is good ; and, on the whole, with 
 common care, and a small exertion of industry, 
 the necessaries, and many of the luxuries of life, 
 may be easily procured. The country and La 
 goon abounds in all the kinds of game and fish 
 peculiar to the country and coast. The MosquitcT 
 men, Ramas, and other Indians, hire themselves to 
 the settlers at Bluefields, and Pearl Kay Lagoon, 
 as hunters and strikers of fish, at the rate of four 
 or five dollars a month, paid in goods ; and they 
 always cover the board of their employer with 
 an ample supply of fish, game, and other provi 
 sions ; the Ramas or other pure Indians are al 
 ways preferred, for this purpose, to the mixed 
 breeds. The value of these men, in the capacity 
 above mentioned, was well known to the old Buc- 
 caniers, who had always some of them attached 
 to their expeditions, even as far as the South Sea, 
 to which they were frequently guided, by these 
 Indians, across the continent. 
 
112 RIO GRANDE. 
 
 Pearl Kay Lagoon is of considerable magni 
 tude ; one part of it reaching to within eight 
 miles of Great River, or Rio Grande ; its greatest 
 winding length, from north-east, to south-west, 
 cannot be far short of sixty miles, or its breadth 
 from sixteen to twenty. The Indians, in had wea 
 ther, instead of keeping along the sea-coast, enter 
 Pearl Kay Lagoon by hauling their canoes over 
 the narrow neck of land between it and Bluefields 
 Lagoon ; and, at the upper end of it, they have 
 another haulover of about two hundred yards, into 
 the ocean. 
 
 In many places on the banks of the Lagoon, 
 indigo grows spontaneously, but the richest land 
 is generally to be found on the high ground, and 
 banks of rivers, remote from the coast. 
 
 The Cookras, a tribe of Indians, now nearly 
 extinct, formerly resided on the hanks of some of 
 the rivers falling into this lagoon ; and they had 
 formerly a settlement on the banks of the Wawa- 
 shaan river, but they abandoned it shortly after the 
 arrival of Mr Ellis. Remaining some time at Pearl 
 Kay Lagoon, I proceeded to Rio Grande and Prin- 
 zapulko, (I give the last name according to the 
 pronunciation), being the best places for obtaining 
 the large canoes wanted. 
 
 Rio Grande enters the ocean about thirty miles 
 to the northward of the entrance to Pearl Kay 
 Lagoon ; its entrance being completely exposed to 
 north-east winds, is extremely dangerous ; and, al 
 though it is a noble stream, there is not more than 
 four or five feet water over its bar :- It is said to 
 be navigable for boats, nearly two hundred miles, 
 and its source is totally unknown to the English. 
 
CHIEF MEN. 113 
 
 There are several small islands inside the bar, hut 
 there is no island oft its entrance as stated hy some 
 writers. There are several settlements of Indians 
 on its banks, chiefly within a few miles distance 
 from its entrance ; they are subject to the Mos 
 quito King, to whom they pay tribute ; but, like 
 every other tribe of unmixed Indians, they are dis 
 contented witb the authority assumed over them 
 by the Mosquito men, or Samboes. 
 
 Their headmen, Drummer and Dalbis/two bro 
 thers, possess considerable influence over them, 
 and the other Indians adjoining, on the Prinzapulko 
 and Rio Grande settlements. 
 
 The late Mosquito King had the good policy to 
 bestow the title of " Governor " on Drummer, 
 " Admiral * " on Dalbis, and " Captain " on the 
 headman at Prinzapulko ; the latter being also an 
 Indian of unmixed breed. I proceeded to Go 
 vernor Drummer s settlement, which is about 
 eight miles from the mouth of the river, on one of 
 its branches, close to an extensive and beautiful 
 pine savannah. This house is a large building di 
 vided into three apartments ; close to it, stood 
 a shed for cooking, and other domestic purposes. 
 It is situated on a rising ground, at a short dis 
 tance from the river, and surrounded by twenty or 
 thirty other houses of smaller dimensions. I found 
 it tolerably well furnished with tables, benches, 
 stools, crockery ware, glass, &c. ; and, every thing 
 in and ahout it wore the appearance of a compara 
 tively well regulated, and comfortable abode. Its 
 owner received me with the greatest cordiality, 
 and, sending to make inquiries among his people, 
 soon gave me to understand that I could procure 
 i2 
 
114 PINE SAVANNAHS. 
 
 six such canoes as I wanted, hero, and at a little 
 distance ; and also that he could procure me a 
 quantity of tortoise-shell in short, to use his own 
 words, tli at I should be treated " true English gen 
 tleman fashion. " 
 
 For all this kindness I was in some measure 
 indebted to a few gallons of rum which I had 
 brought, and it was intimated, that I had better 
 rest from the fatigues of the voyage, and leave 
 business until next day. In the meantime, the 
 goods and rum were carefully removed from the 
 dorie to an apartment in the house ; and, in a 
 short time, a repast was served consisting of fish, 
 flesh, fowl, and fruit, which, if properly cooked, 
 would not have disgraced the table of an alderman. 
 In the afternoon I had a long walk into the sa 
 vannah, which is pretty closely covered with de 
 tached clumps of pitch pine trees of all ages and 
 sizes : the trunks of many of them being from 
 sixty to eighty feet in height, without a branch, 
 the greater part of considerable girth, and per 
 fectly straight. Toward sunset, innumerable 
 flights of macaws, and parrots were seen coming 
 from all quarters, to roost in these trees near the 
 houses ; and, the continued noise, made at this 
 time, and at their departure in the morning, gave 
 no bad idea of an English rookery : they are fond 
 of harbouring near the Indians, who never molest 
 them. Several horses were grazing in the savan 
 nah, but no black cattle these are kept, as I af 
 terwards learnt, in the interior, at the provision 
 grounds. 
 
 On my return to the house, I found the princi 
 pal people of the settlement waiting for me ; and 
 as I knew they had adopted the ideas of the Mos- 
 
HORSES. SOIL, &C. 115 
 
 quito men, wlio judge of a trader by his liberality 
 in supplying them with their favourite beverage, 
 I requested Drummer to use my mm bottles, as 
 if they were his own; and, in consequence, all 
 were soon in a state of intoxication. 
 
 Early in the morning I called up Nelson, one 
 of Drummer s sons, to join me in a ride through 
 part of the savannah. He soon caught a couple 
 of horses which seemed accustomed to be mount 
 ed, but for a bridle, we had only a small piece of 
 rope ; and a thick mat made of dried plantain 
 leaves, without the appendage of stirrups, served 
 for a saddle. 
 
 I found the savannah intersected by numerous 
 paths, mostly of a fine sandy nature, in various di 
 rections leading, as Nelson informed me, to the 
 hunting and provision grounds of the people at 
 tached to his father, his uncle, and the Admiral ; 
 each of whom had several wives, resident chiefly 
 at their different plantations. 
 
 The soil of the savannah appears to consist of 
 micacious sand and gravel, some spots being en 
 tirely without vegetation, and quite bare. I may 
 here observe, that all the pine savannahs in the 
 neighbourhood of the sea, on the Mosquito Shore, 
 are sandy, and, comparatively speaking, barren ; 
 while the soil of the savannahs in the interior is 
 of a much richer quality : in consequence, the 
 inhabitants on the coast are obliged to have their 
 provision grounds, and plantain walks, on the banks 
 of rivers, or streams, many miles up from the sea ; 
 with the exception however, of cassava, which, 
 thriving on a sandy soil, can be planted close to 
 the coast settlements. In this respect, the coun- 
 
116 DEER. IRON &C. 
 
 try of the Valientes Tiribees and Ramas is de 
 cidedly superior to that occupied by the Mosquito 
 men and their immediate neighbours. 
 
 We observed the tracks of several deer on the 
 sandy paths ; and, on mentioning the sparkling 
 appearance of the sand, which in some places 
 shone like filings of steel, Drummer assured me, 
 that, in one part of this extensive savannah, about 
 thirty miles from his settlement, natural iron could 
 be procured in considerable quantity ; but as I 
 saw no specimen of the metal, I only mention the 
 circumstance as worthy of investigation. 
 
 My host had provided an excellent breakfast, 
 but complained that last night s debauch had 
 " spoiled his head, " a common expression of the 
 Mosquito men, who, unlike the Indians to the 
 southward, have no objection to "spoil their 
 heads " whenever they can by any means procure 
 rum. During breakfast my attention was attract 
 ed by the peculiarly interesting, and expressive ap 
 pearance of an Indian boy, about seven years of 
 age. Nelson informed me, that, on one of their 
 predatory expeditions, about three months ago, 
 they had suddenly come upon a canoe, containing 
 this boy, with his little sister and their father : the 
 man leapt overboard and escaped by swimming, 
 but the poov children were seized, and brought 
 away as slaves. 
 
 I may here observe, that the whole of the In 
 dians of these settlements, instigated by the infer 
 nal policy of the Mosquito chiefs, used, formerly, 
 to make frequent incursions upon the neighbour 
 ing tribes of Cookras, Woolwas, and Toacas, bor 
 dering on the Spanish territory, for the sole pur 
 pose of seizing and selling them for slaves to the 
 
EXPEDITIONS AGAINST THE COOKRAS* 117 
 
 settlers, and chief men on different parts of the 
 Mosquito Shore. Miich misery lias here re 
 sulted to these poor people, who, although now 
 seldom annoyed, have withdrawn tliemselves 
 far into the interior ; and hold very little inter 
 course with the Indians on the coast. The Cook- 
 ras are now seldom seen ; the Woolwas have 
 also retired from the coast, and their settlements 
 are on the upper branches of the rivers Nuevo 
 Segovia, Rio Grande, and others, at a considera 
 ble distance from those of the Coast Indians and 
 Mosquito men. Drummer had, in his early years, 
 been an intolerable scourge to these inland tribes, 
 and, to the Woolwas in particular, some hundreds 
 of whom had been, from first to last, captured by 
 him and his parties, and sold as slaves. His me 
 thod was, to steal upon, and, if possible, in the ab 
 sence of the males, surprise the temporary settle 
 ments or residences of the small roving parties 
 moving about the heads of the rivers spoken of, 
 seize the women and children, and effect his re 
 treat, if possible, without fighting. In some in 
 stances, these kidnappers have gone as far hack as 
 the settlements of the Spaniards and Spanish 
 Creoles, whose wives and children they have not 
 hesitated to carry off, and appropriate to their own 
 use. A circumstance of this kind occurred while 
 I was resident on the Shore. One of the sons of 
 Drummer not meeting with the Indians, of whom 
 they were in search, penetrated to the back settle 
 ments of the Spaniards, on their retreat down 
 the river they surprised a dorie, containing a Spa 
 nish Creole, his wife, and two children ; the man 
 saved his own life by instant flight, but the wo- 
 *nan, Jar advanced in pregnancy, and the children, 
 
 V* 1 
 
118 CAPTIVES. 
 
 were seized, carried to Pearl Kay Lagoon, and of 
 fered for sale to Mr Ellis. That gentleman, much 
 to his honour, not only declined to buy them, but 
 having got them into his house, refused to deliver 
 them up to their captors, treated the poor woman, 
 who was delivered in his house of a fine boy, with 
 r the greatest humanity and attention ; and by his 
 influence with the Mosquito king, and considera 
 ble exertion, got them restored to their family and 
 friends, for which humane conduct he received the 
 thanks of the Spanish authorities of the district to 
 which they belonged. Many other instances of 
 this good man s exertions in the cause of humanity 
 could be related. 
 
 I repeat, that it is more through the diabolical 
 instigation of the Mosquito chiefs, than any cruelty 
 of disposition on the part of the pure Indians, that 
 these inhuman outrages are committed against 
 those who would otherwise be considered in every 
 sense of the word their brethren ; but, as the in 
 fluence of the Mosquito chiefs is daily decreasing, 
 these cruel proceedings will gradually cease. 
 
 In my own mind I had often resolved the pos 
 sibility of ascending some of the greater rivers 
 for the purpose of ascertaining their course, the 
 nature of the country, and the manners and condi 
 tion of the tribes in the interior, the proximity 
 of Blueficld s River to the Lakes of Nicaragua, 
 Leon and the South Sea, and whether there 
 were any considerable tribes in the interior, among 
 whom new sources of trade could be opened ; and, 
 I had wished to procure one of these captives, 
 whom I intended, by kind treatment and educa 
 tion, to attach to me, so that he might assist me 
 as a guide and interpreter among his countrymen. 
 
PRINZAPULKO RIVER. 119 
 
 On mentioning tins to Drummer, he readily of 
 fered to sell me the little Woolwa, above mention 
 ed, for twenty pounds ; to secure him, I was 
 obliged to part with nearly the whole of my. 
 wearing apparel, which had, accidentally, been 
 seen and coveted by Nelson ; * and, although I 
 was afterwards obliged to part with this youth un- 
 <ler particular circumstances, I have the satisfac 
 tion to hope his situation has been bettered by my 
 interference. 
 
 Dalbis having agreed to accompany me to Prin- 
 zapulko River, about thirty miles distant, I paid 
 for the three dories, and the tortoise-shell which I 
 had purchased, and we left the settlement about 
 sunset, with easy paddling we arrived^at Prinza- 
 pulko River next morning early, and were well 
 received by the headman " Captain " Tarra. Al 
 though a fine stream, it has, like Rio Grande, a 
 dangerous bar, with only about four feet water 
 over it. The Indians, who are settled on its left 
 bank, about seven miles up from the sea, and on 
 the banks of a small lake about ten miles distant 
 from this station, are, in number, something more 
 than one hundred ; they are the same race of 
 people as those at Great River ; but, unlike Drum 
 mer, the chiefs here, have found it their interest 
 to encourage and protect, rather than oppress, the 
 Wool was and Dongulas of the interior ; and, in 
 consequence, they carry on a small trade in ca 
 noes, dories, and pittpans, which these tribes 
 bring down the river roughly formed or blocked 
 out, and they are afterwards neatly finished, and 
 
 * Nelson was, some lime after this transaction, killed 
 by the Woolwas in a predatory excursion against them. 
 
120 FJUNZAl ULKO INDIANS, 
 
 decorated for sale. The great size of these ca 
 noes, formed out of the trunk of a single tree of 
 cedar, or mahogany, is a proof of the immense 
 timber which grows in their country ; and, of the 
 valuable trade that might he carried on with them, 
 were they protected from the Mosquito men, and 
 encouraged to visit the coast. I have known some 
 of these canoes above thirty-five feet long, about 
 five feet deep, and nearly six feet broad. I found 
 that those made of mahogany are best for work 
 ing to windward under a press of sail ; but that 
 those of cedar are more buoyant, and do not sink 
 even when full of water and partly loaded. 
 
 When the Prinxapulko Indians are desirous of 
 procuring a vessel of the largest dimensions, the 
 contract is made by giving the Indian with whom 
 they agree, a piece of twine or packthread, on 
 which is marked, by knots, the length, breadth, and 
 depth of the vessel wanted : The Indian is at the 
 same time furnished in advance, with two or three 
 axes, adzes, and other articles, to the value of a- 
 bout one fourth of the price agreed on, and lie 
 delivers a duplicate of these dimensions, together 
 with a piece of silk grass, with knots upon it, cor 
 responding to the number of days in which he lias 
 agreed to fulfil his contract. One of these knots 
 is cut off, or unloosed daily ; and when they are 
 reduced to the last, they can with certainty reckon 
 upon the immediate appearance of the contractor, 
 or his friends ; and in case of death, or accident, 
 the latter invariably consider themselves bound to 
 fulfil the agreement. 
 
 The headman at Prinzapulko, has great influ 
 ence with these Indians of the interior. An in 
 telligent native, named Brown, has also been very 
 
CAPTAIN TARRA. BROWN. 121 
 
 instrumental in encouraging the country Indians to 
 bring their rough dories and other articles to 
 Prinzapulko for sale ; and they now visit this place 
 in preference to any other on the coast. In ex 
 change for these rough blocks, and such other ar 
 ticles as they have for sale, they receive old axes, 
 adzes, beads, looking-glasses, and other articles of 
 a similar description. There can be little doubt, 
 that, by establishing proper depots among them, 
 new sources of wealth might be discovered in the 
 interior, and a valuable trade might be opened 
 with the Spanish settlements. 
 
 Brown, the Indian above mentioned, accompa 
 nied me on several trading voyages, and I always 
 found him faithful and trustworthy, even in situa 
 tions of the most trying nature. 
 
 Having arranged with Tarra for three dories, 
 and a small quantity of tortoise-shell, I returned 
 to Great River (Rio Grande), and from thence, 
 after having agreed at both places to become the 
 purchaser of their next season s collection of tor 
 toise shell, I removed with the craft I had pur 
 chased, and my young Woolwa, who appeared 
 pleased at getting out of the hands of his captors, 
 to Pearl Kay Lagoon, intending to return from 
 thence, to my residence at Chrico Mola, by one 
 of the trading vessels from Jamaica, expected to 
 call, as usual, at English Bank on her way down 
 the coast. On my arrival at the Lagoon, I pro 
 ceeded to my friend Mr Ellis at Wawashaan ; and, 
 I was again received by him with his usual kind 
 ness, and hospitality. 
 
 In a few days afterwards the traders with whom 
 1 had in some measure connected myself, arrived 
 K 4 
 
123 SEPERATION FROM 
 
 at English Bank ; and, on their coming up to Wa- 
 washaan, I could easily perceive by the coolness 
 of their behaviour to me, that the activity of my 
 proceedings had excited their avaricious jealousy, 
 which keeps them at all times on the watch, and 
 ready to crush every person likely to break in upon 
 their trade. As a proof of the extent of this con 
 cealed, and strictly secret trade, I may mention, 
 without fear of contradiction, that one trader alone 
 generally has goods, tortoise-shell, and outstanding 
 debts, at the different depots along the coast, ne 
 ver amounting to less than between five and six 
 thousand pounds sterling in value. By artfully 
 connecting himself with some of the leading na 
 tives in the manner already stated, he contrives 
 not only to receive the whole proceeds of their ex 
 ertions ; but, by some manoeuvre or other, keeps 
 the Indians constantly indebted to him, and his 
 party, however great may be their success, in fish 
 ing, or otherwise. 
 
 It might be tedious and uninteresting to narrate 
 all the occurrences which now induced me to se 
 parate myself from their interests : suffice it to 
 say, that, having successfully used great exertions 
 to forward their views, in the reasonable hope that 
 they would consider me entitled to share in the 
 profits of my own labours, I was very much dis 
 appointed to find this was quite contrary to their 
 policy : and, indignant at such treatment, I deter 
 mined on endeavouring to interest more liberal and 
 enlightened people in the plans which I had con 
 ceived for trade and discovery. With this inten 
 tion I determined, instead of returning to Chrico 
 Mola, to proceed to the northward ; and, trust to 
 the honesty of old Jasper, and my friend Whykee 
 
THE OTHER TRADERS. 123 
 
 Tara, to protect my property there, until I should 
 be able to reclaim it, rather than return with these 
 traders, whose demands upon me, I settled to with 
 in a mere trifle, for which balance they insisted 
 on taking the young Woolwa in pledge. 
 
 Being, in every sense of the word, entirely in 
 their power, I was obliged, for the time, to sub 
 mit to this revolting measure, upon a promise, that 
 my views in regard to his education, and treatment, 
 should be adopted ; and in the hope that I should 
 shortly be able to reclaim him, out of their hands. 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 ADMIRAL EARNEE TRIBUTE KING S HOUSES 
 
 TOWKA INDIANS PARA LAGOON BRANCMAN s 
 
 BLUFF SAVANNAHS DEER SANDY BAY 
 
 CONVERSATIONS WITH THE INDIANS ARRIVAL, 
 
 RECEPTION, AND CHARACTER OF THE MOSQUITO 
 KING COUNCIL MUSIC AND MUSICAL IN 
 STRUMENTS HISTORY OF DON CARLOS AND 
 
 GOVERNOR CLEMENTI SOIL AND PRODUCE 
 
 MARL PIPE CLAY JOURNEY TO CAPE GRACIAS 
 
 A DIOS. 
 
 IN pursuance of my determination to proceed to 
 the northward, I quitted Pearl Kay Lagoon, and, 
 returning, by Rio Grande, to Prinzapulko, I there, 
 according to my expectation, met Admiral Earnee, 
 one of the three principal chiefs of the Mosquito 
 Shore, who had been as far to the southward as 
 Boco del Toro collecting the King s tribute. He 
 came to Prinzapulko in a large boat or dorie, at 
 tended by others of a smaller description ; and was 
 received by Captain Tarra, Brown, and other na 
 tives, who conducted him to the King s house, 
 with every mark of respect. He is a complete 
 black, or negro, without the least appearance of 
 Indian blood ; but I found him to be. when sober. 
 
ADMIRAL EARNEE. 25 
 
 a sensible, shrewd, and intelligent man, a descend 
 ant from some of the Sambo negroes, who were, 
 many years ago, wrecked on this coast. As lie 
 had announced the day when he should arrive 
 here, preparations had been made for him and a- 
 bout twenty-five people his attendants, who were 
 amply supplied with provisions, and feasted at the 
 King s house. The tribute was also in readiness, 
 the principal part in tortoise-shell ; a single lack 
 of shell being demanded from every canoe em 
 ployed in turtleing during the season. The same 
 value in dories, hammocks, or coarse cotton cloth 
 of the countiy being exacted from those canoes 
 employed in any other manner. 
 
 In reference to the King s houses ; it is necessary 
 to observe, that the principal settlements of the 
 Samboes and their immediate allies, form a chain of 
 hamlets, at certain distances, from one end of the 
 Mosquito Shore proper, to the other ; and, in each 
 of these, a house called the King s, is erected by 
 the joint labour of the community, and appropriat 
 ed for the reception of the King, or his officers, 
 when they visit the settlement. In it, also, the 
 headman of the settlement, or one of the three 
 principal chiefs who govern the coast, decide con 
 troversies, and frame laws and regulations, which 
 are afterwards sanctioned by the King before being 
 carried into effect. Some of these houses are of 
 considerable size, and built with great care and 
 solidity. 
 
 So soon as Earnee knew my intention of visit 
 ing the King, he offered me every assistance in his 
 power ; and, after remaining a few days at Prinz a- 
 pulko, I accompanied him on his journey to the 
 K 2 
 
126 WAVA RIVER. 
 
 Cape. We left the settlement at midnight with 
 the land hreeze down the river. This breeze ge 
 nerally begins to blow oil the shore about sunset, 
 and continues until about ten o clock next morn 
 ing. Finding a dangerous sea running on the bar, 
 Earaee, myself, and some of his attendants, land 
 ed at the mouth of the river, and proceeded along 
 the coast towards Tongula Lagoon, leaving the 
 rest of the people in the dories, to endeavour to 
 make their passage by sea. We crossed the river 
 leading to .the Lagoon, and continued our journey 
 until the sea breeze should begin to blow down 
 the coast ; and we remained, at one of the King s 
 houses, erected, for the convenience of travellers, 
 at a small distance from the sea-bank, about half 
 way between Prinzapulko and W T ava Lagoon, near 
 a haulover, of about five hundred yards in length, 
 into the Tongula Lagoon, where the canoes join 
 ed us. 
 
 There are a few Mosquito men, and Tongula 
 Indians, settled at this place ; but no white peo 
 ple, nor their descendants, we were plentifully 
 supplied with provisions and other refreshments by 
 the natives. 
 
 In the evening, the canoes were again launched, 
 but the Admiral, myself, and a few others, con 
 tinued our journey along the beach as before ; and, 
 about midnight, we arrived on the banks of the 
 Wava River, leading to a considerable lagoon, of 
 the same name ; here we found a canoe had been 
 left to convey us across the river, which is of con 
 siderable width, but the bar is both shallow .and 
 dangerous : a heavy sea falls on the coast, render 
 ing the approach to it very unsafe, there being se- 
 
TOWKA INDIANS. 127 
 
 veral shoals, and small kays, cither very inuacur- 
 ately laid down, or not at all noticed in the charts. 
 
 Considerable numbers of Towka Indians reside 
 on the banks of a large river which empties itself 
 into the Wava Lagoon ; and is said to have its 
 source upwards of 150 miles in the interior. At 
 a small distance from Wava Lagoon, is Para La 
 goon, connected with it by a considerable stream ; 
 and, near Para, is the residence of " the governor," 
 one of the three principal chiefs of the country. 
 
 Having crossed Para River, we proceeded to 
 Brancman s Bluff, and from one of the heights of 
 that place we had a most extensive view of the 
 country, which, as far as the eye can reach, is all 
 low savannah land, covered with coarse long grass, 
 and occasional pine ridges, with remarkably large, 
 and fine, timber. This is the case with most of 
 the savannah land, on the coast of the Mosquito 
 Shore ; the only exception being, that some of the 
 very low land is covered with water, during the 
 rainy season, producing only rank coarse grass, 
 and mohoe bushes. 
 
 The country about Brancmans abounds in deer ; 
 one of them having been seen, from the heights, 
 feeding in the savannah, an Indian stripped oli all 
 his clothes ; and, keeping to leeward, watching its 
 motions, he continued creeping towards it on his 
 hands and feet, remaining motionless, except when 
 it put down its head to graze ; he got within a* 
 bout fifty yards ; and then, easily brought it down 
 with a rifle ball. The Indians divided it amongst 
 them, reserving some of the best parts for our 
 supper. 
 
 It is a singular circumstance, that from the last- 
 quarter s ebb to the first quarter s Hood, these deer 
 
128 SANDY BAY. 
 
 are fond of grazing on the coast, a little above high 
 watermark : I often availed myself of this cir 
 cumstance ; and, in passing up and down the coast, 
 have landed at this point, and, by partly adopting 
 the Indian plan, never failed to procure venison. 
 
 In the middle of the night we again launch 
 ed the dories ; after passing the Bluff, the land 
 trends away considerably to the westward, and we 
 gained a good offing so as to enable us, when 
 the sea-breeze set in, to use our sails. There is 
 only one river of any magnitude between Branc- 
 mans and Duckwarra, which we passed ; and we 
 arrived at Sandy Bay about eleven o clock, being 
 now distant from Cape Gracias a Dios, about thir 
 ty miles. 
 
 At the southermost part of Sandy Bay is the 
 entrance to a small Lagoon, on the borders of 
 which is a principal settlement of the Mosquito 
 Indians, where the King frequently resides ; it is 
 close to the Lagoon, about eight miles from its en 
 trance, and in the vicinity of a savannah, similar 
 to those already described. The Lagoon has a 
 communication with Wano or Warner s sound ; 
 but no river, of any consequence, falls into either 
 of these places. 
 
 On our arrival, the Admiral was met and wel 
 comed by the principal people : English colours 
 were hoisted, as the signal of festivity ; we were 
 informed, that a cantfe having arrived from the 
 Cape, with information that the King was on 
 his way to visit the settlement, and having met 
 the Admiral, preparations were making for a grand 
 feast and mishlaw drink. For this purpose the 
 whole population were employed, most of them 
 being engaged collecting pine apples, plantains, 
 
MISHLAW DllINK. 129 
 
 bananas, and cassava, for tlieir favourite liquor. 
 The expressed juice of the pine apple is alone a 
 pleasant and agreeable beverage. The mishla\v 
 from the plantain and banana, is also both plca-i \/ 
 sant and nutritive ; that from the cassava and maize, 
 is more intoxicating; but its preparation, is an 
 operation so disgusting, that, did I not consider it 
 an imperative duty to suppress nothing that tends 
 to elucidate the manners, and habits, of these dif 
 ferent tribes, and their still great distance from 
 civilization, I should pass it over, without notice. 
 The method of preparing it, is as follows. The 
 root of the cassava, after being mashed, and peel 
 ed, is boiled to the same consistence, as when to 
 be used for food. On its being taken from the 
 fire, the water is poured off, and the roots allow 
 ed to cool. The pots were then surrounded by 
 all the women, old and young, who, being provid 
 ed with large wooden bowls, commenced an at 
 tack upon the cassava, which they chewed to a 
 consistance of thick paste, and then put their 
 mouthfuls into the bowls before them, until these 
 vessels were filled ; the bowls were then carried 
 to the king s house, and the contents tumbled in 
 to a new canoe which had been hauled up from 
 the landing-place, and put there for that purpose, 
 there being no cask in the settlement sufficiently 
 capacious. I observed that some few of the young 
 men also joined in the masticating process, which 
 was continued with much perseverance, until the 
 joint produce of the wooden bowls, from every 
 house in the settlement, had filled the canoe about 
 one third. Other cassava was then taken, and 
 bruised in a kind of large wooden mortar, with a 
 wooden pestle, to a consistence of dough, which 
 
130 CHICHEE DRINK. 
 
 was afterwards diluted witli cold water, to which 
 was added, a quantity of Indian corn, partly boiled 
 and masticated, in the same manner as the cassava; 
 the whole was then poured into the canoe, which 
 was afterwards filled with water, and frequently 
 stirred with a paddle, until, in a few hours, it was 
 in a high, and abominable state of fermentation. 
 The Admiral affirmed that the saliva imbibed, was 
 the principal cause of the sudden fermentation ; 
 that if the whole had been bruised and prepared with 
 water only, the liquor would, before fermentation, 
 become too sour for use ; and, that the liquor 
 was more or less esteemed, according to the health, 
 age, and constitution of the masticators ; that, there 
 fore, when he himself wished to give a private 
 Chichee drink, he took care that none but his 
 own wives, and young girls, should be employed ; 
 but, as there had been few old women engaged in 
 its preparation, he thought the liquor before us 
 would be tolerable, and " make drunk come soon. 
 The canoe would contain about three puncheons, 
 and there was nearly the same quantity prepared 
 at two or three houses of the chief men, in the 
 neighbourhood ; besides drink of a less beastly 
 description, viz. the simply expressed juice of the 
 pine aple ; and, the plantain and banana mish- 
 law, being the ripe fruit roasted, bruised, and mix 
 ed with water. There was also Mr Ellis s pre 
 sent to the King, of about twenty gallons of rum ; 
 a quantity brought by the Admiral and his party, 
 and a small quantity presented by myself. Earnee, 
 had invited the head men and old people of Duck- 
 warra, Wano Sound, and the neighbouring coun 
 try and Lagoons, to meet the King, receive an ac 
 count of the state of the different tributary settle- 
 
THE MOSQUITO KING. 131 
 
 ments, which he had been visiting, transact public 
 business, and get drunk. 
 
 The King s house, Earnee s, a Samboe chief de- 
 si -mated General Blyatt, with a few others, were 
 tolerably large, similar to that of governor Drum 
 mer, and tolerably well furnished with benches, 
 tables, plates, glasses, basins, knives and forks, 
 and other articles. A hammock was hung up in 
 the Admiral s house for each of his guests, accord 
 ing to custom ; and, after a great deal of conver 
 sation about the state of the country, the customs, 
 strength} and trade of the different settlements, 
 and the general policy of the Mosquito-men, I re 
 tired to rest, pleased with the attention shown to 
 me, but rather puzzled and alarmed, by the mag 
 nitude of the preparations, for the approaching 
 feast. 
 
 The Admiral, during our journey up from Prinza- 
 pulko had related several anecdotes of the King, 
 and had given me some knowledge of his charac 
 ter. The Admiral seemed to regret the King s 
 want of attention to the real interests of his coun 
 try ; his too great partiality for liquor and women: 
 his extreme levity, and, the facility with which he 
 associated with, and listened to, every visionary 
 scheme submitted to him by the traders ; the 
 ease with which the patriot General Aurey had 
 got him entangled in one of his expeditions a- 
 gainst the Spaniards at Truxillo ; and his general 
 inattention to the safety, and prosperity, of his sub 
 jects. He also regretted that there was no British 
 superintendents on the coast, as formerly, in the time 
 of Colonel Hodgson, when the Mosquito Indians 
 could find employment, and a demand for their pro 
 duce, at Black River, and the other settlements ; and 
 
132 RECEPTION OF THE KING. 
 
 the chiefs, throughout the coast, could dress them 
 selves, and live, " right English gentleman fa 
 shion. " The chiefs, and old men, agreed with 
 him in these observations ; and, they also, univer 
 sally disproved of the arbitrary manner in which 
 the Jamaica traders exerted the influence they had 
 acquired at some of the settlements of the coast, * 
 adding, that rather than deal with them, they had 
 actually, this season, sold the greater part of their 
 tortoise-shell to the Americans, who, although 
 they had such a variety of goods, were fairer 
 dealers, and gave a better price. 
 
 Early in the morning, I was awakened by the 
 noise of the dram ; the natives were in a state of 
 bustle and activity, preparing for the drinking 
 match, and the reception of the King. He ar 
 rived, in a large canoe, witli ten people, escorted 
 by the same number in two smaller ones. At the 
 landing-place he was met by Admiral Earnee and 
 General Blyatt, with some of the chief men of the 
 neighbouring settlements ; the two former dressed 
 in uniforms, with gold epaulettes. There was 
 little form or ceremony used in their reception of 
 the King ; a shake of the hand, and " how do you 
 do, King, " in English, being the only salutation 
 from all classes. Briefly inquiring my motives 
 for coming to see him, he invited me to go with 
 him to the Cape, and I could then, at leisure, 
 judge how far he could second my views, and how 
 he was situated with his people, amongst whom, 
 
 * They have been known to flog an Indian because he 
 could not, at the stipulated time, pay a small debt ; and 
 they often take advantage of the natives, by making them 
 intoxicated ; and, in that state, get them to part with the 
 produce of their labour?, without an equivalent. 
 
MOiiQUITO COUNCIL. 133 
 
 four years ago, on his return from Jamaica, where/ 
 lie was educated, he found himself quite a stranger. V : 
 
 He was a young man, about twenty-four years 
 of age, of a bright copper colour, with long curly 
 hair hanging in ringlets down the sides of his 
 face ; his hands and feet small, a dark expressive 
 eye, and very white teeth. He was an active and 
 handsome figure, with the appearance of greater 
 agility ,han strength. In other respects I found 
 him, on further acquaintance, wild as the deer on 
 his native savannahs. 
 
 During the day, Indians arrived from various 
 parts of the coast, and interior. At the meeting 
 which took place in the King s house, various mat 
 ters relative to the government of the neighbour 
 ing settlements, disputes, and other public busi- v 
 ness, was discussed ; and I observed, that the King 
 left every thing to the discretion of Earnee, Blyatt, 
 and a few others. In fact, he seemed to take lit 
 tle interest or trouble, further than to sanction the 
 resolutions passed, so that they might be promul 
 gated as " the King s own order. " Such is the 
 expression ; and that order is invariably obeyed, 
 and carried into effect. During the time the coun 
 cil was sitting, no women were admitted ; a feAv 
 only were afterwards permitted to enter, during 
 the drinking match, to take care of their hus 
 bands, when reduced to a state of insensibility by 
 intoxication. 
 
 The discussions in the King s house being end 
 ed, the feasting began. Two men were stationed 
 by the side of the canoe, who filled the mish- 
 law drink into calabashes, which were then car 
 ried to the company by boys. As the men be- 
 L 
 
134 MOSQUITO FEAST 
 
 came exhilarated, they began to dance, in imita 
 tion of country dances, and Scotch reels, learned 
 from the former English settlers ; but they soon 
 became too much intoxicated to preserve order. 
 Every one, including the King and his select friends 
 at the Admiral s house, gave way, without re 
 straint, to the pleasures of drinking ; and, during 
 the evening, the King s uncle Andrew, chief man 
 at Duckwarra, arrived, bringing one of his majes 
 ty s favourite wives. This chief was a short stout 
 man, of unmixed Indian blood, very lively and 
 quick in his motions, disguising, under an appear 
 ance of levity, much cunning and shrewdness; 
 he spoke tolerably good English ; and soon, by 
 his ridiculous stories regarding the Jamaica trad 
 ers, and by his satirical and witty remarks upon 
 some of the old Mosquito men present, kept the 
 company in a roar of laughter. The King observ 
 ed to me, in course of the evening, that I must 
 not be surprised to see him act in the manner he 
 was doing ; as it was his wish, by indulging the 
 natives, to induce them to adopt gradually, and 
 by degrees, the English customs, and mode of 
 living ; and he requested me to observe how far 
 lie had succeeded, pointing out to me, that all 
 present had thrown aside the pulpera, the com 
 mon Indian dress, and wore jackets and trowsers, 
 with good hats. Some of them had coats, with 
 other articles to correspond ; and, as I have 
 often repeated, they prided themselves upon being 
 <{ true English gentleman fashion." 
 
 His majesty, as usual, paid more attention to 
 the women than to the chiefs ; and, observing to 
 me that the ladies here could dance fully as well 
 ae any of those at the former English settlements, 
 
AND DANCE. 135 
 
 proposed that I should join him, the Admiral, and 
 uncle Andrew, in a dance ; and he would send 
 for the women to join us. I of course readily as 
 sented to this proposal ; and the females having 
 arrived, we commenced dancing, to the sound of 
 a dmm, our only music. 
 
 Blyatt had orders to keep the party in the 
 King s house from interrupting us, but our music 
 being full as noisy as theirs, and the secret of the 
 women s arrival having transpired, our house was 
 soon surrounded by a crowd, who pressed so much, 
 that it became insufferably warm ; and we were 
 obliged to stop the dance ; at which circumstance, 
 many of the Indians expressed such disappoint 
 ment, that the King good-naturedly proposed to- 
 renew the dance in the open air. The other party 
 joining us, with their music, we were soon all 
 jumbled together, King, Admiral, General, Mos 
 quito men and women, in one mass of confusion 
 and revelry, from which those who were ca 
 pable of reflecting were soon glad to escape. Be 
 fore the chiefs became totally intoxicated, they 
 ordered the women home to their houses, to pre 
 vent their being unable to take care of their hus 
 bands. The drinking was carried on with great 
 perseverance, during the night, by old and young. 
 The drams were beat, and muskets fired, some of 
 them loaded with powder to the very muzzle, un 
 til nearly all the assembly were in a state of beast 
 ly drunkenness, and taken care of by the women, 
 who were occasionally called upon for that pur 
 pose. At intervals, however, as the men recover 
 ed, they found their way back to their favourite 
 mishlaw, and renewed the debauch. All the next 
 day was consumed in drinking ; and, it was not until 
 
13G MUSIC. 
 
 the (lay following, that the liquors were reduced 
 to the very dregs of the cassava and maize, which, 
 even then, was taken from the bottom of the ves 
 sels, and being squeezed through the fingers, by 
 Jumdfuls, into the calabashes, was passed to those 
 who were still craving for more of the precious 
 beverage. By the*third night, the whole liquors 
 were consumed ; and the Indians began to retire 
 to their respective homes, many complaining, with 
 great reason, that " their heads were all spoiled. " 
 Jt is however to their credit, that, during the 
 whole of this debauch, I did not perceive the 
 slightest quarrel. 
 
 I may here observe, that the English drum is 
 the principal musical instrument of the Mosquito 
 men, who beat it with as much dexterity, as the 
 most practised European drummer ; it came into 
 use when the British forces were on the Mos 
 quito Shore, and has been a great favourite ever 
 since, every settlement having one. The only 
 other musical instrument, which I saw, was a rude 
 pipe or flute, rather longer than a common flute, 
 but much thicker. It is made of the hollow bam 
 boo, one end is shaped like a flageolet, with hole 
 and mouthpiece, and it has four finger-holes, the 
 first about two thirds down the length of the in 
 strument, the others at intervals of about half an 
 inch ; it requires considerable exertion to sound 
 it, and produces a dull monotonous tone, with 
 very little variation. Two of these instruments 
 are sounded together ; the performers dancing a 
 sort of minuet, in which they advance and recede, 
 with, the most grotesque gesticulations. One ot 
 their favourite dances is a kind of representation . 
 characteristic of an Indian courtship. 
 
GOVERNOR CLEMENT!. 137 
 
 Governor dementi, one of the three principal 
 chiefs of the Mosquito Shore, not having made his 
 qjpearance at this feast, it was determined to send 
 a person to endeavour to conciliate him. The 
 causes of this chiefs aversion to join cordially with 
 the other chiefs, are as follows : his late brother, 
 commonly called Don Carlos, had been, some time 
 before, put to death by the King s people, on pre 
 tence that he was too much attached to the Spa 
 niards of Grenada and Nicaragua, with whom he 
 had opened an intercourse, and had received from 
 them considerable presents, of cattle, &c. This 
 man was supposed, by the King s party, to have 
 had the design of assisting the Spaniards, in form 
 ing a settlement on the Mosquito coast ; but, it 
 is more probable that, his Spanish connexion, was 
 one of the pretences not the entire cause of his 
 being destroyed. He was an Indian of pure blood, 
 and considerable ability the only man of that de 
 scription, with exception of his brother Clementi, 
 who held any situation of consequence, under the 
 Mosquito King s government ; he possessed great 
 influence among the Indians, including the differ 
 ent tribes of Wool was and Cookras. His own 
 immediate government extending from Sandy Bay 
 to Pearl Kay Lagoon, was likely, in time, to be 
 come too powerful for the Mosquito-men, and 
 they, in a treacherous, and summary manner, put 
 him to death. Since that event, his brother Cle 
 menti never visited the King, nor any of the settle 
 ments of the real Mosquito-men. This breach, 
 between the King and Clementi, had been widened 
 by the insolence of a favourite negro belonging to 
 the former, who had, some time ago, accompanied 
 
138 GOVERNOR CLEMENTI. 
 
 Robert, the present King s brother, on a visit to 
 Clementi, wlio received and treated them with pi-eat 
 hospitality ; but this negro, at a feast made in hon 
 our of Robert, not only grossly insulted the Go 
 vernor, but, presuming on his own influence with 
 the King, and the supposed imbecility of Clementi, 
 forcibly broke up some of the latter s repositories, 
 and insisted upon carrying oft certain articles, 
 which had attracted his cupidity. Robert declin 
 ing to interfere, Clementi seized a musket, and 
 shot the negro dead, upon the spot. The King, 
 not daring openly to attack the governor, endea 
 voured to revenge himself by seizing and driving 
 away the cattle, whenever he had occasion for 
 them : but to prevent this annoyance, Clementi, 
 voluntarily, destroyed or drove them away out of 
 the King s reach ; and now, instead of the numer 
 ous herds that, during the time of Don Pedro, a- 
 bounded in the savannahs, not one is to be seen. 
 It was now supposed that Clementi meditated re 
 venge ; and, to prevent a civil war, between the 
 Indians and Mosquito men, the King, previous to 
 his return to the Cape, was desirous of conciliat 
 ing Clementi. The King had other reasons for 
 coming to friendly terms with him : he was aware 
 that he had once; grossly insulted Earnee, his best 
 friend, and the only chief, since the death of " Ge 
 neral " Robinson, capable of governing the coun 
 try, by forcibly using freedoms, during Earnee s 
 absence, with one of his favourite wives ; and, 
 that, in consequence, Earnee had some time ago 
 formed an alliance with Clementi, by marrying 
 dementi s youngest sister, and might, in the event 
 of a quarrel, join the Governor. Earnee excused 
 himself from undertaking this expedition ; and I 
 
MODE OF TRAVELLING. 139 
 
 was therefore requested by the King, to accompany 
 Ulyatt, with about twenty people, to Clementi, 
 with a King s letter, in which it was stated, that 
 not being able to come himself, he had empower 
 ed the Admiral to assist him in punishing any of 
 his people who were refractory, or refused to obey 
 his authority ; but that the Admiral being un 
 able to come, had sent Blyatt. I was directed to 
 read this letter to Clementi, in presence of Blyatt, 
 who was to explain that " the paper which 
 spoke, was the King s own self order, and must be 
 obeyed." 
 
 We accordingly set out, and, travelling about 
 eight miles to the upper part of Wava Lagoon, 
 embarked in three canoes, which brought us to a 
 river where we landed ; and, crossing an extensive 
 savannah, came to a branch of the Wava River, 
 where we found canoes to convey us to the sa 
 vannah where the Governor resided. Crossing the 
 river we slept on its banks, until midnight, when 
 we renewed our journey. 
 
 The Indians, on their long journeys, generally 
 travel until ten o clock in the morning, they then 
 rest until two or three o clock in the afternoon ; 
 then they continue their journey, until day-light 
 fails them. At the different halting places, they 
 sleep upon a few palm leaves on the ground, 
 slightly covered with a light blanket, and I gene 
 rally rose refreshed, and never experienced any 
 bad effects, from this method of bivouacking : be 
 fore going to rest, a fire is kindled, and the ne 
 cessary provisions cooked. In travelling, they only 
 wear the pulpcra, but they carry with them, and 
 put on, a suit of their best clothes, at a short dis- 
 
140 VISIT TO CLEMEXTI. 
 
 tancc from the house of the person they mean to 
 visit. 
 
 About ten o clock, we came to a savannah, 
 through which there was a good path to the Go 
 vernor s house, about a mile distant ; and, Earnee, 
 having privately sent to apprise dementi of the 
 intended visit, recommending that he should in 
 vite his friends to a mishlaw drink, and be pre 
 pared to meet the King s party, we found some 
 of his people at this place waiting to conduct us. 
 Our party having dressed themselves, Blyatt, my 
 self, and one or two others, mounted horses which 
 had been sent for our accommodation ; we fell in 
 to Indian marching order, one before another, 
 and, with our flag and drum preceding us, we ap 
 proached the house, before which, about twenty 
 men besides women and children were assembled. 
 The house is situated on a rising ground, com 
 manding an extensive view of the savannah, on 
 which there were several fine horses feeding, but I 
 could not discover any black cattle, although there 
 was evidently pasturage for thousands. 
 
 The Governor did not come out to receive us ; 
 he was sitting in the house, dressed in state, and 
 rose to welcome Blyatt and myself, but took no 
 notice of those who accompanied us. The ap 
 pearance, and demeanour of this old chief, struck 
 me very forcibly ; and impressed upon my mind 
 that I had, before me, a true descendant and re 
 presentative of the ancient Indian Caziques. He 
 was a tall stout man, apparently between fifty and 
 sixty years of age, with an Indian countenance, 
 peculiarly expressive of thoughtful dignity ; I could 
 not help thinking, that he looked as if he felt de 
 graded by the yoke of the Mosquito-men, that he 
 
DIIESS OF THE GOVERNOR. 141 
 
 had been born to command, and still felt conscious, 
 like " old Crozimbo, " that he was " not the least 
 among his countrymen. " He was dressed in an 
 old Spanish uniform, of blue cloth with red collar 
 and facings, decorated with a great profusion of 
 tarnished gold lace ; an old embroidered white 
 satin vest, ornamented with spangles, and having 
 large pocket holes with flaps ; a pair of old white 
 kerseymere breeches ; white cotton stockings ; 
 shoes, with ".silver buckles ; and, a large gold head 
 ed cane, similar to those used by the superior Cor- 
 regidores and Alcaldes of the South American 
 provinces, completed his dress. 
 
 These clothes, which were of the most ancient 
 cut, had descended to him from his unfortunate 
 brother ; and altogether, the dignified appearance, 
 and manners, of this old chief, contrasted strongly 
 with the coarse brutality of the Mosquito-men, and 
 impressed upon my mind, that the domination of 
 the Samboes, had materially retarded the prosperi- 
 ly of the genuine Indians, dementi ordered re 
 freshments, and provided plentifully, in a separate 
 house, for those who came in our company, al 
 lowing none but the principal men to sit at his 
 own table. 
 
 After dinner I read the King s letter, at the 
 contents of which, the Governor expressed satis 
 faction ; a tall young pine-tree was cut, the En 
 glish flag hoisted upon it in front of the house, 
 and the Governor seemed to feel he was now 
 treated with proper respect and reinstated in his 
 rights and privileges : he pointed out two or three 
 Indians who he conceived had disputed his au 
 thority, or injured him ; they were immediately 
 secured by Blyatt s people, and tied up ; but in- 
 
142 THE HILL PEOPLE. 
 
 stead of being flogged, in the usual way, the 
 stripes were laid on a dried bull s hide, instead of 
 the backs of the offenders. Whether this mum 
 mery really satisfied the Governor, or he felt it 
 convenient to dissemble, I could not determine at 
 the moment ; but i afterwards learnt, that to have 
 undergone this nominal punishment, was consider 
 ed by the free Indians, a veiy serious degradation. 
 The evening passed over without any cause of dis 
 agreement ; I repeatedly read over the King s let 
 ter " which spoke, " and the Governor seemed 
 pleased to find himself freed from the probability 
 of further annoyance from the King s people. He 
 showed me several letters, and certificates given 
 to him, and his late brother, by traders, and 
 others ; all of them testifying to their honour and 
 fair dealing. 
 
 The land, in this part of the country, is low sa 
 vannah, covered partially with patches of large 
 pine-trees. The principal provision ground of the 
 Governor s people is distant, at a place called the 
 Hills, from which circumstance they are known, all 
 over the coast, by the name of hill people. These 
 hills, or elevations, three in number, are to the 
 westward of Brancmans, at a considerable distance 
 inland ; being but of moderate height, they cannot 
 be distinguished, in approaching from the sea ; the 
 land there, and to the westward, is extremely rich, 
 and well cultivated, supplying the people at Sandy 
 Bay, Cape Gracias a Dios, and other places on the 
 coast, with the greater part of their provisions, 
 such as bananas, plantains, &c. Being too distant 
 from the coast to combine the advantages of agri 
 culture, with those of fishing and trading, no 
 strangers have yet settled on this high ground. 
 
MARL. WHITE CLAY. 143 
 
 In crossing the pine ridges, a small distance to the 
 westward of Brancman s Bluff, in the path that 
 leads to the Para Lagoon, I discovered some pits 
 of fine marl ; and also, an exceedingly fine white 
 clay, equal to the best pipe-clay I ever saw ; if 
 the Indians understood any thing of the manufac 
 ture of earthen ware, they have here an inexhausti 
 ble supply of materials, of the very finest discrip- 
 tion. * 
 
 Clementi claims the whole of the land, exten 
 sive savannah, and fine ridges, from hence to the 
 coast ; including the hills, and interior country ; 
 he possesses the confidence of a numerous race of 
 pure Indians, and I cannot doubt that, in the event 
 of any attempt, on the part of these aborigines, 
 to throw off the yoke of the mixed breed of Mos 
 quito-men, he, or his successors, may be destined 
 to act a prominent part ; and, on this account, I 
 have been desirous of describing the little I saw of 
 him, in as circumstantial a manner as possible. 
 
 Blyat having finished his business with the Go 
 vernor, after staying with him three days we left 
 his settlement, and returned through the same low 
 tracts which we had recently travelled over. A 
 great part of this coast is during the rainy season 
 overflowed, and it is possible for a canoe to pass, 
 at that season, by inland navigation, from Para 
 Lagoon, to Wava River ; this is the case, gene 
 rally speaking, with all the low savannah land, 
 from Pearl Kay Lagoon to the Cape, and from 
 thence, to Plantain River. At Duckwarra, we 
 were hospitably entertained by the King s uncle 
 Andrew : this jovial old man pressed us to remain 
 some days with him and his friends, Rowla and 
 
 * See Note IV. 
 
144 CAPE GRACIAS A DIGS. 
 
 Tarra, two of the chiefs ; but we next morning- 
 proceeded on our journey. I was particularly 
 well pleased with the appearance of the people at 
 Andrew s settlement ; they are a fine looking race 
 the men are active, arid good strikers of fish, 
 and the women and girls very handsome. 
 
 On our arrival at Sandy Bay we found Earnee 
 very unwell ; he procured men and a canoe to 
 attend me to the Cape, to which place I next pro 
 ceeded, by the inner passage, there being a com 
 munication between Sandy Bay and Wano Sound, 
 which is a place with only four or five feet wa 
 ter on the bar, and equally shallow inside. 
 
 In the evening we landed at a settlement of 
 Mosquito men, at the upper end of the Sound, 
 and were received with that hospitality which I 
 have universally found prevalent on every part of 
 the coast. We resumed our journey early next 
 morning, and proceeded down the Sound to its 
 entrance, where we landed, and walked to the Cape, 
 a distance of about eight miles. 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 CAPE GRACIAS A DIGS OLD KIN 7 G GEORGE, 
 
 THE PRESENT KING EDUCATION AT JAMAICA. 
 
 BAD SOIL HARBOUR GREAT CAPE RIVER. 
 
 IMPORTANCE OF THE CAPE ORIGIN OF THE 
 
 SAMBOES CROATCH RIVER KUKARI SPOT 
 TED INDIANS CARATASCA LAGOON FISH 
 
 AND GAME SOIL, PRODUCE CRATER PATOOK 
 
 RIVER HORSES KHARIBEES BREWERS LA 
 GOON BLACK RIVER AND LAGOON OLD FORT. 
 
 SETTLERS MINES FERTILITY OF THE SET 
 TLEMENTS STORY OF IAN AUSTIN. 
 
 ON my arrival at Cape Gracias a Dios, I was 
 much disappointed to find only a few houses ; and 
 those, with the exception of the King s, that of 
 Dalby, one of his chiefs, and an old merchant s of 
 the name of Bogg, of the very worst description, 
 heing mere huts, harely sufficient to protect the 
 natives from the weather. 
 
 I remained several months with the King ; and 
 had every opportunity of knowing him, and his 
 people, intimately. The circumstances which led 
 to his heing sent, in his youth, to Jamaica, where 
 he received a very indifferent education, are brief- 
 
 M 
 
14G THE LATE MOSQUITO KING. 
 
 ly these. His father, old King George, was of 
 the mixed, or Negro .and Indian breed ; he was of 
 a cruel, barbarous, and vindictive disposition ; he 
 had been the means of enslaving many Indians of 
 the Blanco, Woolwa, and Cookra tribes ; and, 
 like all the other Mosquito chiefs, had a great 
 number of wives and women, whom he often treat 
 ed with such cruelty, that some of them died un 
 der his hands. The murder of one of these wo 
 men, under circumstances of peculiar barbarity, 
 called forth the resentment of her friends, who 
 created a riot, during which the King was fired 
 upon, and killed, by his own people. He left two 
 sons, George Frederick the present King, and his 
 half-brother Robert, then both very young. A 
 trader, from the Bay of Honduras, conceiving that 
 he might derive great advantages from the pos 
 session of these children, contrived to get them 
 into his vessel, and persuaded the chiefs that they 
 might derive great benefits by having their future 
 king educated " English fashion," so that he might 
 understand something of the laws, manners and 
 customs, of their friends the English. The chil 
 dren were allowed to depart ; and the chiefs form 
 ing a kind of regency, the three principal ones 
 agreed to retain the country for the eldest son, 
 dividing it, in the mean time, into three govern 
 ments; the first, from Roman River, near Cape Hon 
 duras, to Patook, including the tribes of Khari- 
 bees or Caribs, Foyers, Mosquito men, and some 
 negroes formerly attached to the British settle 
 ments, was confided to General Robinson. 
 
 The second division, from Caratasca or Croata, 
 to Sandy Bay, and Duckwarra, which included 
 
CORONATION OF THE PRESENT. 147 
 
 all the Mosquito men proper, or mixed breed of 
 Samboes and Indians, was left under the rule, of 
 a chief, the brother of the late King, under the 
 name of Admiral. 
 
 The third division, from Brancmans, to Great 
 River (Rio Grande) was under the charge of Don 
 Carlos, denominated the Governor ; and included 
 the tribes of Tongulas, Towcas, Woolwas, Cook- 
 ras, &c. These three chiefs each appointed head 
 men, within their respective districts, subordinate 
 to their authority. The small colonies of Sam 
 boes, at Pearl Kay Lagoon and Bluefields, were, 
 however, allowed to choose their own governors. 
 
 The children were, after some time, sent from 
 Honduras to Jamaica ; and his Grace the Duke 
 of Manchester is said to have shown some atten 
 tion to the eldest, who always spoke of the Duke 
 with sentiments of respect and gratitude. After 
 going through the routine of an indifferent educa 
 tion, he was sent to Balize ; at which place, the 
 principal Mosquito chiefs were invited to meet 
 him, and the ceremony of his coronation was per 
 formed with considerable pomp ; the young chief 
 being escorted to the church by the British super- 
 intendant, the regular troops, militia, and princi 
 pal people of tlie settlement. The Reverend Mi- 
 Armstrong put the crown (a present from the Bri 
 tish to one of his ancestors) on his head ; and he 
 was formally invested with the sword, rake, and 
 spurs ; a royal salute was fired, and he was styled 
 King of the Mosquito Shore and Nation. 
 
 Medals, and dresses, were presented to the 
 chiefs ; and the whole were sent down to the 
 coast in a British sloop of war. They were acci- 
 
11-8 CII A RACIER OF THE 
 
 dentally landed at General Robinson s residence, 
 between Black River and Brewers Lagoon ; and 
 the King unhappily commenced his reign by gross 
 ly insulting and quarrelling with the General, his 
 most powerful chief. At Cape Gracias a Dios, 
 the King was received in the most friendly man 
 ner by all the members of his family, who princi 
 pally reside at an extensive pine savannah called 
 the Ridge, about forty miles from the Cape, at a 
 short distance from the bank of the great Cape 
 River. 
 
 He frequently assured me, that, on his arrival 
 at Cape Gracias a Dios, and for many months 
 afterwards, he regretted having returned to his 
 country, or that he had ever left it ; for he found 
 himself a perfect stranger, ignorant of the interests 
 of his subjects, and unacquainted with the influ 
 ence, or abilities, of the chiefs who, in other cir 
 cumstances, might have assisted him in forming 
 something like a government ; while, at the same 
 time, he was expected by his friends the British, 
 to fulfil duties, which he honestly confessed he 
 was but in a very slight manner qualified to per 
 form. He seemed perfectly sensible of these de- 
 ficiences, but without having energy, or applica 
 tion, to remedy them ; or to assume, and maintain, 
 with propriety, the rank and station in which Pro 
 vidence had placed him. These considerations, 
 at times, embittered his life ; his good resolutions, 
 and endeavours at amendment, constantly vanished, 
 when they were put in competition with the plea 
 sures of the bottle, and his other vicious propensi 
 ties, which were encouraged by the manners and 
 customs of his subjects, whom he considered it 
 
MOSQUITO KING. 149 
 
 necessary to conciliate, until they at length became 
 habitual to him ; and, when any vessel visited the 
 coast, or whenever he could procure rum, he was 
 generally in a state of intoxication. At such times, 
 his naturally liberal disposition overcame his pru 
 dence ; and, his countrymen found it their interest 
 to encourage this vice, and hailed the arrival of 
 the traders, as the signal for indulging in their 
 propensities for drinking, which they were always 
 sure the King would, not only gratify to the ex 
 tent of his abilities, but that, in those misguarded 
 moments, he would readily present them with any 
 thing of value in his possession. Under all these 
 circumstances it is not surprising that George 
 Frederick failed to realize the hopes of those who 
 expected better of him. After his first arrival 
 presents of clothing, blankets, cloth, duck, mos- 
 cheats and other articles, were sent to him, by the 
 British Government, for the purpose of being distri 
 buted among his people with a view to conciliate 
 them, and maintain his authority ; ami, at such times, 
 the Reverend Mr Armstrong never failed to send 
 him letters of advice regarding the regulation of his 
 conduct, and the duties he owed to his people ; 
 with a number of religious tracts, which were ge 
 nerally neglected, the King and his Prime Minis 
 ter observing, that a present of rum would have 
 been far more acceptable, as he found it impossible 
 to instruct his people on points which he did not 
 himself understand, and which they insisted were 
 * Englishman lies. Pie was naturally of a ge 
 nerous disposition, and not destitute of ability; 
 and, it is perhaps to be regretted that he did not 
 receive an European, rather than an extremely loose 
 M 2 
 
150 BAD SOIL AT CAPE GRACIAS. 
 
 West Indian education : by the former he would 
 have had a fair chance of acquiring correct ha 
 bits, and some idea of the importance of order and 
 good government ; whereas, hy the latter, he he- 
 came possessed of very little really useful inform 
 ation, and had an opportunity of engrafting, as 
 it were, the had qualities of the European, and 
 Creole, upon the vicious propensities of the 8am- 
 boe, and the capricious disposition of the Indian, 
 hy which his life was embittered, and his ultimate; 
 destruction caused. * Columhus and the compa 
 nions of his fourth voyage were the first Europe 
 ans who visited the Cape. 
 
 The soil in the neighbourhood is extremely had ; 
 and, with the exception of a few spots on which 
 there are small patches of cassava, is incapable of 
 producing any thing better than a coarse rank grass, 
 fit however for pasturage. The inhabitants of the 
 Cape, and the King himself, as I have formerly 
 stated, are consequently obliged to depend on the 
 people of the Hill Country, Croatch River, and 
 those settled a considerable way up the Great Cape 
 River, for plantains, maize, and other provisions. 
 
 Owing to these causes, combined with an entire 
 want of game, and a scarcity of good water, the 
 Cape presents no advantages for an agricultural 
 settlement. But, for a commercial establishment, 
 
 * He was, it is said, assassinated in 1824, but I have 
 not been able to learn the immediate circumstances which 
 led to that catastrophe. Colonel Goo. Woodbine of San 
 Andres, at the request of the chiefs, sat as chairman in 
 the investigation which took place, and I have heard that 
 some of those concerned in the murder were put to death. 
 Robert succeeded to him and has, in his, turn given 
 way to James, descended from a more ancient branch or 
 the family. 
 
VANKES RIVER. 151 
 
 and for grazing, it holds out many inducements ; 
 it has an excellent harbour or small bay, perfectly 
 secure from all winds, although in some parts open 
 to the south, which seldom blows : the bay is ca 
 pable of containing a large fleet in three to five 
 fathoms water, with good holding ground, abound 
 ing in fish of various kinds ; and, frequented, at 
 certain seasons, by innumerable flocks of teal and 
 widgeon. It is at no great distance from the Mos 
 quito Kays, whence can be procured, at all sea 
 sons, inexhaustible supplies of the finest green tur 
 tle ; and, but for this last circumstance, the Cape 
 would be, perhaps, entirely deserted, such vessels 
 as call there, being induced to do so only by the 
 abundant supplies of turtle and tortoise-shell, and 
 for the purpose of communicating with the King. 
 
 The Great Cape or Vankes River, is known to 
 have its source in the same mountainous country, 
 which near to the Pacific gives rise to the Blue- 
 fields River, or Rio de Nueva Segovia : its upper 
 part is described by the Buccaniers, who, about 
 1 20 years ago, forced their way from the Gulf of 
 Fonseca, across the mountains, to the Spanish 
 town of Nueva Segovia, and from thence, after 
 passing a short distance to the river, descended it 
 in floats or pippirees to the Atlantic as being si 
 tuated amongst rocky and precipitous mountains, 
 with numerous falls ; that its course is over a chan 
 nel of prodigious rocks ; and that it runs with great 
 rapidity until within about sixty leagues of the sea. 
 The length of its course is said to be two to three 
 hundred miles ; and it passes through some of the 
 richest land, and most romantic scenery in Central 
 America. Within forty or fifty miles of its mouth 
 the land becomes low, poor, and sandy, with oc- 
 
152 IMPORTANCE OF THE CAPE. 
 
 casional ridges of pitch-pine, and some patches of 
 good mould ; but, although the savannahs are fit 
 for pasturage, and would support numerous herds, 
 cattle are exceedingly scarce. 
 
 Cape River enters the ocean -some distance to 
 the northward of the bay, or harbour, and there 
 is a shallow, canal-like communication, from the 
 uppermost part of the latter, into the river, pass 
 able by canoes ; and which, might easily be en 
 larged, so as to enable small vessels to avoid the 
 dangerous bar of the river itself, on which there 
 is seldom more than four or five feet water. If 
 commercial establishments were formed at the 
 Cape, vessels might lie in safety at the upper end 
 of the harbour all the year round ; and if sufficient 
 encouragement were given, the valuable products 
 of the interior would be collected, brought down 
 the river, and, by the communication alluded to, 
 into the bay, and shipped at all seasons of the year. 
 
 It will be perceived, by what I have stated, 
 that the country governed by dementi, and part 
 of that under Robinson, is almost exclusively pos 
 sessed by different tribes of unmixed Indians, who 
 are in possession of the richest land, and whose 
 manners, and customs, and language, are, for the 
 HK.<st part, essentially different from those of the 
 Mosquito men, who are greatly dependent upon 
 them for game and other provisions. 
 
 These Indians are in general of a mild and 
 peaceable disposition ; in which respect, they es 
 sentially differ from their Mosquito rulers, who 
 seem to have derived, from their negro ancestor, 
 a certain degree of enterprise, which constantly 
 incites them to restless activity, rather than to the 
 enjoyment of the quiet and peaceable habits of 
 
ORIGIN OF THE SAMBOES. 153 
 
 the genuine Indian : hence they are rather fishers, 
 than cultivators of the soil ; and, although they 
 have, after many struggles, attained the ascend 
 ancy, they are by no means so estimable in a 
 moral point of view, being treacherous, supersti 
 tious, and much more inclined to every species of 
 debauchery, than the real Indian, who, in gene 
 ral, adheres strictly to the truth; while, with 
 very few exceptions, the Samboe will not hesitate to 
 violate every honest principle to accomplish thepai- 
 ticular object which he may have in view. They are, 
 however, hospitable, and have hitherto, on every 
 emergency, cordially agreed with their neighbours 
 in hatred to the Spaniards, and joined in defence 
 of their liberties, whenever they considered them 
 selves in danger. Their negro ancestors are said, 
 by Mr Edwards * and others, to have been Afri 
 cans from the Samba country, some hundreds of 
 wlxmi were wrecked on this coast in a Dutch ves 
 sel, and that having, by this means, recovered their 
 liberty, they travelled northwards, toward Cape Gra- 
 cias a Dios ; and, after several rencontres with the 
 natives, came to a friendly understanding with them, 
 had wives and ground allotted; and have at 
 length, by intermarriages, become in some mea 
 sure an Indian people, who, were they under pru 
 dent and active chiefs, are, by their nature and 
 disposition, well calculated to maintain their as 
 cendancy. But, it is not improbable that their 
 vicious propensities, encouraged by the imprudent 
 conduct, and imbecility of their head men, may 
 shortly rouse the vengeance of the genuine In- 
 
 * History of the West Indies, 5t-h Edition, Appendix. 
 As they become more mixed with the natives, their ap 
 pearance and character is every day less distinctly marked. 
 
154 BLACK RIVER POYAIS. 
 
 dians, who are by far the most numerous, and have 
 only been kept in a kind of nominal subjection by 
 their love of peace, fear of their common enemy 
 the Spaniard ; and, by the divisions which the 
 Mosquito-men have artfully created, and take care 
 to keep up amongst them. There is yet a third class, 
 whose vengeance may be equally fatal to them 
 namely, the Kharibees ; * who are darker in com 
 plexion, and superior in industry, to both the for 
 mer classes ; and, if they continue to increase with 
 the same rapidity as at present, may, ultimately, 
 obtain the entire ascendancy, at least on the coun 
 try north of the Cape. 
 
 During my sojourn with the King, I accompa 
 nied him in several excursions along the coast, 
 and into the interior ; in particular, to Black Ri 
 ver in the Poyais country, since ceded to General 
 MacGregor. During that journey, I had an op 
 portunity of seeing the principal settlements along 
 the coast to the northward of Cape Gracias a 
 Dios ; and, in order to preserve the form of nar 
 rative which I have adopted, shall confine my pre 
 sent observations, to that journey, reserving an ac 
 count of the Kharibees north of Black River, un 
 til after my return from Nicaragua and the City 
 of Leon, when I finally visited them. 
 
 Some Englishmen, and an American, acquaint 
 ed with the value of the land about Black River, 
 and with the former state of the plantations there, 
 had arrived from Barbadoes, with the determina 
 tion of forming a settlement at that place, and the 
 King was now desirous of visiting, and giving them 
 
 * I write the word not according to the European 
 mode, but as it is universally pronounced on the coast. 
 
KUKARI. 155 
 
 encouragement. We left the Cape in a large boat, 
 with about a dozen people. In running along the 
 coast we passed False Cape, situated about twenty- 
 five miles distant from Great Cape River. We 
 afterwards passed the River Croatch, a short dis 
 tance from False Cape : it is of considerable size, 
 with from nine to ten feet water over the bar 
 the land, on its banks, is fertile, although not much 
 elevated, producing great quantities of plantains, 
 and other provisions, with which its inhabitants, 
 who are Samboes, principally supply these at the 
 Cape. 
 
 We next visited Kukari, situated in a fertile 
 savannah, having opposite to it a haulover from 
 Caratasca Lagoon to the sea ; and, at this haulover 
 we landed, and proceeded to the house of its head 
 man, known by the name of the carpenter, a per 
 son possessed of a strong natural genius, and the 
 only native mechanic on the coast ; he is expert 
 at repairing old muskets, making new stocks for 
 them, mending gun-locks, and such other matters 
 as require some display of ingenuity. This man 
 has, from his infancy, been subject to a very singu 
 lar disease hereditary in his family, called by the 
 natives bulpis, supposed to be of a scrofulous na 
 ture, or similar to that which causes the extraor 
 dinary appearance of the Albinos: he was com 
 pletely spotted brown and white, all over the 
 body ; without, however, any particular roughness 
 of the skin. It did not, however, so far as I could 
 learn, affect the eyesight, or injure his general 
 health. 
 
 From Kukari, we proceeded across the haul- 
 over, into a small stream, leading to Caratasca 
 Lagoon. The entrance to this Lagoon (the Bahia 
 
156 FISH AND GAME. 
 
 de Cartctgo of the Spaniards), in sailing down the 
 roast, may be easily found ; for, although the land 
 on each side is remarkably low, the entrance to it 
 is wide, and there are few conspicuous cocoa-nut 
 trees, at Croata, near to it ; being the only trees 
 of that description on the shore to the eastward of 
 Patook River. It is of very considerable extent, 
 varying in breadth ; and having, in some places, 
 the appearance of several lagoons running into 
 each other, in various directions, for the most part, 
 parallel to the coast, but no where exceeeding 
 twelve miles in breadth. One of these extends to 
 within a very short distance of the River Patook, 
 and communicates with it by a small inlet. It a- 
 bounds in various sorts of fish of the finest de 
 scription, particularly mullet, calapaner, snoak, 
 cavallee, and also manatee ; and, it is the constant 
 resort of immense quantities of ducks, widgeon, 
 teal, and various aquatic birds. The Samboes 
 have several settlements on its western borders ; 
 arid parties of quiet and peaceable unmixed In 
 dians, reside in the interior, or, on the banks 
 of the rivers which empty themselves into it. The 
 land in the vicinity consists almost entirely of ex 
 tensive and beautiful savannahs, covered with the 
 finest pasturage, and abounding in deer and other 
 game. Black cattle were formerly numerous, but 
 the Mosquito men have not been provident enough 
 to keep up the breed, selling all they could lay hold 
 of, to the traders who frequently visit the Lagoon, 
 for the purpose of carrying them off. There are 
 few pine trees at Croata, but on the opposite, or 
 land side, there are ridges containing timber as 
 large as any on the coast : behind these ridges, to 
 the westward, the savannahs are bounded by gently 
 
TIMBER. 157 
 
 rising hills, whose summits are covered by the 
 most luxuriant vegetation ; and on the banks of the 
 streams in the interior, there is excellent mahogany, 
 and cedar of the finest quality and largest size. 
 Pimento and various other valuable plants are also 
 indigenous. Crota or Grata, the principal settle 
 ment, is on the sea-coast, at about three miles 
 distant from the entrance to the Lagoon. We 
 were received by Morton and his son Washing 
 ton, with the greatest cordiality ; the former had 
 recently succeeded to the authority and title of 
 the late Captain Potts, well known at the Bay of 
 Honduras as the chief of this settlement. Here 
 we remained two days, and were hospitably enter 
 tained, the King and his people being, from the 
 following circumstance, kept in . constant state of 
 excitement. A pipe of white wine had been dis 
 covered on the beach, and rolled to Morton s resi 
 dence ; he and his neighbours opened the cask, 
 and continued drinking for several days, unremit 
 tingly, until it was finished. The men were, how 
 ever, surprised to find that the women continued 
 to be tipsy ; they had also found a cask and con 
 cealed it in the bushes, for their own private use. 
 This was soon discovered, and Morton, in re 
 buking them, said, that for woman to get drank 
 was not English lady fashion. This cask was 
 also brought to the settlement, and the men re 
 commenced drinking until all were completely 
 satiated. The remainder, about half a pipe, was 
 presented to us ; and our party, after drinking as 
 much as they could, carried oft part of it as a sea 
 stock. 
 
 Continuing our voyage, we kept inside the La- 
 N 5 
 
158 BIO BARBA. 
 
 goon until we arrived at Tabacounta, a small 
 stream * running from a branch of the Lagoon in 
 to the ocean, about five miles from Patook. This 
 stream has only three or four feet water at its en 
 trance ; and, in the best weather, it can only be 
 entered by small canoes. We arrived at Patook 
 River the same evening ; a strong current was 
 setting out of it ; the bar, on which there is gene 
 rally eight or ten feet of water, shifts in the rainy 
 season, or during heavy gales, and occasionally 
 leaves a sufficient depth for vessels of considerable 
 burden. The tides, which seldom or never rise 
 exceeding a few feet, ebb and flow into it for some 
 miles ; it is of considerable magnitude, being aug 
 mented by several tributary streams, the chief of 
 which is the Rio Barba of the Spaniards ; it has 
 an inferior mouth, beside that already mentioned, 
 falling into the Brewers Lagoon ; it rises in a ridge 
 of mountains, which separate it from the Great 
 Cape River, and its course is estimated to be up 
 wards of one hundred and fifty miles. Some dan 
 gerous shoals lay oft the principal entrance ; and 
 from Patook Point, which is on the eastern side, 
 a bank extends nearly two miles, on which there 
 is very little water. The land in the interior is very 
 fertile, and provisions are plentiful at this settlement, 
 which is composed principally of negroes former 
 ly belonging to Mr Hewlet, a merchant some time 
 ago settled at Black River. These negroes and 
 their descendants have established themselves here 
 in the same manner as those at Bluefields, and 
 Pearl Kay Lagoon. They have some black cattle, 
 horses, pigs, poultry, &c.; part of these they are 
 
 * In some charts laid down as Little 1 atook Uiver. 
 
JACK. 159 
 
 always ready to sell at a very low price. They 
 also, among other things, cultivate tobacco and 
 rice, which %row uncommonly well, and are chief 
 ly bartered with their neighbours the Kharibees, 
 who sell them at the Bay of Honduras. 
 
 Only three families of Mosquito-men reside at 
 this settlement, which is on the right bank of the 
 river, about half a mile from the sea. The head 
 man of the place is Jack, an old negro, who was 
 a great favourite of the late Mosquito King, and 
 intrusted by the present George Frederick with 
 the keeping of the Crown and other regalia, which 
 he carefully conceals ; the late King had secreted 
 a considerable sum of money in a place known on 
 ly to this man, through whose honesty it was 
 made known and recovered by the present King. 
 Jack informed me, that he had frequently ascend 
 ed the river as far as the back settlements of the 
 Spaniards, with whom he occasionally bartered a 
 few trifling articles brought to him by the Khari 
 bees ; that at one part of its course it has forced 
 its way through a ridge of small hills, one of which 
 was excavated by the stream, and completely arch 
 ed, so that his dorie passed underneath, as if 
 through a cavern, for a distance of nearly five hun 
 dred yards. It is frequented by the largest alliga 
 tors I have ever seen, but they seldom do mis 
 chief. Its banks are extremely fertile, and pro 
 duce the banana and plantain in great perfection 
 a sure criterion of the excellence of the soil. Two 
 of the Kharibees came to visit the King, and du 
 ring our stay provided us with Charib bread, the 
 method of preparing which I shall, hereafter, have 
 occasion to describe. 
 
 The appearance of the atmosphere indicating a 
 
160 HORSES. 
 
 storm, the King determined to proceed by land, 
 leaving the greater part of the people behind to 
 wait his return. 
 
 The natives of this settlement possess a consi 
 derable number of horses, the breed of which had 
 been obtained from Caratasca ; but, being little 
 used, and there being no sale, they have multi 
 plied so greatly, that in the neighbouring savan 
 nahs hundreds are to be found, in a state of na 
 ture ; although, so far as I could judge, they are 
 docile, and could be easily broke, and trained to 
 the saddle, or other purposes. Two of them be 
 ing furnished to us, we on the third day from our 
 arrival set off for Brewers Lagoon. Our route lay 
 along the beach ; and, occasionally, through the 
 savannahs, which are parallel to it. About four 
 miles below the settlement of Patook, is the first 
 village of the Kharibees, who have spread them 
 selves from Truxillo along the shore as far as this 
 place, and are great favourites with the present 
 King. We stopped occasionally to converse with 
 the old men, who always cordially welcomed the 
 King, and appeared anxious to entertain us with 
 the best fare they had. The men wore shirts and 
 trowsers ; the women were almost completely na 
 ked, having merely two small square pieces of 
 red calico not larger than a common pocket hand 
 kerchief : one of these was suspended before, the 
 other behind, and secured to the shape with small 
 strings of silk grass ; their manners, were, how 
 ever, modest and diffident ; and the girls, when-- 
 ever they observed us, ran to conceal themselves, 
 where they thought they could look at us, without 
 being seen. 
 We remained in the evening at the last Khari- 
 
PLANTAIN RIVER. 161 
 
 bee house in this quarter, close to a haul-over into 
 Brewers Lagoon. Here we left our horses, and 
 embarked in a canoe, in which we reached the 
 entrance of the Lagoon, about ten miles distant ; 
 the entrance is tolerably wide, but will not admit 
 vessels of more than nine feet water. Three or 
 four miles from the entrance is a small island, of 
 moderate height, about two miles in circumference, 
 fertile, and formerly fortified by the English, who 
 used to raise live stock and provisions upon it. It 
 is now overrun with trees, mangrove, and mohoe 
 bushes ; and some of the guns left by the British 
 stilt remain, where they were originally placed : 
 it could again be fortified at very little expense, 
 and would form an excellent station either for 
 commerce, or for European settlers and planta 
 tions. The Lagoon abounds in banks of very fine 
 oysters, with fish and fowl in abundance. The 
 country to the westward is beautifully diversified 
 by gently rising hills, valleys, and savannahs ; and 
 the soil, generally speaking, is excellent. 
 
 About two miles from the mouth of the Lagoon 
 is Plantain River ; a small stream, with a danger 
 ous bar, passable only by canoes. On the banks 
 of this river is the residence of " General " Robinson, 
 one of the three chiefs already mentioned. The 
 General being absent at the Bay of Honduras dis 
 posing of sarsaparilla, and other commodities, pro 
 cured, principally, from the Poyer Indians, part of 
 whom are settled on the upper part of this river. 
 We did not wait for his return, but crossed Plan 
 tain River, and pursued our way, along the beach, 
 for about half a mile ; we then entered a savan 
 nah, from the ridge of which we had a beautiful 
 prospect of the surrounding country, and of the 
 N 2 
 
162 BRITISH FORT. 
 
 Sugar-loaf Mountain, Richmond Hill, and other 
 high grounds in the vicinity of Black River. 
 Reaching Black River Lagoon, which is ahout 
 fourteen or sixteen miles long, and about half as 
 broad, we proceeded in canoes towards its en 
 trance. It contains several small islands, some of 
 which were occupied for raising provisions, and 
 cattle, when the British held possession of Black 
 River ; on its borders are extensive savannahs, and 
 pine ridges, from whence the former settlers used 
 to draw considerable quantities of tar, pitch ? and 
 turpentine : The ruins of the old works are still 
 visible ; and, from their present appearance, must 
 have been very extensive. We observed im 
 mense quantities of pigeons, teal, muscovy ducks, 
 and other birds, which, in the morning, kept fly 
 ing about in flocks of many hundreds ; at the 
 extremity of the Lagoon, we entered a natural 
 canal of moderate width, about three miles in 
 length, and the water of considerable depth, con 
 necting the Lagoon with Black River. 
 
 Having crossed the course of the main stream of 
 the river, we passed the point on which the British 
 had formerly a small fort, created for the protection 
 of the settlement ; the situation appeared very proper 
 for the purpose. The fort had been surrounded 
 by a ditch, and could still, at a trifling expense, 
 be made tenable. We found the new settlement 
 on the banks of a branch of the river, about three 
 miles from its entrance. The situation seemed to 
 be low and ill chosen, a few houses had been put 
 up, on the site of part of the former town, by the 
 new settlers, who were at this time Colonel 
 Gordon of the independent service, Captain Mur 
 ray and his wife, Captain Hosmore and his son, 
 
COLOKEL GORDON. 163 
 
 with three or four other white people. Colonel 
 Gordon and his party had heen settled some time 
 previous to the arrival of the others ; they had 
 cleared a considerable quantity of land, and had 
 already raised one crop, of ahout five hundred 
 bushels of Indian corn, with which Gordon had 
 gone to Truxillo ; having formed a contract with 
 the commandant of that place to take all that he 
 could raise. The quality appeared equal, if not 
 superior, to any raised in the Southern States of 
 the Union. Mr Wan-en, an American, had been 
 left in charge of the Colonel s plantation ; good 
 crops, and a ready demand for their produce, 
 seemed to be anticipated by all parties. Young 
 Hosmore, and another Englishman, had been up 
 the river, on a visit to the Poyer Indians, whose 
 first regular settlements are about forty miles from 
 its entrance, and are extended, as high as the Spa 
 nish Embarcadero, about fifty miles farther up. 
 When there, they, by way of ascertaining how far 
 the extensive trade formerly carried on could be 
 revived, despatched an Indian to the Spanish town 
 of Manto, or Olancho el Viejo ; he was well re 
 ceived, and brought back letters from several 
 padres, inviting young Hosmore to proceed to 
 Manto, and sending mules to bring him, and the 
 few goods he had, to that place. He immediate 
 ly paid them a visit, was kindly received, and 
 made proposals for a supply of dry goods, for 
 which they offered specie, cattle, sarsaparilla, &c. 
 They also tendered him, in the mean time, mules 
 and cattle to assist in the formation of the settle 
 ment ; declaring that the withdrawing of the Bri 
 tish from Black River had so injured their trade 
 and former prosperity, that they would, willingly, 
 
164 GOLD MINES. 
 
 use every exertion to open a communication with 
 any new settlers. Having no means of conveying 
 the mules, &c. down the river, Hosmore was ob- 
 liged to decline the offer. He made cautious in 
 quiries regarding the mines in this part of the 
 country, and procured some specimens of silver, 
 and gold ore, the former of which appeared equal 
 to the Plata de Mina, that I had seen in the Paci 
 fic : The situation of several mines was known to 
 some of the former settlers, and a regular survey 
 was once attempted by a Colonel Despard, hut, 
 being at an improper season of the year, it failed. 
 Hosmore told me he had stopped on his way 
 down the river to examine two mineral springs, 
 one hot, the other cold, close to each other, near 
 the junction of two of its branches : they are situ 
 ated at the base of an extensive ridge of moun 
 tains, extending through the country, in a westerly 
 direction ; and, without doubt, connecting those 
 which form the barrier between the Spaniards of 
 Nicaragua, and the various unconquered Indians 
 to the northward and eastward. The highest 
 part of these ridges appears by the course of the 
 rivers to be about the upper part of the Poyer 
 country ; and, as the eastern side, in possession of 
 the Spaniards, is known to be full of gold and sil 
 ver ores, there can be no doubt that the Indian 
 side is equally rich, in these minerals. In passing, 
 up and down the river, he had landed at the ruins 
 of some of the former English plantations, where 
 he found sugar-cane, plantains, bananas, pine 
 apples, coffee bushes, &c. vegetating in a state of 
 wild luxuriance. Mr Hosmore s father had trans 
 planted, from thence, several hundred coffee 
 plants ; but, owing to their removal from a rich to 
 
OLD SETTLER. 165 
 
 a poor soil, I doubt the favourable result of his 
 experiment. Peas, beans, cabbage, and other 
 culinary vegetables of England, were however in 
 a state of great forwardness ; and the new settlers 
 found no difficulty in procuring provisions, one 
 draught of the seive being sufficient to supply the 
 settlement with fish for several days ; and they 
 could always find plenty of game on the river, 
 and in the woods. These, and trading conveni 
 ences, induced them to remain at this place, at 
 present, in preference to ascending higher up, to a 
 richer soil. We were shown the remains of the 
 former church, hospital, and ruins of several 
 houses, all built of brick made in the country ser 
 veral sawpits, and other indications of the industry 
 of the former settlers were also visible. 
 
 A very strong instance of local attachment in 
 one of the old settlers was related to us. When 
 the present people arrived, they found, here, a 
 very old man of the name of Austin, who had 
 been a resident during its prosperity ; he was 
 nearly ninety years of age, and, after a variety of 
 adventures, he had recently found his way back 
 to the old place, that he might spend his last days 
 there, and be buried by the side of his former as 
 sociates. By his directions the remains of the 
 burial-ground had been searched for the grave 
 stone of one of his oldest companions ; he cleared 
 away the weeds and brushwood, and daily visited 
 the spot until his death, which took place some 
 weeks after the arrival of our informants ; who, 
 faithful to their promise, buried him by the side 
 of his ancient comrade. 
 
 Having remained a few days, the King found it 
 Accessary to return towards the Cape, to kpep 
 
166 RETURN TO 
 
 the festival of Christmas with some of his princi 
 pal chiefs, according to custom. He considered it 
 prudent to visit General Robinson, who had re 
 turned home, and had several of the chiefs staying 
 with him. Leaving Black River in the morning, 
 we arrived at the General s towards evening. His 
 house and establishment seemed to be compara 
 tively comfortable for this part of the world ; he 
 had several Indian, and negro slaves ; and kept a 
 small quantity of cattle, which were grazing, in 
 a savannah, on the right bank of the river, opposite 
 to his settlement. We found him receiving sarsa- 
 parilla from the Poyer and other Indians, for 
 which he gave them any price he thought proper ; 
 that commodity is abundant in all the country be 
 tween Cape Cameron and Cape Honduras ; but 
 the inhabitants only collect sufficient to pay for 
 such articles as they absolutely want, beyond 
 which they do not look farther. 
 
 Robinson s brothers, Ban-as, Roncell, and some 
 of the other chiefs received the King with some 
 degree of coolness, encouraged by Robinson, who 
 affected to consider himself an independent chief. 
 We returned to Crota by the same route as for 
 merly ; and, in passing through the country, the 
 Kharibees, in various places, and negroes at Pa- 
 t)ok, complained much of the violent and oppres 
 sive conduct of Barras, of which I shall hereafter 
 have occasion to speak, and besought the King s 
 interference. At Grata we were received and 
 treated with the same hospitality as before ; a 
 bullock was killed for our provision, and when we 
 embarked to cross Caratasca Lagoon, another, 
 with the remainder of the wine, was given to us, 
 as a Christmas present. Returning by False Cape, 
 
CAPE GRACIAS A DIGS. 167 
 
 \VG came to a settlement, on the edge of a savan 
 nah, about three miles up Great Cape River, the 
 chief of which, named Hamlar, provided us with 
 a done, in which we descended the river, and en 
 tered the upper part of the harbour through the 
 communication formerly mentioned, after an ab 
 sence of about fourteen days. 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 HARBOUR OF SAN JUAN DE NICARAGUA AT 
 TACK BY AN INDEPENDENT CRUISER TAKEN 
 
 AS A SPY TRIAL AND ESCAPE CONDUCT OP 
 
 THE INDIANS ORDERED TO SAN CARLOS BON- 
 
 -GOS THE FORT OR BATTERY AND ENTRANCES 
 
 OF THE RIVER MANATIS SERAPIQUI COM 
 MODORE MITCHELL S EXPEDITION ISLANDS 
 
 RAPIDS, ALLIGATORS ARRIVAL AT THE 
 
 CASTLE OF SAN JUAN ITS PRESENT STATE 
 
 GUEAT RAPID FORMER INCORRECT STATEMENTS 
 REGARDING THE RIVER. 
 
 SHORTLY after the journey last narrated, I visited 
 Balize ; and succeeded in forming arrangements 
 there, under the sanction of the Mosquito King, 
 for securing a share of the Indian trade. During 
 the interval of carrying these arrangements into 
 effect, I continued to make short voyages along 
 the shore, visiting, and residing occasionally, at 
 many of the Indian, and Mosquito settlements. 
 
 One of these voyages, had a termination which 
 unexpectedly afforded me an opportunity of visit 
 ing the Interior of Central America, as far as the 
 eity of Leon, within a few miles of the South Sea. 
 
 In the year 18JJ2, I left Cape Gracias a Dies, 
 
HARBOUR. . 169 
 
 in a small smack of about fifteen tons burden, with 
 goods to the value of about five hundred pounds, 
 intending to run along the whole coast as far as 
 the river Coclee ; and to stop at every river, creek, 
 and settlement, where tortoise-shell, and other 
 produce, could be procured. The King furnished 
 me with three of his people to accompany me as 
 far as Prinzapulko, where I knew I could engage 
 proper hands for the remainder of the voyage. I 
 obtained a considerable quantity of tortoise-shell 
 at Duckwarra * and Sandy Bay. I proceeded from 
 thence to Brancmans, where I had an interview 
 with Governor dementi, and agreed to purchase 
 all the shell and other articles, that his people 
 might next season collect. On my arrival at 
 Prinzapulko, I entered into agreement with au 
 intelligent Indian, named Brown, mentioned in a 
 former part of this narrative, who, having been 
 brought up in a Creole family at Pearl Kay Lagoon, 
 spoke good English, and three others, to proceed 
 with me ; agreeing to pay them in goods, at the 
 rate of five dollars per man, each month, for their 
 services. I could have hired White people, or 
 Creoles, at Pearl Kay Lagoon, on the same terms, 
 but I have ahvays found the Indians more capable 
 of bearing fatigue, easily satisfied, docile and ob 
 liging, consequently better adapted for my pur 
 pose. 
 
 With these men I left Prinzapulko early in 
 June ; and, after trading at Great River, Pearl 
 
 * Duckwarra is laid down in the charts as Duccana. 
 Ducanna or Duckwarra Lagoon is also represented as 
 joining or running into Sandy Bay, whereas it is separat 
 ed by a savannah at least six miles across. 
 O 
 
170 HARBOUR OF ST JUAN 
 
 Kay Lagoon, Bluefields, and the Rama settlement 
 at Point de Gorda, I arrived at the harbour of 
 San Juan de Nicaragua. It was scarcely day 
 light when I entered the port, and, before discover 
 ing two large schooners, I was under their guns. 
 The appearance of these vessels alarmed my In 
 dians, but it was too late to recede ; and I had 
 scarcely come to anchor, when I was boarded by 
 a large boat full of people ; the officer, in com 
 mand, ordered my vessel alongside the schooner, 
 to be searched, and assumed as much importance 
 as if he had made a most valuable capture. I was 
 aware that the Spaniards avail themselves of every 
 portunity to purchase a few dry goods, from the 
 Indian traders as they pass along the coast ; and, 
 that the commanders of Port San Juan, and the 
 Castle of San Carlos, not only wink at this con 
 traband trade, but, indirectly, buy goods on their 
 own accounts to a considerable extent, payment 
 being made in gold dust, doubloons, and dollars. 
 I was nevertheless afraid for the result ; having 
 a quantity of gunpowder, and cutlass blades, for 
 the Indian trade, knowing these articles to be 
 strictly contraband. 
 
 The Commandant of the fort, or battery, having 
 satisfied himself respecting the object of my voyage, 
 told me, contrary to my expectation, that I was at 
 liberty to depart whenever I thought proper. 
 
 The schooners were the Flw-del-mer, mount 
 ing ten, and the Estrella eight guns six pounders ; 
 with each a long eighteen pounder on a pivot: 
 they had originally been American privateers, the 
 smallest of them exceeding two hundred and fifty 
 tons, with a crew of fifty men each. The captain 
 of the first mentioned vessel, desirous of informa- 
 
DE NICARAGUA. 171 
 
 tion, insisted on my breakfasting with him ; and, 
 during the time I enjoyed his hospitality, the man 
 who was kept on the look-out, from the mast 
 head, descried a sail to windward, coming down 
 in the same direction from whence I had arrived. 
 In a moment all was hurry, hustle, and confusion ; 
 and, I was annoyed by innumerable questions 
 about the vessel in sight : it was in vain that I as 
 sured them I knew nothing about them ; and sug 
 gested, tbat she might be one of the Jamaica tra 
 ders. My assertions were received with distrust, 
 or entirely disbelieved : a few minutes however 
 put them out of suspense ; it became evident that 
 she was a brig of war ; and, immediately, prepara 
 tions were made for action. 
 
 As most of my little property was now at stake, 
 I went to the Commandant of the fort, and re 
 quested that my small vessel should be taken over 
 the bar, into the river for safety ; offering in re 
 turn, the services of the Indians, to assist in work 
 ing the guns at the fort ; and tendering my own to 
 the Captain of the Estrella. The Commandant 
 coolly observed that his officers strongly suspected 
 I was a spy for the vessel now in sight ; but that 
 if I assisted in repulsing her, I would, in some 
 measure, invalid that impression, leaving it how 
 ever entirely at my own option to act as I judged 
 proper. 
 
 By this time the schooners, having springs on 
 their cables, were moored with their broadsides 
 completely commanding the entrance to the har 
 bour. Their commanders ordered the red flag to 
 be hoisted, which was immediately answered by a 
 similar defiance from the vessel in the offing : she 
 took in top-gallant sails, reefed topsails, and in 
 
172 ATTACK BY AN 
 
 rounding the point within gunshot, hoisted Buenos 
 Ayrean colours, and I then knew her to he the 
 Patriot vessel Centinela, commanded hy Bradford, 
 a brave and intrepid officer, formerly attached to 
 the Mexican squadron under Sir Gregor MacGre- 
 gor, and General Aurey. The Spaniards imme 
 diately began to fire from the battery and both 
 schooners, whilst the brig advanced silently and 
 steadily, towards them, with the evident intention 
 of hoarding ; and, had she been able to do so, I 
 fully anticipated their capture, as it was with 
 much difficulty that the officers of the schooners, 
 could keep the men to their guns. Fortunately 
 for the Spaniards the breeze died away, almost to 
 a calm, at the moment when the Patriot vessel 
 came in contact with the current setting out of 
 the river ; consequently she was under the neces 
 sity of letting go an anchor, within musket-shot of 
 the fort and schooners. At this disadvantage, 
 she proceeded to get a spring on her cable ; and, 
 before firing a gun, brought her broadside to bear 
 on the schooners, which were moored so close to 
 gether that the jib-boom end of one was nearly 
 over the taf-rail of the other. In this position, 
 the -Centinela continued the action nearly four 
 hours, against twenty-eight pieces of cannon, the 
 random and ill-directed fire of the Spaniards alone 
 preventing them from sinking her at her anchors. 
 
 Being by this time much damaged in her hull 
 and rigging, she cut her cable ; and, assisted by 
 the current from the river, and a light breeze 
 which sprung up, drifted out of the reach of grape 
 and cannister shot, evidently prepared to repel 
 any attack, if her enemies had dared to become 
 the assailants. The Spanish officers, indeed, cal- 
 
INDEPENDENT CRUISER. 173 
 
 led out to their men " aborda ! aborda ! " but not 
 one of these gentlemen oftered to set the example, 
 by jumping into the boats ; she reached the 
 Corn Islands next day in a sinking state ; but, few 
 men were killed on either side. 
 
 While still employed at the gun which I assist 
 ed in working, the officers of the Flor-del-Mer 
 came on board to congratulate us, on what they 
 should have rather considered an escape than a 
 victory. One of them came, up to me, and look 
 ing steadfastly in my face, swore he knew me, 
 and called to the officers on the quarter-deck to 
 desire I might be secured, as I was a prize-master 
 belonging to the Centinela, who had lately taken 
 his vessel, and plundered his person, under the 
 worst circumstances of aggravation and insult. 
 Such a charge as this, after I had, during so many 
 hours, risked my life in defence of their vessels, 
 completely confounded me ; and this confusion 
 was, by all present, taken as evidence of my guilt. 
 The rumour of a spy from the insurgent brig be 
 ing discovered on board the Estrella, soon spread, 
 and when I was carried on board the other schoo 
 ner, to be put in irons, her crew were desired to 
 see if any of them could recognise me. A hard 
 featured villanous looking fellow stept forward, 
 and accused me of being the sail-maker of the 
 brig in question ; that he would swear iftat when 
 lie was boarded and captured, on his last voyage 
 from the Havannah to Truxillo, I had, in my in 
 satiable thirst for plunder, cut his trowsers, in 
 which he had a number of doubloons, with my 
 boarding-knife, and nearly murdered him. 
 
 This was considered sufficient evidence ; it was 
 
174 TRIED AS 
 
 in vain I protested my innocence ; I was imme 
 diately ironed, and sent under a guard to the fort. 
 My Indians were exceedingly surprised at seeing 
 me brought ashore in this manner ; and, before I 
 could fully explain the cause to Brown, I was 
 hurried to the guardhouse. 
 
 Next morning, about nine o clock, I was con 
 ducted before the commandant and a number of 
 officers assembled ; and, as they appeared to be 
 fully satisfied that I was, or had been, an officer 
 of the Centinela, a paper was presented for signa 
 ture, which was said to contain the charges made 
 out against me ; and the depositions of the two 
 Spaniards now made upon oath. 
 
 I resolutely refused, however, to sign this pa 
 per, on the ground of my imperfect knowledge of 
 the Spanish language, and having no interpreter 
 on whom I could depend : that I was perfectly 
 innocent, and might, by signing it, criminate 
 myself. They remanded me back to prison ; and 
 the commandant of the fort, Don Francisco Sal- 
 lablanco, sent me some refreshment. In the even 
 ing I overheard one of cay guards assuring his 
 comrade that the officers were perfectly satisfied of 
 my being a spy ; and had, therefore, come to the re 
 solution of executing me without delay. Early in 
 the morning I was again brought before these 
 judges, and desired to sign the paper, but still 
 refused. After a short deliberation, a sergeant 
 and six men, conducted me to the back of the 
 fort; two others were employed to support me 
 as I could not walk without assistance, both 
 legs being in irons ; another person carried an 
 empty cask; and a fourth a chair for the com- 
 
A SPY. 175 
 
 mandant. Arrived at the back of the fort the 
 cask was put down, and I was ordered to sit upon 
 it, the commandant placed his chair close beside 
 me, and informed me by means of an interpreter, 
 that I had been regularly tried, and that it was 
 the opinion of all present, that sufficient evidence 
 had been adduced to prove that I was an officer 
 belonging to the Patriot service, and that, having 
 entered the harbour as a spy, they were justified in 
 putting me to death in a summary manner ; he 
 therefore exhorted me to address myself to Al 
 mighty God, as in the course of another half-hour 
 I should cease to live. He then ordered the sol 
 diers to load their pieces and draw up in line about 
 twelve yards distant. When the sergeant came 
 forward to blindfold me with a handkerchief, I re 
 fused to submit to it ; and on turning my head 
 from side to side to prevent it, and as a sign of 
 my innocence my eye fell upon my poor Indians, 
 who had been brought out to witness the execu 
 tion. The agitation of my mind at this crisis can 
 not be expressed : these men being much attached 
 to me, raised that loud and melancholy howl 
 or lamentation, which I had, often, heard them 
 chant at the death of one of their own tribe. 
 Despair fell so heavily on my mind that all hope 
 utterly left me ; but on acquiring new courage, I 
 instantly turned to the commandant, who, by this 
 time, had risen from his chair, and observed, in 
 broken Spanish, and English, that, if he was de 
 termined to murder an innocent man, a subject of 
 Great Britain, I could die without being blind 
 folded. Every tongue was now hushed ; save 
 those of my poor Indians, expecting the fatal 
 word or signal, which was to expedite me from 
 
176 ORDERED TO 
 
 a world of strife. I was in the act of recom 
 mending my soul to God, when suddenly I heard 
 the splashing of oars ; and, a large hoat, hitherto 
 concealed hy the bushes and bamboos, appeared 
 close to us ! 
 
 A feeling now darted into my mind, that I 
 should escape the pending catastrophe; and, in 
 consequence, I now and afterwards acted with 
 more boldness than was, perhaps, warranted by my 
 critical situation. The commandant suspended the 
 execution, and I was conducted to the guard 
 house. 
 
 The boat proved to be a government express, 
 down the river from the castle of San Carlos, 
 with a reinforcement of men, under the command 
 of an officer, who was to supersede the present 
 commander. I was shortly ordered before the 
 new commandant, to whom I explained my reasons 
 for having called at the harbour, the time I had 
 been living on the coast, and, the nature of my 
 trade with the Indians. I referred him to papers, 
 found in my vessel, corroborative of my statement; 
 but, unfortunately, he could find no one to read 
 them. 
 
 I was afterwards ordered to hold myself in 
 readiness to be sent up the river San Juan ; and 
 desired to communicate the same order to the In 
 dians, who were now allowed to visit me. Brown 
 seemed to have his horrid ideas of the Spaniards 
 fully confirmed ; and, at that moment, swore ven 
 geance against them, if chance should ever place 
 man, woman, or child, of their country, at his dis 
 posal ; I told him to keep up the spirits of his 
 companions ; that I should never desert them, 
 
SAN CARLOS. 177 
 
 even if I lost all ; and, that I equally relied an 
 their attachment. 
 
 I was again brought before the new command 
 ant, who desired me to sign an inventory of the 
 articles found in my .vessel : hut, I saw, that it 
 contained not one eighth part of them ; that my 
 trunks, and cases, had been broken open, and plun 
 dered of nearly all their contents ; the soldiers 
 had taken even my apparel and were wearing it 
 before my face, but, I was obliged to be satisfied 
 with an assurance, that all justice would be done 
 to me, at San Carlos. The provisions which I 
 had in my vessel were ordered to be sent ashore 
 for the support of myself and Indians. I have 
 been the more particular on the preceding occur 
 rences, because they show one of the hair-breadth 
 escapes of an eventful life ; and, at the same time, 
 explain the cause of my journey into the interior 
 of a country, which, the jealousy of the Spanish 
 government, had hitlierto shut up from the inspec 
 tion of Englishmen. 
 
 In the evening three large craft, by the Spaniards 
 called bongos, came from the schooners to the fort, 
 loaded with dry goods, and demijohns, or large 
 jars of brandy and Dutch gin. Into one of these 
 boats, I was put, with two of the Indians ; the o- 
 ther two being sent to a separate bongo, all 
 ironed. 
 
 I had the libe /ty of laying myself at full length in 
 the after part of the boat, the Indians being kept 
 forward, so that no communication could take place 
 among us. These boats are from thirty-five, to 
 forty feet in length ; the bottom, and sides, to the 
 height of three feet, is composed of a single piece 
 of mahogany or cedar, generally the latter, rounded 
 
178 BONGOS. 
 
 similar to that of a canoe, without a keel ; the 
 stern square. Their risings consist of two planks 
 from sixteen to eighteen inches broad ; and from 
 three and a half, to four inches thick ; reaching 
 from stern to stem, and strongly secured, as well 
 as the bottom, by very stout timbers of the wild 
 calabash, bally, or Santamaria wood ; in other re 
 spects they are fitted up like a ship s launch, their 
 oars are stout poles, about twelve feet in length, 
 at the end of which is a piece of board, four 
 feet long, and eighteen inches wide, tapered off 
 something in the shape of an oar blade ; these 
 oars are secured to the thowel by straps of raw 
 hide. A space of about eight feet in length 
 at the afterpart of these bongos is planted, or 
 decked, within about a foot or eighteen inches un 
 der the risings ; and over this deck is thrown an 
 arched awning of raw hides, much in the shape of 
 coverings for waggons in England, completely 
 sheltering the passengers from the sun and weather. 
 These boats are from six to seven feet wide, draw 
 from three to five feet water, and are pulled by 
 from sixteen to twenty-two oars. On an average 
 they carry about sixteen tons, and are the largest 
 craft hitherto used on this river. The Padrone or 
 master, and the crew, were natives of Granada <1c 
 Nicaragua, hardy, stout, raw-boned fellows, de 
 scendants of Indians ; and the boatmen wrought 
 during the day, entirely naked. 
 
 The late commandant of the fort, and one of 
 the owners of the Flor-del-Mer, were passengers, 
 and about three o clock in the afternoon, we en 
 tered the river, by the channel to the north or 
 right hand side. 
 
 The fort, or rather battery, which I had after- 
 
FORT OF SAN JUAN. 179 
 
 wards a better opportunity of examining:, has 
 twelve pieces of cannon, long iron twenty-four 
 pounders, mounted behind a breastwork of turf 
 and sand, on a wooden platform of great thick 
 ness ; they completely command the entrance of 
 the harbour, and both mouths of the river. A few 
 houses for the accommodation of the officers and 
 soldiers, are built at the back of the battery, which, 
 altogether, has accommodation for about one hun 
 dred men : it may be more properly termed a mask 
 ed battery than a fort. The island on which it 
 stands, is something less than half a mile in cir 
 cumference, nearly in the centre of the entrances 
 io the river the soil is sandy, and overgrown 
 with bamboo, mohoe, and cane shrubs and bushes ; 
 the entrance on the south, or larboard side, is 
 nearly half a mile wide, but too shallow to admit 
 a loaded bongo ; the other, by which we proceed 
 ed, is not so wide, being little more than two hun 
 dred yards across ; its greatest depth about seven 
 feet, and frequently not more than five ; the cur 
 rent in its channel runs stronger than in that which 
 is on the other side, and tlie island itself seems to 
 have been formed by the accumulation of sand, 
 trees, &c., brought down the river during the 
 rainy season. The main body of the river is here 
 about half a mile wide, and becomes deeper as we 
 ascend from the island. 
 
 We pulled close to a low bank, at a place on 
 the south side of the river, where some rude huts 
 had been constructed. Here the people landed for 
 the purpose of cooking, and I was rather cavalier 
 ly invited to join them; I answered by pointing to 
 the irons, which had by this time caused my legs 
 to swell, and become exceedingly painful. Don 
 
180 VOYAGE UP THE RIVER. 
 
 Raymond, the gentleman before alluded lo, seem 
 ed to interest himself in my behalf; and after a few 
 minutes conversation with Salablanca, I was al 
 lowed to give my parole, not to attempt an escape, 
 or hold any communication with the Indians ; and 
 the Padrone with some difficulty tiled off my 
 shackles. 
 
 I was invited to partake of their evening repast, 
 after which we retired to sleep in the bongo, while 
 the boatmen slept on land around a large fire, 
 which they took care to keep burning during the 
 night. Reflections on the extraordinary occur 
 rences of the last few days, and conjectures regard 
 ing my future destiny, prevented me from enjoying 
 much repose, and I was roused, shortly after mid 
 night, by preparations for proceeding. Long be 
 fore the dawn of day all were on board, and the 
 Padrone commenced his orisons to the Deity in a 
 very loud tone, the crew making responses at in 
 tervals, after which, all joined him in singing a 
 hymn to the Virgin. The effect, in the stillness 
 and solitude of the river, was exceedingly impres 
 sive. 
 
 Proceeding on our voyage, and accompanied 
 by the other two bongos, I succeeded in recruit 
 ing my exhausted spirits by obtaining a little sleep, 
 from which I was awoke by Don Raymond to 
 breakfast. The boat during our repast, was fas 
 tened to a tree ; and on its being finished, the men 
 again resumed their oars. I observed but little 
 current in the river all this day, and it was near 
 ly the same width as above the island at its en 
 trance. In the afternoon we passed a schooner of 
 about eighty tons, which, after being lightened, 
 had been hauled over the bar, into the river for 
 
SERAPIQUI. 181 
 
 safety, previous to the arrival of the two schooners 
 from the Havannah. 
 
 She had come from Porto Bello, and the owner 
 had proceeded to Granada to dispose of the cargo, 
 and procure another. At sun-set, we landed, and, 
 after supper, rested as on the preceding evening. 
 At about four o clock, the usual orison and hymn 
 being repeated, we proceeded as before. The ri 
 ver maintained the same aspect as yesterday, and 
 there was no visible difference in its breadth ; the 
 banks were low, and lined with patches of long 
 grass, upon which it was evident the manati had 
 been feeding, those singular creatures, being equally 
 numerous here, as in the small creeks, adjoining 
 the harbour. 
 
 At breakfast time we came to Scrap iqui, where 
 a considerable stream branches off to the south 
 ward, and joins the Rio Colorado, which as be 
 fore stated, empties itself into the ocean about ten 
 miles from the harbour of San Juan. The Pa 
 drone told me this branch of the river was distant 
 thirty miles from the battery at the harbour. 
 
 Some few years ago the celebrated Captain Mit 
 chell, who commanded an independent privateer, 
 belonging to Carthagena, during the time that place 
 was in the hands of the revolutionists ; and also 
 distinguished himself by taking the small island of 
 San Andres, and hanging Gonsales its Governor, 
 having brought his vessel to an anchor off the bar 
 of the Colorado, sent three boats up that river, 
 through this branch at Serapiqui, into the river San 
 Juan, descended it and surprised the battery at 
 the harbour before the Spaniards could prepare 
 for an enemy. By this bold manoeuvre he captured 
 p 
 
182 ALLIGATORS. 
 
 two small vessels in the harbour, witli the greater 
 part of their cargoes, which, with other goods, lay 
 in the battery ready for shipment. 
 
 Most of the Spaniards escaped, but Mitchell 
 spiked their guns, and got clear off with his prizes. 
 Since this expedition no one has ventured to reside 
 at Serapiqui, although it might easily be made de 
 fensible, being situated on a high bank, about 
 twenty feet above the river. 
 
 Three houses were standing, surrounded by large 
 plantations of the banana, cassava, and plantain ; 
 but there were no inhabitants. We remained se 
 veral hours ; and, after noon, proceeded on our 
 voyage. A few miles up we found a very mate 
 rial difference in the current ; the river became 
 wider, and shallower ; and, for the first time, I 
 observed small islands in the middle, varying from 
 a quarter to half a mile in length. The three 
 bongos kept close together ; and, the padrones fre 
 quently consulted together as to which side of an 
 island it would be most advisable to keep to avoid 
 the current, invariably following the advice of the 
 padrone in our boat, who seemed the most expe 
 rienced of the three. Throughout this day the 
 men laboured harder at their oars than during the 
 preceding. At night they fastened their vessels 
 to a tree, supped and slept as usual, and again re 
 newed their progress a little after midnight. In 
 the course of the ensuing morning we caine to a 
 very shallow part of the river, where it was with 
 much difficulty that the twenty-two men pulling 
 our boat, could stem the current, and the banks 
 were so muddy, that it was not possible for men 
 to track her up by means of a tow-rope. Great 
 numbers of large alligators were basking on the 
 
SWALLOWS. 
 
 fnttiMy banks, appearing at a distance like old de 
 cayed logs of wood, or trunks of trees. The noise 
 of our boat ascending- these rapid-currents, and the 
 song-s of our mariners, invariably made these mon 
 strous reptiles take to the water. 
 
 On passing this shallow, wliieh can scarcely be 
 denominated a rapid, we again got into deep wa 
 ter ; and, stopping at one of the islands to break 
 fast, we met with an old Spaniard, and an Indian 
 his attendant : they had come across the country 
 from the city of Cartage, going to Granada on 
 some law business. He had come by the Colo 
 rado River, through the Serapiqui branch, into the 
 San Juan now bargained with the master of our 
 boat for a passage, and seemed happy that he 
 could pursue his journey with comparative ease 
 and safety. 
 
 From this man, who spoke a little English, and 
 frequently purchased goods from the traders at Ma- 
 tina, I learnt that an enterprising Spanish merchant, 
 of my acquaintance, residing occasionally at Ma- 
 tina, but principally at Cartago, had incurred the 
 suspicions of the Government there, was impri 
 soned, and his goods, to the extent of several thou 
 sand dollars, seized, on pretence of being in com 
 munication with the Independents a circumstance 
 which rendered me still more anxious relative to 
 my ultimate situation. 
 
 In the evening we came to another shallow, 
 where the current was nearly as strong as that 
 which we passed in the morning ; the bongos were 
 kept close to the shore, in the counter current, 
 and we got over it by means of hard pulling. 
 
 At night we brought up in the middle of the 
 stream, the people being so niueh fatigued with 
 
184 RAPIDS. 
 
 tliis clay s hard labour, that they showed no inclin 
 ation to go on shore. During the night some rain 
 fell, but all the goods were protected from the wet, 
 by being covered with raw hides. Long before 
 day-break we resumed our voyage ; and, previous 
 to breakfast, we came to a shallow rapid, or place 
 similar to that we passed yesterday ; several small 
 islands, which had the appearance of being over 
 flowed during the rainy season, lay in the bed of the 
 river ; and, a circumstance here occurred, showing 
 that our okl padrone s knowledge of the naviga 
 tion was not overrated. One of the bongos hav 
 ing got before ours, kept to the larboard side of an 
 island, about half a mile long, by a channel, which 
 appeared broader than the one on the other side 
 which our and the other bongo entered ; we passed 
 this island by mere dint of hard labour at the oar. 
 On getting again into deep water, we perceived 
 the bongo, which had tried the other channel, a- 
 ground in the middle of it, and her people over 
 board endeavouring in vain to shove her on : they 
 were at last obliged to force her back, and come 
 round by our channel. Our old padrone abused 
 the person who had caused the delay, and told us 
 that very few persons knew any thing of the pro 
 per course, in ascending the river ; and that not a 
 person on the whole Lake of Nicaragua understood 
 it so well as himself. This day was one of exces 
 sive labour and fatigue to the people, as they had 
 several small runs to overcome, the deep water 
 being only at intervals, for a mile, or a mile and 
 a half. 
 
 On the sixth day, we recommenced our jour 
 ney as before, and now found the river clearer of 
 vapids and islands, its greatest breadth not being 
 
CASTLE OF SAN JUAN. 185 
 
 more than a quarter of a mile, and the banks ri 
 sing ten to fifteen feet above the level of the water. 
 The land appeared composed of a rich black soil, 
 bearing 1 trees of an immense size, chiefly the bul 
 let, or bidley sour ivood, cedars, and locusts, grow 
 ing close to the water s edge. In the evening we 
 landed, lighted fires, and slept at a deserted set 
 tlement, consisting of four houses, concealed from 
 view by a plantation of bananas, plantains, &c. 
 The old boat-master accommodated me with a 
 hammock, a luxury I had not for a long time en 
 joyed. Next morning we started at three o clock 
 every one exerting himself to the utmost, in the 
 hope of reaching the old fort of San Juan in the 
 evening ; we were however opposed to a strong 
 current, the whole day, the padrone asserting 
 that the river was very low at present. The peo 
 ple only ceased from their labour once during the 
 day ; and although there were latterly none of 
 those rapids, or shallows, we had encountered on 
 the preceding days, they became so exhausted that 
 they gave up all hope of reaching the castle that 
 night. We accordingly disembarked, cooked our 
 provisions, and slept as before ; certain of being 
 there by breakfast time next morning, when we 
 again proceeded, and shortly came to a low island, 
 nearly a mile in length. Our bongo took the lead 
 as usual, through a narrow channel, on the right 
 side of the island, where, in some places, there 
 was barely sufficient space to use their oars : the 
 other channel I observed to be of much greater 
 width, but not so deep. We shortly came in sight 
 of the castle, which I judged to be about two 
 miles above this last mentioned island. We here 
 p 2 
 
186 LORD NELSON. 
 
 found the river as wide as in any part of its course : 
 the current was strong, hut the water, close in with 
 the banks, was deep, and the eddy, in counter 
 current, assisted us in getting up to the only com 
 plete rapid we had yet seen. The bongos being 
 hauled into a small basin, apparently dug for the 
 purpose of landing goods, we proceeded to the 
 castle, where I was immediately placed under a 
 guard. Here, for the first time, I exchanged a few 
 words with my Indians, who were now free from 
 irons, but I had barely time to assure them of my 
 regard, when I was hurried into a separate place 
 of confinement. Breakfast was sent to me from 
 the commandant s table ; and Don Raymond, and 
 the Spaniard from Cartago, visited and informed 
 me I would remain here until an answer was re 
 ceived from San Carlos fixing my future destina 
 tion. By the interest of these gentlemen, I was 
 allowed to walk about the place, attended by a 
 soldier. I found the crews of the boats engaged 
 in carrying the goods on their shoulders to a house 
 at a little distance from the landing place, where 
 an officer was apparently taking an inventory of 
 each article. 
 
 An old building, having somewhat the appear- 
 ,ance of a fortification, situated on an eminence, is 
 the only remaining part of the castle of San Juan; 
 this dilapidated fortress was, as I afterwards learn 
 ed, the same which had been taken by Lord Nel 
 son when Captain ; assisted by a detachment of 
 troops from Jamaica, -and a large body of Mosquito 
 and other Indians. It completely commands the 
 rapid in such a manner, that no boat or vessel of 
 any kind could pass ; but, having been suffered to 
 become ruinous, a small battery of eight brass field- 
 
BRYAN EDWARDS. 187 
 
 pieces had been constructed at the foot of the emi 
 nence ; two of these guns pointed down the river, 
 two up, and a few across the rapid. The place, 
 independent of the castle and battery, only consists 
 of lodgings for the soldiers, and a few houses, ap 
 parently occupied by their wives, or followers. 
 
 The rapid is little more than a quarter of a mile 
 in breadth, extending quite across the stream ; the 
 strongest part of the current is in the middle. The 
 descent is gradual, like the sloping banks on the 
 shore, which appear not more than five or six hun 
 dred yards in length. Some idea may be formed 
 of its force, and of the difficulty of surmounting it, 
 by considering that, on the second morning after 
 our arrival, it required above an hour s exertion of 
 a numerous crew to haul the empty bongos up the 
 stream. 
 
 I may here observe, that I had seen Bryan Ed 
 wards account of the Moequito Shore, and had 
 otherwise heard it asserted that the Rio de San 
 Juan was navigable through its whole course to the 
 hike of Nicaragua for vessels of considerable bur- 
 tlieri, and that a schooner of thirty tons, had ac 
 tually sailed up the lake, and afterwards returned, 
 down the river, to Jamaica. Many authors, from 
 this single report of Bryan Edwards, have boldly 
 asserted, that the lake is navigable for ships of the 
 line, and that the San Juan is also navigable for 
 large ships, through its whole course. From what 
 I have already stated, the absurdity of the latter 
 assertion must be very evident, as also the story 
 of the schooner s voyage ; for, admitting that in 
 the rainy season, when the river was full, or at its 
 greatest height, she might have stolen past thu 
 station at the river s mouth, and got over the mi- 
 
188 ERRONEOUS STATEMENT, 
 
 nor rapids, she never could have passed this great 
 rapid, or escaped the vigilance of the garrison here ; 
 or finally, at the castle of San Carlos, situated on 
 an eminence, at the entrance of the lake, com 
 manding a view of at least ten miles of the river, 
 and forty or fifty of the Lake of Nicaragua. In 
 short, I consider the whole story fabulous, and not 
 entitled to the slightest credit ; but more of this 
 hereafter. 
 
 At noon I was invited to dine with the officers 
 of the station, one of whom, in the course of con 
 versation, observed, that although I was consider 
 ed " a contrabandisto," yet, if I could prove I was 
 not connected with the Patriots, I should have my 
 property returned, in consideration of having as 
 sisted in defending the Estrella ; but the crediv 
 lous smile on the countenance of Salablanca gave 
 me to understand that he still considered me what 
 I had at first been represented by my accusers. 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 tBAVE FORT SAN JUAN FINE TIMBER ON THE 
 
 BANKS VILLAGE AND FORT OF SAN CARLOS 
 
 PROCEEDINGS THERE RELIGIOUS TRACTS 
 
 DEPART FOR GRANADA THE LAKE OF NI 
 CARAGUA SAN MIGUEL THE PADRONES OKI- 
 SONS VOLCANIC ISLAND LAND BETWEEN THE 
 
 LAKE AND SOUTH SEA ARRIVAL AT GRANADA 
 
 EXAMINATION AND IMPRISONMENT BASE 
 
 INTERPRETER DEPARTURE FOR THE CITY OF 
 
 LEON. 
 
 ON our first arrival at San Juan, a small cano 
 had been despatched to San Carlos with letters to 
 the Commandant, whose answer arrived on the 
 third day, instructing Salablanca to proceed to 
 that place with his prisoners. The bongos being 
 again loaded, we reembarked ; and, crossing the 
 river to a large building opposite the fort, each 
 bongo received twenty or thirty poles, about 
 twenty-five feet long ; and also two long planks 
 which were fixed fore and aft the sides of the boat, 
 to serve as gangways. We now proceeded on our 
 voyage ; the river had the same appearance as be- 
 
190 TITE CASTLE 
 
 low the rapid, and was of the same breadth, but 
 the banks rather lower. In the afternoon, we 
 came to a narrower place with higher banks on 
 both sides, composed of light yellow earth, and 
 strata of white clay ; here the people laid aside 
 their oars and used the poles. The current was 
 not stronger than in many other parts of the river, 
 but it was shallow, and the bottom more firm 
 and equal. By the use of poles the vessels were 
 impelled against the stream with double the velo 
 city that could have been communicated by oars. 
 The distance pulled could not have been less than 
 six miles, and yet our whole progress, after the 
 greatest fatigue and exertion, did not, during the 
 whole day, exceed twelve miles. Shortly after 
 midnight we resumed our voyage by moonlight, 
 the poles were again used until we had passed a 
 narrow island, nearly three quarters of a mile in 
 extent ; here a beautiful reach presented itself, 
 perfectly straight, four or five miles in length, and 
 the current scarcely perceptible : The crews now 
 stuck their poles into a muddy bank, which, from 
 the quantity already there, seemed the general de 
 pository of all the staves which had been used 
 jfor years past. Preparations were made, after 
 breakfast, to avail themselves of a fine breeze; 
 some of the people were sent into the woods for 
 masts, which had been secreted there ; and, they 
 contrived, in an awkward bungling manner, to 
 hoist large square sails upon them. After making 
 some progress we descried the castle of San Car 
 los, the Gibraltar of the Lake of Nicaragua. Hav 
 ing passed the reach, we immediately entered ail- 
 other, larger and more beautiful ; the river very 
 wide, the water deep, free from shoals, and the 
 
OF SAN CARLOS. 
 
 Current scarcely felt. On each bank were trees 
 of an immense size, amongst which I could dis 
 tinguish the enormous bulk of the cotton tree, 
 cedar, mahogany, bally, locust, sapodilla, various 
 species of the palm, and a vast variety of others 
 totally unknown to me. Shortly after entering 
 this reach we had a full view of the castle, and 
 my Spanish companions began to make prepara 
 tions for landing. Turning a bend in the river 
 we came at once in view of the lower part of the 
 fort and village now within one mile distant. 
 Here, the river again becomes contracted to about 
 a quarter of a mile in breadth, with a strong cur 
 rent. Our people took in their sails, and plied 
 their oars so vigorously, that we were soon op 
 posite the castle, from the walls of which we were 
 hailed, by an officer, using a speaking trumpet, 
 with as much formality as if hostility had been 
 anticipated. We lay on our oars in the mean 
 time, the bongos continuing to drop astern with 
 the current, until the requisite answers had beea 
 given, and permission to approach obtained. Hav 
 ing pulled through the strong current setting out 
 of the lake, we landed in front of the castle, where 
 we were met by the commandant, with a guard, 
 and half the population of the place apparently at 
 tracted by curiosity to see the spy of the Indepen 
 dents, and Jiis " Indios Bravos ; " their looks 
 gave evidence that they considered my situation 
 desperate. 
 
 We entered the fort by a drawbridge of great 
 strength and magnitude, suspended by enormous 
 iron chains ; and, through two immense gates, in 
 to a long arched passage, having on each side se 
 veral cells, those to the right appearing to extend 
 
J92 RELIGOUS TRACTS. 
 
 round the whole side of the building. Every doo? 
 had a strong iron grating, about two feet square, 
 to admit light and air ; and there appeared to be 
 prisoners within most of them. Into one of these 
 places I was commanded to enter, and was left to 
 my own cogitations. I gave way for some time 
 to the most melancholy reflections, from which I 
 was agreeably roused by the entrance of a lieutenant 
 and two people, bringing me a supper from the 
 Governor Don Juan Blanco s table, with a bottle 
 of wine and some agua-ardiente. The lady of this 
 lieutenant kindly sent me a pillow and blanket ; 
 and he informed me that the Governor would see, 
 and interrogate me in the morning. I remarked 
 to him that the cell, in which I was confined, ap 
 peared to be such as is usually appropriated for 
 the reception of felons ; and, pointing to the bed 
 stead, bottomed with a half-dressed hide, the 
 stool, and large jar, its only furniture, and to the 
 decorations on the walls, one of them representing 
 a man hanging from a gibbet, and another in the 
 act of being shot, I asked, as well as I could make 
 myself understood, if it was right to confine me in 
 such a place as this previous to my trial ? that 
 I was perfectly innocent, and that the papers found 
 in my vessel would be sufficient to confute, by a 
 mere reference to their dates, the evidence of the 
 rascals who had accused me. Next morning the 
 Commandant informed me that he had been look 
 ing- over my papers, amongst which were some 
 religious tracts, and ten or twelve New Testa 
 ments, which he seemed to consider likely to be 
 of a political nature ; but that, as he could not 
 find any of his people to explain them properly, he 
 had determined to send them to Granada, He 
 
VILLAGE OF SAN CARLOS. 193 
 
 gave me liberty, in the mean time, to walk about 
 the place, of which I immediately availed myself ; 
 and I was shortly joined by the friendly lieuten 
 ant, who invited me to his quarters, where we 
 were visited by several other officers, one of whom 
 I fortunately recognised to be a person who I 
 had once seen on board a Jamaica trader. He 
 also recollected me, and immediately reported the 
 circumstance to the Governor, who ordered me to 
 attend him next day at his house, which is situated 
 on rising ground near the castle, commanding an 
 extensive view of the lake, and the village of San 
 Carlos. The village contains about one hundred 
 and fifty houses, the walls are of clay or mud, of 
 considerable thickness, neatly white-washed, which 
 gives them the appearance of cleanliness and soli 
 dity. They are roofed with the branches of a 
 particular species of palm, which are from twenty 
 to thirty feet long, and, after being split the whole 
 length of the branch, they are well adapted for 
 the purpose, the pendant leaves overlaying each 
 other, on the outside, as compactly as slates. 
 These serve to keep out the rain several years 
 without being changed. 
 
 The house of the Commandant, however, and 
 those in the garrison, are covered with tiles. The 
 inhabitants, including the garrison, I supposed to 
 be, in number, about seven hundred persons. 
 
 It is only in very recent charts that any notice 
 has been taken of this fort, which may be deno 
 minated the Key of the Lake, defending it, on the 
 only quarter supposed to be approachable from 
 the Atlantic ; and, consequently protecting, on that 
 side, the towns of Nicaragua, Granada, Trinidad, 
 Q 6 
 
194 ISLANDS AND LAKE 
 
 San Miguel, San Filippe, Massaya, Monagua, 
 Matares, Puebla Nueva, the City of Leon, and 
 other places in the interior. The castle is situated 
 on an eminence of considerable elevation above 
 the lake ; but the approach is not so steep as to 
 render the ascent to it difficult. It is a sort of 
 parallelogram, facing a sinuosity of the river at 
 the upper reach at its embouchure from the lake, 
 and whose lines are longer towards the lake it 
 self, than towards the interior. Towards the lat 
 ter quarter the land is low, presenting an impass 
 able swamp, or marsh, overgrown with mangrove, 
 wild plantain, and small bamboos. The castle is 
 surrounded by a deep dry ditch, faced with stone 
 from its bottom to the embrasures : the opposite 
 side is also walled, and studded with large hard 
 wood palisades, or chevaux defrise ; its only en 
 trance is by the drawbridge already mentioned. 
 The strong current of the river on two sides, to 
 gether with the swampy nature of the ground in 
 its rear, renders the position of this fortress very 
 strong. It commands an extensive view of the 
 lake, and of the islands of Senate, Madera, Omp- 
 tepec, Zapatera, &c. ; also, ten or twelve miles of 
 the river San Juan. 
 
 On the afternoon of the day following that last 
 mentioned, I waited on the Governor, who had now 
 determined to send me across the lake, along with 
 my books and papers,* to Granada; and said that, 
 
 * The Religious Tracts and Testaments which excited 
 his apprehensions, had been received from the Rev. Mr 
 Armstrong of Balize, to be distributed among the British 
 settlers on the Mosquito Shore, and such Spanish or other 
 traders, as might, in the course of my voyage, be desirous 
 of having them. 
 
OF NICARAGUA. 195 
 
 in consequence of the information communicated, 
 by one of his officers, he was inclined to believe I 
 was merely an agent of the contraband traders on 
 the coast. He assured me that my Indians should 
 be taken care of during my absence, and, inviting 
 me to spend the evening with his family, treated 
 me with the greatest hospitality, endeavouring 
 however to draw information from me on subjects 
 of a political nature ; and regarding occurrences 
 which, for fear of implicating myself, I found it 
 necessary to appear not to understand. Occa 
 sionally sheltering myself from his questions by 
 answering, " no intiende Senor, " expressions of 
 suspicion and disappointment repeatedly escaped 
 from him. He stated that, when Truxillo in the 
 Bay of Honduras was attacked by the insurgent 
 General Aurey, he was commandant of the place ; 
 and, that Aurey, who had landed his troops about 
 three miles from the town, had been defeated by 
 the Charib troops alone, the Spaniards never 
 having come out of their shelter. I happened to 
 know more of the affair, and of the nature of the 
 expedition, than he was aware of; and, although I 
 found it necessary to be prudent, I parried many of 
 his inquiries on other subjects by questions regard 
 ing Truxillo, and the attack upon it, which he did 
 not feel disposed to answer. I was accommodat 
 ed with a hammock in the piazza of his house ; 
 and being to depart for Granada next morning, his 
 good lady and her daughter presented me with a 
 quantity of .chocolate, bread, cheese, eggs, \vine, 
 and cane spirits ( agua-ardiente del cania. ) My cri 
 tical situation called forth the most tender expres 
 sions of their pity, and the kindest demonstrations 
 of benevolence. Requesting me to take the ham- 
 
196 DEPART FOR GRANADA. 
 
 mock, blanket, and pillow for my accommodation 
 on the voyage across the lake, they retired, com 
 mending me to the protection of the Virgin, and 
 all the saints in the Calendar. Before daybreak 
 1 was conducted to the landing place, and embark 
 ed in a large boat, usually employed by Govern 
 ment as a despatch-boat for conveying soldiers and 
 stores from Granada to San Carlos. It was in no 
 respect superior to the bongo in which I ascended 
 the river, and was, in like manner, navigated by a 
 Creole of Granada and twenty-two men, accompa 
 nied by Seiior Raymond, my former companion, 
 who expressed some surprise at finding that I was 
 ordered to Granada, considering it by no means 
 prudent to send so suspicious a person as myself, 
 into a quarter so jealously shut up from the know 
 ledge of the English, especially at this critical 
 period. I dare say, however, he consoled himself 
 with the supposition that I should never be allow 
 ed to return. For my own part I had now little 
 doubt that my innocence would be made mani 
 fest ; and as I had often wished to visit this noble 
 lake, I began to contemplate the prospects before 
 me, with more satisfaction. There was not a breath 
 of wind to ruffle the smooth surface of the lake ; 
 but, as die sun rose, we had a slight breeze from 
 the south-east, and the same kind of awkward sail 
 was used as in ascending the river : the tack was 
 occasionally boomed out, or, as the wind changed, 
 carried forward sometimes nearly to the stern, 
 which drove our clumsy craft faster* to leeward 
 than a-head. The beauty of the scene which we 
 now beheld the sun being nearly an hour high 
 is far beyond my feeble powers of description ; 
 to the westward I could distingaish several islands, 
 
SAN MIGUEL. 197 
 
 which appeared in a line extending north-west and 
 south-east, five or six leagues ; one being of great 
 height, the others lower. From the oastle to the 
 southward, the land appeared broken and indis 
 tinct, like low islands, trending away to the north 
 west. 
 
 We passed near to several small islands which 
 lay in the immediate vicinity of the mainland ; 
 many of them were not more than about half a 
 mile long, low, and covered with wood. About 
 ten o clock we came opposite the village of San 
 Miguel, said to be fortified on account of los In- 
 dios bravos; and, landing on a small island, we 
 lighted a fire and breakfasted, the crew upon 
 passas, or sun-dried beef, chocolate, and plan 
 tains : Don Raymond, the Padrone and myself, 
 faring more sumptuously. We afterwards renew 
 ed our voyage with a fine favourable breeze ; 
 booming out our sail on both sides : the yard 
 squared itself, having neither lifts nor braces ; and, 
 by looking over the side, I judged we were going 
 at the rate of four or five miles an hour. During 
 the morning we passed several Hattos or grazing 
 farms, situated in the large savannahs which ex 
 tend from the brink of the lake, as far back as the 
 eye can reach, and seem terminated only by ridges 
 of hills, in the extreme distance, to the north. Im 
 mense nerds of cattle and horses were feeding in 
 these savannahs, and I also distinguished mules, 
 but no sheep were to be seen. The cattle appear 
 ed to be of a large breed, similar to those of Buenos 
 Ayres. Destitute of books, and apprehensive of 
 creating an unfavourable impression by asking 
 many questions of Sen or Raymond and the Pa- 
 
198 THE PADRONE. 
 
 drone, I amused myself by observing and reflect 
 ing on the entirely new scenes before me, and by 
 trying occasionally to count or estimate the num 
 ber of cattle on a given space ; but I was some 
 times, after counting as far as four or five hundred, 
 obliged to relinquish the task. 
 
 Shortly after noon the breeze dying gradually 
 away, our Padrone vociferated loudly for the aid 
 of all the saints. He did not content himself with 
 invoking San Antonio, generally applied to by the 
 Spanish and Portuguese sailors, but whom, by a 
 rather contemptuous epithet used after his name, 
 he seemed to think could do no good on this fresh 
 water lake ; but finding none of them likely to in 
 terfere in his favour, recourse was had to the oars ; 
 and at about three o clock we landed at a Hatto, 
 where a rude wharf of large stones had been con 
 structed. At this farm-house we were received 
 with much civility by the inmates, consisting of 
 the farmer, his wife, and two fine young women, 
 all Creoles of the country. A large quantity of 
 jerked beef, and cheeses, had been got ready for 
 the Padrone, whose arrival seemed to have been 
 expected. These articles being shipt, we proceed 
 ed on our voyage, hauling off rather farther from 
 the shore than during the fore part of the day ; 
 and we shortly distinguished land on the opposite 
 side of the lake, in the direction of the town of 
 Nicaragua, appearing low and in broken lumps 
 like islands scarcely visible above the water s edge; 
 also, three large islands gradually rising to the 
 north-west. We had a favourable wind during the 
 night, and I was told in the morning that we were 
 t the westward of the town or village of Triiii- 
 ad a. 
 
ORISONS, &C. 199 
 
 The Padrone awoke me in the morning by a 
 most noisy orison, in which he was joined by his 
 crew ; but some shrewd looking fellows among 
 them seemed to be more in jest than otherwise, 
 contending with each other who should make the 
 most noise, and name the greatest number of saints. 
 I ventured to remark that they had frightened the 
 breeze, or displeased the saints, by making so 
 much noise, as, by the time they finished, the wind 
 had entirely failed, and they would, as a punish 
 ment, have to labour at their oars. We had for 
 some time been drawing towards an island upon 
 which we breakfasted as before. This island, like 
 others in its vicinity, is composed of immense rocks, 
 and the water round it is clear and deep. Large 
 trees grow on every spot where there is soil ; but 
 although there are many such islands on this side of 
 the lake very beautiful and picturesque in appear 
 ance, few or none of them are inhabited, or tit for 
 cultivation, except as gardens or vineyards. This 
 breeze having again sprung up, we hastened on 
 board, and were soon under sail. I still perceived 
 a number of grazing farms, but nearer to each 
 other than those we had seen on the preceding 
 day, situated like them, in savannahs covered in all 
 directions by herds of cattle. The country was evi 
 dently becoming more populous as we approached 
 to the west, and several bongos appeared sailing 
 in the direction of Granada and Nicaragua.* 
 
 * According to a survey executed by means of a water- 
 level in the year 1781, by Don Matias de Galvez, a Spa- 
 nish engineer, the surface of the Lake of Nicaragua is 
 about one hundred and thirty-five feet above the Gulf of 
 Papagayo : and, the Lake being about 89 feet deep, its 
 
200 VOLCANIC ISLAND. 
 
 
 
 About ten o clock we began to leave the north 
 side, and with a more favourable breeze to stretch 
 across the lake. Shortly after noon we passed an 
 island, which, rising in majestic grandeur from the 
 bosom of the lake, seems to be of volcanic origin. 
 
 The lower part, and nearly two-thirds of the 
 ascent, is covered with wood of large growth ; ve 
 getation above that height appeared more scanty ; 
 and the summit, which terminates in a peak, was 
 entirely bare. From the nearest point of view in 
 the direction in which we sailed, I estimated its 
 length at seven or eight miles. Directly towards 
 the south-west no land was visible, which coin 
 cided with a statement made by the old Spaniard 
 who joined us coming up the river, and who had 
 in his possession a manuscript chart, in which the 
 land in that direction, is laid down as being low, 
 and not above fifteen miles or thereby in breadth, 
 across from the Lake to the South Sea. 
 
 Having passed this and other islands, we came 
 in view of the city of Granada, standing on a gent 
 ly rising ground, at a small distance from the lake. 
 In the evening we landed at the Playa, near which 
 I perceived a small fort or battery in the shape of 
 a crescent or half moon, with embrasures for 
 twelve guns facing the lake. The carriages seemed 
 falling to pieces, and the whole battery was in a 
 state of dilapidation and ruin. 
 
 bottom consequently is forty-six Spanish feet above the 
 level of the South Sea. The surveyor ascertained the 
 level by three hundred and thirty-six stations of ascente 
 604 ft. 8 in. 8 li., and three hundred and thirty-nin, 
 stations of descent, 470 ft. 1 in. 7 11. Humboldt s .A r ar- 
 ratiw, Vol. 6th. Part 2d., p. 797. 
 
GRANADA. 201 
 
 On landing we were received by some black 
 soldiers, stationed as guards at some warehouses 
 built here for the reception of goods. One of 
 these men informed me, in good English, that he 
 had run away from his master, a Honduras mer 
 chant ; and, travelling from Omra to Guatemala, 
 had there entered the Spanish service, had been 
 sent to Realejo, then to the city of Leon, and, 
 finally, to Granada. He expressed an inclination 
 to do me any service in his power, and I perceived 
 that the whole of the company, to which he be 
 longed, was made up of such runaway slaves, 
 chiefly from the Island of St Domingo ; they 
 were all well armed and clothed. The Playa, or 
 landing-place, is a mere open beach without any 
 wharf or other conveniency for shipping goods, 
 which have to be carried to and from the Bongos 
 in small canoes, or on the backs of men or mules, 
 a good cable s length into the water, which is here 
 very shallow, with a bottom of fine sand. The 
 approach to the city is by a good road ; and about 
 half a mile from the lake we passed a large mona 
 stery and, two churches in the Calle de Playa, be 
 fore entering the market place. I was conducted 
 directly to the Governor s house, before which is a 
 handsome gateway ; and, while waiting in the 
 porch until called for, I noticed over the inner- 
 door, a poorly painted portrait, bearing the modest 
 inscription, " Viva Ferdinartdo Septimo, el liberta- 
 dor adorable de Ear op a ! f " 
 
 I was shortly ushered into a large hall, where I 
 found the acting Governor, several military officers, 
 a priest, and an interpreter, through whom a great 
 many questions were put to me ; but, so far as I 
 could understand Spanish, the interpreter gave re- 
 
202 EXAMINATION AND 
 
 plies essentially different to those elicited from me. 
 Being ordered to withdraw in charge of a sergeant 
 and two soldiers, I was conducted to the barracks, 
 and thrust into a cell similar to that which I had 
 first occupied at San Carlos. The black soldier, 
 who had spoken to me at the landing-place, told 
 me, through the grating, that it was the conviction 
 of the Governor and his friends, that I actually was 
 a spy of the Revolutionists ; as was more particu 
 larly evident by the pamphlets in my possession. 
 Suspecting this man was sent to obtain informa 
 tion to be carried to the Governor, I related par 
 ticularly how I received these books, and the ob 
 ject of my voyage ; observing to him that the an 
 swers I had given had not been fairly interpreted : 
 and, I entreated him to make this known to the 
 Governor, from whom he returned about ten 
 o clock with a supper, some agua-ardiente, and a 
 bottle of wine ; with an intimation that I should 
 undergo another examination in the morning. 
 
 On sounding this fellow I found him shrewd 
 and intelligent : he hinted that, were I to request 
 it, he himself might be permitted to act as in 
 terpreter; he owned that he wished, from mo 
 tives of self-interest, that he might be ordered to 
 attend me to the city of Leon, an idea which I 
 encouraged, that I might secure his confidence, 
 being desirous, now that I gave up my small pro 
 perty as lost, to see the country. 
 
 My cell was intolerably hot, but having under 
 gone much fatigue during the day, I soon forgot 
 my sorrows, and slept until aroused by the beat 
 ing of the reveille, and the noise of the soldiers 
 hurrying to the parade at daybreak next morning. 
 In a few minutes the bustle was over ; a pass- 
 
IMPRISONMENT. 203 
 
 ing soldier threw me a bundle of cigars, and kindly 
 brought me some fire to light one : he expressed 
 much compassion for my situation ; and, giving a 
 cautious glance to each side, told me, " Iqs pa- 
 triotes " were " muy bueno ; " and vented some ex 
 ecrations against the present government. About 
 eight o clock the soldiers returned, and my door 
 was crowded by people whose curiosity was ex 
 cited by the report that an Englishman, employed 
 at San Juan by the Patriots, as an agent and spy, 
 had arrived. Many of them evinced a kindly feel 
 ing in my favour, who evidently dared not express 
 themselves in other language than that of pity and 
 regret for my present situation. Others there were 
 who cursed me as an insurgent, a spy, a pirate, 
 and a heretic, but these were few in number 
 compared with others who never retired from the 
 grating, without throwing something into the cell, 
 so that in the course of the morning the floor was 
 covered over with cakes, gingerbread, cheese, cho 
 colate, cigars, and not a few quartos, medios, reals, 
 dollars and other coins. In this whimsical situa 
 tion I found myself placed like a wild beast in a 
 cage, unable, if ever so much inclined, to with 
 draw for one moment, from observation. I had 
 this consolation, however, that nearly all my visi 
 tors seemed to consider themselves bound to pay 
 something for the sight, or contribute towards my 
 support. Many of them, who were evidently 
 afraid of being observed by those attached to the 
 existing government, hastily threw money into the 
 cell and withdrew ; almost every one who peeped 
 in, bad a cigar in his mouth, and the smoke and 
 heat became so intolerable, that I found myself 
 
KINDNESS OF THE INHABITANTS. 
 
 in danger of suffocation, which obliged me to 
 beg a few minutes respite,- that fresh air might 
 be admitted. When the smoke began to dis 
 perse, I set myself to collect the vairous ar 
 ticles which had been thrown into my cell ; 
 and was agreeably surprised to find that the con 
 tributions in cash amounted to twenty-seven dol 
 lars, besides sweetmeats, chocolate, cheese, gin 
 gerbread, cigars, &c. sufficient for several week s 
 consumption. About eleven o clock my negro 
 friend brought me a substantial breakfast, and a 
 bottle of wine ; and what rather surprised me 
 the chocolate was in a silver pot, on a tray 
 covered by a clean white napkin. I mentioned 
 the donations I had received in the morning, to 
 show that I could now reward him if he acted 
 faithfully, giving him a dollar as earnest, and im 
 pressing upon him the certainty that I should be 
 able to provide amply for every expense if we were 
 sent to Leon : He retired, assuring me I might 
 depend upon him, and carrying my thanks to the 
 good lady, the Governor s mother, who had sent 
 me breakfast. I was again visited by several per 
 sons desirous of seeing the pirate, patriot, or he 
 retic ; for, in the opinion of all, I must be one of 
 these, and consequently an extraordinary character. 
 A heretic, they agreed, I must be, at all events, 
 as I neither prayed, crossed myself, nor pulled off 
 my hat, on passing the churches. In the evening, 
 after the acting governor had taken his siesta, I 
 was conducted to his house, and examined by the 
 same assemblage as on the preceding night, and by 
 two additional padres ; the negro was there, and 
 the former interpreter, who having shamefully mis- 
 
FINAL EXAiMINATION. 205 
 
 intcq>reted my reply to a question regarding the 
 introduction of British goods at Matina, and per 
 sisted in eluding my meaning, I requested the ne 
 gro to make known, to his Excellency, the igno 
 rance and wilful prevarication. This at once called 
 forth the malignity of the man, an old Spaniard, 
 who could not read one word of English : he de 
 nounced me immediately as an insurgent and spy, 
 alluded to the books, and observed to the padres, 
 who had put many questions on the subject, that 
 he had no doubt I had distributed pamphlets in the 
 Spanish tongue ; and that I ought to be sent to 
 Leon, where it would soon be ascertained what, 
 and who I was. As I persisted in declaring my 
 innocence, and expressed my willingness to pro 
 ceed to Leon, the Governor informed me I should 
 depart next day, assuring me, through my negro 
 interpreter, that I should want for nothing, that 
 his duty compelled him to act, at present, with ri 
 gour against those who were known to be disturb 
 ers of the government, but that if it eventually 
 turned out that my representations were correct, 
 Don Miguel Seravia, the governor of the district 
 of Leon, who was the proper person to decide on 
 my case, would treat me with the greatest justice. 
 I was conducted back to the barracks, ordered a 
 better apartment than the cell I had last occupied, 
 and had liberty to walk about in the square. Next 
 day I again attended the deputy-governor, who 
 informed me that every thing had been prepared 
 for my departure to Leon, and that a sergeant, my 
 negro friend, and three other black soldiers, well 
 armed and mounted on mules, would form my es- 
 R 
 
206 DEPARTURE FOR LEON. 
 
 cort. A good horse, a pair of boots, and enor 
 mous iron spurs, had been provided for me ; and in 
 about twenty minutes after setting off, we found 
 ourselves clear of the city, on a good road, suffi 
 ciently broad to admit of our riding abreast. 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 MASSAYA REMARKABLE STRATA OF LAVA 
 
 BETWEEN THE LAKES OF LEON AND NICARA 
 GUA WHEEL CARRIAGES MULES, &C MONA- 
 
 GUA HOSPITALITY OF THE CURA MATARE3 
 
 MAMA-TOMBA MOUNTAIN ROAD AND GAME 
 
 NAGAROTTA PUEBLO NUEVA PLAIN Off 
 
 LEON CHAIN OF THE ANDES ANSWER TO 
 
 BARON HUMBOLDT ARRIVAL AT LEON ITS 
 
 VICINITY TO THE SOUTH SEA STORY OF ENG 
 LISH SAILORS FINAL EXAMINATION AND AC 
 QUITTAL DON ALLEMAGNE HIS VALUABLE 
 
 TRADE CITY OF LEON ITS HOUSES, &C. 
 
 PROVISIONS LUXURIOUS MODE OF LIVING 
 
 URBANITY OF THE GOVERNOR. 
 
 WE left Granada about three o clock ; the sergeant 
 and three of the men who formed my escort were 
 from San Domingo, and generally spoke French, 
 the other was the English negro, who expressed 
 himself much pleased at the journey. I consider 
 ed it my interest to pay court to these black guards 
 as early as possible ; and therefore, at the first 
 pulperio house we came to, I invited them to 
 drink wine, brandy, or whatever else they liked 
 best ; assuring them that, so far as my purse went, it 
 
208 APPEARANCE OF 
 
 was at their service. The English negro swore I 
 was an innocent man, and had no cause to fear the 
 result of my journey, which would he made as a- 
 greeable to me as possible ; and, by way of a pro 
 per commencement, they, with the exception of the 
 sergeant, who appeared to be a very steady man, 
 got nearly drunk. 
 
 The country through which we passed was well 
 cultivated, producing considerable quantities of 
 maize, plantains, and bananas. We entered Mas- 
 saya about eight o clock, and on alighting at the 
 Cuartel in the square, I found myself very serious 
 ly indisposed with violent pains in the head, back, 
 and loins ; accompanied by great sickness alarm 
 ing symptoms in a person like me inured to^the 
 climate, and I entreated for medical assistance, but 
 there was none to be obtained in the place. My 
 escort, who had reported to Colonel Sacassa (the 
 father of the deputy-governor of Granada) our ar 
 rival, brought me a good supper and a bottle of 
 wine : and, what I prized still more, three com 
 plete suits of light clothes, consisting of gingham 
 jackets, trowsers with loose feet to them, shirts, 
 vests, and a straw-hat, with a brim as large as an 
 umbrella ; all nearly new, with an intimation that 
 they were presented " to the sick Englishman" by 
 a son of the Colonel, who also let me know that 
 as my illness was probably occasioned by mere fa 
 tigue in a warm climate, I would be recovered be 
 fore morning ; but if not, that I need not proceed. 
 
 I awoke early, with little feeling of my former 
 illness ; and the distance to our next stage, Mona- 
 gua, being about seven leagues, it was necessary 
 to set forward immediately so as to accomplish 
 the journey in the morning, before the heat be* 
 
THE COUNTRY. 209 
 
 came oppressive. The road was still exceedingly 
 good, and for nearly five miles lay through fields 
 of maize, separated by wooden fences. We then 
 entered a thick forest ; on emerging we found our 
 selves at the entrance of a considerable village, in 
 which few persons were yet awake. My escort 
 made a thundering noise at the door of a small 
 pulperio, commanding the inmates to open, in the 
 King s name, and produce the best liquor the 
 house could afford, for that they were " soldados 
 del Rey, " requiring refreshment. Some agua- 
 ardiente and tobacco were produced, but when I of 
 fered to pay, the sergeant desired me to put up 
 my money, observing that " the fellow s liquor 
 was bad, and not worth the trouble. " This vil 
 lage is situated half-way between Massaya and 
 Monagua. The road, after leaving the village, 
 continues through woods ; and shortly ascends a 
 considerable eminence, from whence we had a 
 clear prospect of both the Lakes of Leon and Ni 
 caragua, and also the town of Monagua, in which 
 several churches stood conspicuous. On the top 
 of this eminence we crossed a strata of lava, about 
 five hundred yards in breadth, sounding, when 
 struck, like metal, the surface partially decom 
 posed. It had, at some period, burst from a 
 mountain which we saw at some distance to the 
 left of us, and the stream had evidently spread as 
 it reached the low country. I dismounted and 
 walked slowly across to examine the nature and 
 effects of this stream, whose course I could clear 
 ly discern for many miles in a direction completely 
 crossing the country between the Lakes of Nica 
 ragua and Leon, close to the latter : and, I can 
 R 2 
 
210 STREAM OF LAVA. 
 
 confidently assert, that it had to all appearance ef 
 fectually shut up that communication between the 
 lakes which, hitherto, has heen supposed to exist, 
 and is laid down as existing, in every map or 
 chart hitherto published. The mountain from 
 which the lava flowed, must not be confounded 
 with that of Granada, although it is nearly of the 
 same height ; and perhaps this eruption, which, in 
 my opinion, has decidedly separated the two lakes, 
 may be the same mentioned by Inarms, who; 
 speaking of the extinguished volcano of Massaya 
 says, " at a small distance from this, there is an 
 other volcano, called Nindiri, remarkable for an 
 eruption in 1775, when it discharged a torrent of 
 lava that rolled into the lake of Massaya, " (or 
 Leon), " in which it destroyed the fish, and heat 
 ed the lands contiguous to its passage, to so great 
 a degree, that all the cattle feeding on them pe 
 rished. " * 
 
 In our descent to the plain we overtook several 
 mules laden with Indian corn ; and also a few 
 large wains, or waggons similarly loaded, drawn 
 by twelve, and some of them by fourteen oxen, 
 very clumsily yoked. The total absence of iron 
 about these carnages is a proof of its scarcity in 
 the country; the wheels were of immense cir 
 cumference, and the rim at least ten or twelve 
 inches over. The axles were also of wood, on 
 which the friction made such a noise as to be 
 heard at a mile s distance. The waggoners and 
 muleteers very officiously drove their cattle to one 
 side to let us pass, uncovering their heads to the 
 escort with great submission. 
 
 * History of Guatemala, London, 1824, page 69. 
 
MONAGUA. 211 
 
 We entered Monagua about nine o clock, and 
 rode directly to the house of the alcalde, from 
 whom the sergeant demanded provisions for his 
 party. After giving the negro soldier money to 
 buy wine, &c. for the entertainment of the escort, I 
 endeavoured to rest myself in an open apartment, 
 but was soon annoyed by finding the house be 
 set by people anxious to get a sight of the Inde- 
 pemlente. I had no remedy but patience, and I 
 endeavoured to bear their scrutiny without mani 
 festing discontent ; many of them laid down money 
 before their departure, and I was at last relieved 
 from their troublesome attentions by the cura of 
 the place, who kindly procured the sergeant s per 
 mission to take me to his own house where I was 
 free from intrusion. After an excellent dinner, 
 followed by coffee, my worthy host, Senor Poly- 
 carpo Inygojen, retired, according to the universal 
 custom in these countries, to enjoy his siesta; 
 and, a hammock being slung for me, I was re 
 quested to do the same ; the room was darkened, 
 and in a few minutes the house was as quiet, as if 
 it had been midnight. In the evening I was ques 
 tioned regarding my connection with the Patriots, 
 and the progress of the revolution in Mexico and 
 South America ; but I was necessarily obliged to 
 give general and very cautious replies. 
 
 My good host seemed so pleased with me, that 
 he wrote to his friend the Governor of Leon in my 
 favour ; and requesting that, if I should be de 
 clared innocent of the charges against me, I might 
 be permitted to remain with him a few days on 
 my return ; and during the remainder of the even 
 ing treated me with the greatest kindness and 
 hospitality. 
 
212 MATARES. 
 
 Next morning we recommenced our journey a- 
 bout three o clock, proceeding through fields of 
 maize, and plantations of cocoa. About daybreak 
 we entered a savannah which was tolerably free 
 from wood ; and, shortly afterwards, ascended a 
 hill from whence we again had a delightful view 
 of the lakes and islands. Several light and loaded 
 bongos were sailing on the lake of Leon, which, 
 with the beautiful country on its borders, formed 
 an enchanting scene. At the bottom of this hill, 
 and at a short distance from the lake, stands the 
 town or village of Matares ; (or Maytiare) and at 
 a distance of some miles, in the lake, there is a 
 high conical island, named Mama Tomba, which 
 my companions assured me was a volcano, and had 
 often been in an active state. It exhibited no 
 symptoms of eruption at present ; but it does not 
 appear to be laid down in any map that I have 
 seen, and may perhaps have been mistaken, by 
 geopraphers, for the Volcan de Leon, or Volcan 
 Viejo. 
 
 We reached Matares about nine o clock, and 
 proceeded to the Puebla, a house set apart in 
 most Spanish American towns, where there is no 
 passado, for the reception of travellers. This 
 place contains about three hundred houses, a mar 
 ket place, in the middle of the town as usual, and 
 two churches. The alcalde furnished such pro 
 visions as were required. I had an opportunity 
 of bathing in the lake, and I found myself much 
 invigorated and refreshed by it : the water was 
 very clear, and appeared to be of great depth, the 
 edges of the lake bounded by immense rocks. 
 
 Next morning we renewed our journey at three 
 o clock. The road is for some miles on the ele- 
 
XAGAROTTA. 213 
 
 vatcd bonier of tlie lake, l>ut shortly ascends a 
 mountain, having the appearance of being part of 
 the broken chain of the Andes. I had some dif 
 ficulty in forcing my horse up the steep ascent, 
 which is too perpendicular for wheel-carnages. 
 We passed several mules laden with cocoa and 
 Indian corn, on their way to Leon. On arriving 
 at its summit, the road, which is tolerably good, 
 continued through woods apparently abounding in 
 monkeys, guams, curassows and other game ; par 
 ticularly quails, partridges, and large pigeons ; the 
 two latter scarcely avoiding our horse s feet. The 
 steep part of the ascent is not more than about a 
 mile and a half in length ; and appears to be the 
 only part of the route between Granada and the 
 South Sea impassable for wheel carriages. On 
 reaching the highest part, it continues a distance 
 of seven or eight miles, along a high ridge, with 
 deep valleys on each side, completely covered with 
 wood ; and then gradually descends to a level 
 plain, extending the whole way to Leon. 
 
 We entered Nagarotta, a small village, about 
 ten o clock, and proceeding to the Puebla, were 
 furnished with breakfast and supper, by the Al 
 calde of the place ; the escort obtaining from me 
 as usual, the means of procuring wine, agua- 
 ardiente, and other luxuries. We left Nagarot 
 ta at the usual hour in the morning, by a 
 road through woods abounding in game. We saw 
 many deer among the trees, and crossing the road. 
 We passed several waggons, and mules, on their 
 way to Leon, loaded with Indian corn, cocoa, &c. 
 We arrived early at Puebla Nueva, after a very plea 
 sant ride, and repaired to the Puebla, a mud hut. 
 Here the serjeant assumed airs of great impor- 
 
214 PLAIN OF LEON. 
 
 tance, for instead of going to the Alcalde, he sent 
 for that person to come to him. He accordingly 
 made his appearance with his Indian badge of 
 office, a handsome silver-headed cane. The ser 
 geant told this native functionary that he was the 
 bearer of important despatches for the Governor of 
 Leon ; and ordered him to furnish a breakfast " tit 
 for a gentleman of his consideration ! " The village, 
 consisting of about one hundred mud houses and 
 a church, has only lately been established,- and ap 
 pears to be exclusively inhabited by Indians, as I 
 did not perceive any European, Spaniard, or priest. 
 Being shut out from any communication with the 
 lake, its only advantages seem to be, that it is on 
 the road from the lake of Nicaragua to Leon ; and 
 in the vicinity of rich land, bearing heavy crops of 
 Indian corn, and cocoa, and forms a resting place 
 for carriers and travellers coming over the heights. 
 Having to make our entry into Leon the following 
 day, the soldiers soon employed themselves in 
 cleaning their arms and accoutrements, not forget 
 ting to feast on the best fare the place afforded. 
 
 In the morning we again renewed our journey; 
 the road was very good, and lay through a level 
 well wooded country abounding in game. Deer 
 were frequently seen on the road, and stopped to 
 gaze on us, attracted apparently by the soldiers red 
 jackets, until they were within a very short dis 
 tance. We passed several cultivated farms ; and 
 in some of the court yards, we saw deer mixed 
 with the cattle, as if domesticated. Several large 
 waggons and mules were on the road, and every 
 appearance indicated our approach to a populous 
 city. About seven in the morning we emerged 
 from the woods into what may properly be desig- 
 
CHAIN OF THE ANDES. 215 
 
 nated the plain of Leon, covered by immense fields 
 of Indian corn, and large grass plains extending 
 as far as the eye could reach, covered with nume 
 rous herds of cattle, and horses ; many of the lat 
 ter would have been considered beautiful even in 
 Europe. To the right, we had a view of a small 
 part of the lake ; and, to the left, at some distance, 
 of an elevation on which stood a mansion, belong 
 ing as I was told, to a Spanish officer, command 
 ing a prospect of the intermediate country between 
 the lake and South Sea. We had a glimpse of 
 the latter from a high part of the road, but the 
 sergeant s fear of being observed and considered 
 remiss in his duty, and his anxiety to reach Leon 
 preventing me from going off the road, or halting 
 to admire the scene. Although the land in the vi 
 cinity of the lake, and around us, was in general 
 low pasture and corn fields, highlands, and moun 
 tains of great elevation, were distinctly visible at 
 a distance to the north, and north-east, the recom 
 mencement, no doubt, of the broken chain of the 
 Andes. 
 
 The Baron Humboldt, in his work on South 
 America, regrets the want of information respect 
 ing this part of Nicaragua and Costa Kica ; and 
 observes, that " it would be of much importance 
 to ascertain whether an uninterrupted chain of 
 mountains exists in this direction. " In referr 
 ence to the learned Baron s inquiries, I can affirm, 
 that the first opening, or complete separation of 
 this chain, is between the lake of Nicaragua, and 
 the gulf of Papagayo ; that the mountains and vol 
 canic chain again begin to rise to the north-west 
 of that position, and continues to within about 
 twelve leagues of the city of Leon, where it is a 
 
216 ARRIVAL AT LEON. 
 
 second time cut off, but again appears to tlie north 
 east of that city, and north of the Lake of Leon, 
 the mountains continuing to rise in elevation as 
 they stretch northward, and eastward, above the 
 sources of the great rivers which fall into the At 
 lantic at Bluefields, Cape Gracias a Dios, and in 
 to the Bay of Honduras. Nature, by separating 
 this otherwise insurmountable barrier, seems here 
 to indicate the proper points where a communica 
 tion between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans 
 might be accomplished ; but, on this subject I 
 shall have occasion to treat more at large here 
 after. 
 
 Before we entered the city, we passed the ca 
 thedral, a building of considerable magnitude in the 
 form of a cross, surrounded by the houses and 
 gardens of the clergy. The great beauty of these 
 gardens and their delightful situations, in every 
 respect evince the usual judgment of the holy fa 
 thers in selecting places for the establishment of 
 that church, which, whatever influence its splendid 
 worship may have had in bringing part of the In 
 dians to a certain degree of civilization, is alleg 
 ed to have been the means of keeping the lower 
 orders, inhabiting some of the fairest portions of 
 the globe, in a state of helpless ignorance. 
 
 As we rounded the point, on which the cathe 
 dral stands, we crossed a stone bridge, over what, 
 at this time, appeared no larger than a small brook ; 
 but which, in the rainy season, may be a consider 
 able stream, running in the direction of the South 
 Sea. By an easy ascent, we then came to the 
 suburbs, the houses one story high, built of har 
 dened clay white washed. Having passed two 
 or three mean looking streets, we entered the 
 
URBANITY OF THE GOVERNOR. 217 
 
 city, and the sergeant proceeded immediately to 
 the Government House with his despatches. I did 
 not wait long until I was ordered, by an officer, to 
 follow him ; and, being ushered into an apartment, 
 Don Miguel Seravia in a few minutes made his 
 appearance. He addressed me with the mildness 
 and urbanity of a gentleman, inquiring, in good 
 English, what unfortunate circumstance had in 
 duced me to enter the harbour of San Juan ? En 
 couraged by his manner, I briefly related every 
 tiling that had happened to me then, and subse 
 quently. The packet of papers, and the pam 
 phlets that had created so much distrust, were in 
 his hands ; he read and examined part of the latter, 
 and referred to my papers, among which were 
 some invoices of goods intrusted to me, and some 
 letters from my family in England. I directed 
 his Excellency s attention to the dates of these pa 
 pers, which clearly proved that I could not have 
 been present at the capture of the vessels, or guilty 
 of the crimes charged against me. He seemed 
 convinced in a moment of my innocence, and ex 
 pressed some dissatisfaction at the stupidity of the 
 Commandants who had ordered me forward, tel 
 ling me that I should forthwith return by the same 
 route. 
 
 In the meantime I was ordered to one of the 
 apartments of the Cuartel, usually appropriated for 
 the accommodation of officers ; but charged not to 
 quit these barracks, or to have free communication 
 with the inhabitants of the city. An officer con 
 ducted me to the Cuartel, which forms a large 
 square of houses one story high, and contained 
 about two hundred men. [n the mess-room, I 
 
218 STORY OF 
 
 was introduced to some of the officers in com 
 mand of the troops then in the city, who treated 
 me with attention, but marks of suspicion and dis 
 trust could not be concealed ; and many of them 
 annoyed me with questions calculated to make me 
 commit myself, in regard to my supposed connec 
 tion with the Independents. 
 
 A sumptuous breakfast was served, consisting of 
 fish, flesh and fowl ; with wine in abundance ; and, 
 being now relieved from further serious apprehen 
 sions, I retired and enjoyed undisturbed repose, 
 until I was summoned to a dinner, at which the 
 greatest profusion prevailed. 
 
 In the evening I was visited by an English sai 
 lor, whose story confirmed, not only every thing I 
 had heard as to the vicinity of the South Sea to 
 the Lake of Leon, (contrary to what is laid down 
 in most charts), but, that the communication there 
 with is very easy ; and also completely corrobora 
 ting the almost incredible accounts of the old Buc- 
 caniers, as to the supineness, insecurity, and de 
 fenceless state of the Spanish towns in this quarter 
 of the world. He stated, and his story was con 
 firmed by other persons with whom I conversed, 
 that having been some time on board the Buenos 
 Ayrean frigate the Consequentia, he, and his com 
 panions, had become dissatisfied with the officers, 
 and determined to quit the service the first oppor 
 tunity. Accordingly, when he and six of his com 
 panions, were put on board a prize, captured off 
 the harbour of Realejo, with a prize-master and 
 four others, they took the opportunity to secure 
 the arms of the others, and, getting some provisions, 
 spirits, arms, and ammunition, into a whale-boat, 
 they quitted the vessel, with the intention of sur- 
 
ENGLISH SAILORS. 219 
 
 rendering to the Spaniards. Having become too 
 much intoxicated to follow their original plan of 
 making their way to a Spanish port, they drifted 
 ashore on the beach to the southward of Realejo, 
 without knowing where they were : having haul 
 ed up the boat, they renewed their drunken frolic ; 
 quarrels arose, and their ringleader, a desperate fel 
 low, was for shoving off the boat, and joining 
 some of the privateers cruizing on the coast : this 
 led to a fight, in the course of which he was run 
 through the body with a boarding-pike. This fa 
 tal occurrence having brought them to their senses, 
 they tnrned the boat upside down, put the dying 
 man under her, and went in search of fresh water. 
 On their return to the boat, they found that their 
 comrade had breathed his last. They buried him 
 in the sand, drank the remainder of the spirits, 
 and in a state of intoxication proceeded into the 
 interior of the countiy by a small path, discovered 
 in searching for water, which led them into the 
 main road, leading to the city of Leon. They 
 shortly descried some Spaniards, who, alarmed at 
 the approach of armed seamen, immediately fled. 
 The fellows continued their route to the city, and 
 entered the suburbs without meeting the least op 
 position. Seeing a large house to the left, they 
 turned aside to it ; and, going into the court-yard 
 or Quadra, proceeded to a piazza, where a gentle 
 man in a clerical habit appeared much alarmed at 
 their intrusion. This emboldened them to de 
 mand spirits, which being immediately supplied, 
 they again became incapable of exertion. The 
 person on whom they had thus intruded, proved 
 to be the Archbishop of Leon, who was at first 
 much disturbed, but having recovered his presence 
 
ENGLISH SAILORS. 
 
 of mind, despatched some of his domestics to the 
 Governor, who immediately ordered a company of 
 soldiers to his relief; and the intoxicated sailors 
 were forthwith carried to one of the guard-houses 
 of the city. In the meantime, a great alarm was 
 created, that the Independent forces had landed, 
 taken Realejo, and were advancing on Leon. 
 
 Fortunately for these men, the worthy Arch 
 bishop influenced the Governor in their favour. 
 In the mean time, people were despatched to the 
 coast. They found the hoat on the heach, and by 
 the traces of blood, discovered the fate of the 
 ringleader. The boat was brought up to the city 
 in a waggon at the time the party was undergoing 
 an examination ; and the sagacity of Don Miguel 
 Seravia soon elicited the whole truth, even to the 
 cause of the death of their companion, the circum 
 stances of which they vainly tried to conceal. 
 
 By the favour of the Bishop they were, after a 
 month s confinement, released, but ordered not to 
 quit the country. They had become Catholics, 
 the good Archbishop standing godfather to the 
 greater part of these precious neophytes, who were 
 no\v variously employed in the city and neigh 
 bourhood. The one who narrated the story was 
 a native of Whitehaven, tolerably well educated, 
 and he seemed deeply to deplore some unfortu 
 nate circumstances which had brought him in con 
 nection with the Patriot frigate, the crew of which, 
 lie repeatedly assured me, could, at the time he 
 landed, have sacked or destroyed the city with 
 ease, because most of the Royalist forces had been 
 despatched towards Panama and Lima, and the 
 arms of the militia, who were chiefly Creoles of 
 
DON ALLEMAGNE. 221 
 
 the country, and not to be depended on, being 
 deposited in the Cathedral. 
 
 Early next morning after my arrival, I was or 
 dered to wait on the Governor, with whom I 
 found the Archbishop and " Don Allemagne, " as 
 the Spaniards called him, a merchant cf Bremen 
 or Hamburgh, who had been some years resident 
 here. The Governor had now ihejfinesse to con 
 ceal his knowledge of the English language, and 
 the German acted as interpreter. I was particu 
 larly questioned regarding the force and intentions 
 of the Patriot cruisers, &c. in the Charibbeian Sea ; 
 but, pleading ignorance on that subject, I was ex 
 amined regarding the intercourse between the In 
 dians and English, and whether I knew of any 
 communication by water from the Lake of Nica 
 ragua to the Atlantic, otherwise than by the River 
 San Juan. The Governor having, as he thought, 
 elicited all the information on these subjects in my 
 power to give him, told me I should leave Leon 
 in three days, that in the meantime I might walk 
 about the city ; but he refused the request of the 
 German who wished me to remove to his house, 
 and also my request to remain a few days longer, 
 observing, that if my health was bad, I would be 
 better in the country than in town, and that I 
 might remain with my friend the Cura of Mona- 
 gua a month if I wished it ; that four reals a day 
 would be allowed for my travelling expenses, and 
 that Don Juan Blanco, should have orders to re 
 turn as much of my property as could be discover 
 ed on my arrival at San Carlos ; but that my small 
 vessel would be condemned. His Excellency ex 
 pressed regret that I had experienced so much an- 
 s 2 
 
* DON ALLEiMAGNE, 
 
 iioyancc, observing, that, under all circumstances, 
 the Commandant at the harbour of San Juan 
 would have been perfectly justified, by the appear 
 ances against me, if he had put me to death. 
 
 On gaining the street, I expressed my thanks to 
 the German for his kindness, and promised to visit 
 him ; he observed, that I might consider myself 
 fortunate in being so soon allowed to leave the 
 country, that a resolution was hourly expected to 
 take place, which, added to my having assisted in 
 defence of the vessels at San Juan, was the sole 
 cause of my having received permission to depart. 
 He cautioned me against evincing too much cu 
 riosity in the city, and, above all, to avoid the so 
 ciety of the English deserters. His house was a 
 large building, surrounded by a square or quadra 
 of warehouses, the under part nearly filled with 
 bales of cocoa, indigo, cochineal, sarsaparilla, pearl 
 oyster shells, or mother of pearl, tortoise-shell, 
 barks, gums, and various other articles, with some 
 European goods. He said he had been establish 
 ed in the country nearly eight years, and had 
 made voyages to Manilla, China, and Bengal ; that 
 he had returned, only a few months ago, from a 
 voyage to Europe : that he had now a ship in the 
 harbour of Realejo, which the Independents had 
 attempted to cut out, but were beat off by the 
 forts and gun-boats, on which account the Go 
 vernment had demanded forty thousand dollars, as 
 salvage for part of the cargo then on board, and 
 locked up the greater part of the goods in secu 
 rity for the payment, so that he was forced to take 
 his goods from the public stores by degrees as he 
 made sales : that he did not consider his proper, 
 ty safe in the present gtate of the country, and 
 
HIS VALUABLE TRADE. 223 
 
 meant to leave it, so soon as lie could complete 
 his vessel s cargo. 
 
 I >examme(l a large quantity of tortoise-shell 
 which he had bought aft 12 reals : most of it was 
 light, cloudy, and of indifferent quality ; although 
 there was also some fine transparent and heavy 
 shells. The hest pieces had evidently been picked 
 out. I found him busily employed receiving a 
 quantity of cocoa, which had arrived from Massaya 
 on the backs of above eighty mules : it was re- 
 weighed and examined with great care : the qua 
 lity was excellent. I assisted in the selection and 
 arrangement of upwards of forty cases, each con 
 taining about one hundred weight of tortoise-shell. 
 The quality of the parcel, as a whole, had been 
 deteriorated not only by the abstraction of the 
 finest parts, but also by the addition of the shorters 
 small worthless pieces tliat form the sides of the 
 turtle, but I have no doubt, if judiciously arrang 
 ed, it would be equal to that of the West Indies. 
 My friend showed me also several casks of mother- 
 of-pearl shell, in the selection of which he had been 
 much puzzled ; the Indians paying no attention in 
 collecting it, but bringing cloudy, carious, and 
 worm-eaten pieces, mixed with the largest and 
 most beautiful sorts. Many of these were brought 
 from the Gulfs of Fonseca and Necoya, and he 
 paid for most of these things in European goods, 
 on which he had an enormous profit. 
 
 I retired to the Cuartel early in the evening, 
 where I found the English sailor waiting to solicit 
 my interest with the Governor, to be allowed to 
 quit the country ; but I could only serve him by 
 giving him such information as enabled him after 
 wards to sail with my German friend from Uealejo. 
 
224 CITY Off LEON. 
 
 In the evening the German accompanied me in a 
 walk through the city. It covers a good deal of 
 ground, and is, on the whole, handsome ; many 
 of the streets are broad, and intersect each other 
 at right angles. The houses are large, but none 
 exceed two stoiies ; the fronts in general white 
 washed, and the lower windows secured by bars 
 of wrought iron, or ornamented gratings, which, 
 with the shutters and lattices the upper ones 
 painted a light green have a cool and pleasant 
 appearance. Most of the houses are entered by a 
 large gate leading into the court- yard or quadra, 
 round which are the warehouses or store-rooms of 
 the merchants, the apartments of the domestics, the 
 stables, and other offices. Usually a piazza or por 
 tico runs round the court, affording a complete shel 
 ter from the sun and rain. The centre is enlivened 
 with a few trees, shrubs and flowers, or, in some 
 instances, there is a fountain or reservoir of water. 
 The roofs are in general flat and overhang the foot 
 paths, which are clean, and paved with large peb 
 bles. The city and suburbs, according to the esti 
 mate of my friend, contain about three thousand 
 houses ; and the number of inhabitants, including 
 Indians, is more than fourteen thousand. Being 
 the residence of the Governor and a bishop s see, 
 it is second in wealth and population to Guatemala 
 alone. I observed eight churches, exclusive of the 
 Cathedral, and several monasteries and nunneries. 
 The markets are abundantly supplied with beef, 
 pork, fish and fowls ; and all the varieties of fruit 
 and vegetables produced in a tropical climate, or 
 even in the more temperate regions. The climate 
 is considered delightful, although occasionally vi 
 sited by tempests and heavy rains. The general 
 
MODE OF LIVING. 225 
 
 mode of living is luxurious. My allowance from 
 the Government was four reales, or half a dollar 
 per day, winch was a great deal more than suffi 
 cient to enable me to live, in every respect, like 
 the officers in the Cuartel, whose daily provision 
 was as follows : Shortly after daybreak half a pint 
 of excellent chocolate or strong coffee, with a slice 
 or two of bread ; about nine o clock a breakfast 
 of fish, flesh, or fowl, and sometimes all these ; to 
 which was added an omelet, tortillas, and excel 
 lent wheaten bread, with claret or agua-ardiente : 
 about noon a soup composed of boiled beef and 
 vegetables, and a saucer of sweetmeats, for those 
 who chose them, ushered in a dinner consisting of 
 the same materials as the breakfast, after which a 
 cup of strong coffee prepares them for their siesta 
 or afternoon s sleep, to which all then retired, the 
 city, from that period until about four in the even 
 ing, being as quiet as at midnight. About nine 
 supper was served, thus ending the day, the 
 principal business of which seemed to be eating, 
 drinking, smoking and sleeping. The meanest 
 persons smoke tobacco, although it is the dearest 
 article in the place. I had no opportunity of see 
 ing the public walk, which I was told was a very 
 pleasant place, situated at the north-west entrance 
 to the city, and much frequented in tlie cool of the 
 evening by all classes. 
 
 On the fourth morning from my arrival, I again 
 received orders to attend the Governor, who de 
 sired me to prepare to depart for Granada the fol 
 lowing day, under the same escort ; but, that I was 
 not now to consider myself a prisoner, and might 
 take my own time in travelling. His Excellency 
 accompanied his instructions by a present of two 
 
226 DEPARTURE FOR GRANADA. 
 
 doubloons. Expressing my thanks for his prompt 
 justice and urbanity, I withdrew, gratefully im 
 pressed by his kindness and liberality. My Ger 
 man friend, who was to set off that evening for 
 Realejo, also presented me with a little money, 
 and an additional quantity of linen, observing, 
 that these articles were absolutely necessary to e- 
 very traveller, more especially to an Englishman, 
 who could not journey comfortably, unless accom 
 panied by cleanliness and independence. This 
 worthy man also gave me a letter to his correspon 
 dent at Granada ; and others to be forwarded, by 
 way of Jamaica, to Europe. 
 
 I found the sergeant at the Cuartel waiting for 
 me ; that he had received his final instructions, and 
 was desirous of leaving Leon in the morning be 
 fore daylight, on purpose to arrive early at Pueblo 
 Nueva. I furnished him with the means of providing 
 such things for the journey as he considered ne 
 cessary for our comfort. By allowing me to ride 
 in advance of the party, when about to pass other 
 travellers on the road, he saved me from much in 
 terruption and many annoying questions, was ve 
 ry attentive to my wants, and studied my com 
 fort, both on the way to and from Leon, as much 
 as circumstances would allow. 
 
CHAPTER XI. 
 
 DEPARTURE FROM LEON GAME, &C. PUEBLO 
 
 NUEVO MONAGUA POLITICAL STATE OF THE 
 
 COUNTRY KINDNESS OF INYGOYEN RECROSS 
 
 THE LAVA EFFECTS OF THE ERUPTION MAS- 
 
 SAYA COLONEL SACASSA MEDICINE INDIAN 
 
 PROCESSION MISSIONARIES ARRIVAL AT 
 
 GRANADA LAKE AND ADJACENT COUNTRY- 
 EARTHQUAKES EXACTIONS OF THE GOVERN 
 MENT ABUNDANCE OF PROVISIONS VOYAGE 
 
 TO SAN CARLOS, &C. 
 
 EVERY thing being arranged for our departure from 
 Leon, the sergeant brought me an excellent horse, 
 and we started before day-break. We soon over 
 took the soldiers who had preceded us on foot, 
 the Governor s orders being, that, as " Don Or 
 lando " was to travel slowly, horses or mules were 
 not necessary for the escort. I promised to re 
 mount them at the next halting places, and they 
 exerted themselves to keep up with us. 
 
 The sergeant had provided a small fowling- 
 piece, in lieu of the carabine he formerly carried, 
 but he soon showed me that he was no sportsman ; 
 
228 GAME &C. 
 
 lie fired at three guams, each as large as a turkey- 
 cock, but they merely hopped to another branch. 
 Watching until their heads were close together, I 
 brought the whole three to the ground at one shot, 
 telling the sergeant that was the way the Patriots 
 and Indians generally used their fire-anus. He 
 crossed himself, and expressed much surprise. 
 Nonelof the wild deer came within reach of small 
 shot, but we got more game of other kinds than 
 we could carry, and a few Indian marksmen could - 
 in these woods, find daily provisions for a regi 
 ment of men. We arrived at Pueblo Nueva a- 
 bout nine o clock, and I hung my hammock in my 
 old quarters, while the sergeant went to the In 
 dian alcalde to whom we presented the game, and, 
 in return, received an excellent breakfast. Our 
 soldiers went in search of mules ; but the poor 
 people being, in general, obliged to Jurnish the 
 troops gratuitously, none could be found, until it was 
 known that the use of them would be paid for : 
 the three cost only six reales, or three quarters of 
 a dollar, to Nagarotta, at which place we arrived 
 safely in the evening. 
 
 Wishing to arrive at Monagua as early as pos 
 sible, we were on the road long before daybreak ; 
 we arrived in good time at Matares and next 
 morning, by six o clock, recrossed the high ground, 
 from whence we again had a most beautiful pro 
 spect of the country, and adjoining lake. My good 
 friend the cura was from home, but his family re 
 ceived me with the greatest kindness and atten 
 tion ; refreshments were set before me, and when 
 he arrived, he embraced and welcomed me with 
 all the warmth of an old friend, expressing himself 
 
POLITICAL STATE. 229 
 
 much satisfied with the manner in which I had 
 been received in Leon. 
 
 At supper we had mucli conversation regarding 
 the political state of the country ; and although 
 the cura expressed himself cautiously, it was evi 
 dent he contemplated with pleasure, the change 
 progressively taking place. Some of his friends 
 having called to inquire for him, readily joined in 
 our conversation ; and, over a bowl of punch, a 
 liquor I taught him to compound, reserve was soon 
 banished from his convivial board ; he observed, 
 that he hoped the day was not far distant when 
 Monagua, and the Interior of Central America, 
 would be better known to my countrymen, and 
 every one seemed to speak freely of the state of 
 the country, deplored the commercial and other 
 restrictions under which they laboured ; and it wrs 
 evident that the worthy cura, who is a native 
 Creole, and his fiiends, wished well to the cau<e 
 of independence, and anticipated a great, and cer 
 tain change in the political government of Central 
 America. I ventured to explain, that although 
 for some time I had confined my exertions entirely 
 to commercial pursuits, I once commanded a vessel 
 in the service of the Independents, and wished well 
 to their cause. Some of the gentlemen present ex 
 pressed their hopes, that the trade would soon be 
 more open ; that -British goods of almost every 
 description were much wanted ; that the towns in 
 the vicinity of the Lakes of Nicaragua and Leon 
 could consume and pay for a very large quantity ; 
 and that, by perseverance, I might then avail my 
 self of the knowledge I had acquired, to recover 
 more than I had at present lost. The party broke 
 T 7 
 
KECiiOSS THE LAVA. 
 
 iip about ten o clock. In the evening- I joined him 
 in a ride through the town, which is pleasantly 
 situated in a romantic vale on the borders of the 
 Lake. The streets are wide, and intersect each 
 other at right angles, forming squares of buildings 
 similar to those of Leon. It contains six churches ; 
 that of my conductor, and one or two others are 
 large, and handsome, the- houses are in general 
 two stories high, flat roofed, built of sun-dried 
 bricks, and white washed ; they were, in comfort 
 and arrangement, similar to the houses of Leon and 
 Granada. I observed shops for the sale of wine, 
 agua-ardierite, and other liquors. Bread, cheese of 
 the country, dulces, or sweet meats, coffee,and coarse 
 brown sugar, were sold in almost every small house 
 .of the Indians. I found that my friend had to act 
 the part of a magistrate as well as priest ; for on 
 our return, an Indian and his wife came to state 
 some grievance which they had suffered from a 
 neighbour of the cura, who immediately sent for 
 the accused ; and, inquiring into the facts, admo 
 nished him to redress the injury, which he faith 
 fully promised ; and I was much pleased to ob 
 serve the respectful deference paid to his advice 
 and admonitions, by both parties. As he had oc- 
 jL asion to visit Granada in two days, after a day or 
 two farther sojourn, I took my leave, upon a pro 
 mise that I should be his guest at Granada, where 
 lie had also a residence. We commenced our 
 journey at the usual hour, three in the morning, 
 and by six we once more crossed the stratum of lava 
 formerly mentioned, so that I Lad an opportuni 
 ty of cppnrming my former observation of its 
 course. The neighbourhood of the high ridge 
 pver wjuch we crossed, as also the low ground 
 
EFFECTS OF THE ERUPTION. 231 
 
 presented evident appearancos of the destruc 
 tive effects of this eruption, being covered 
 with an entire mass of scoria, pumice, and de 
 tached rocks, of several tons weight. The vol 
 cano does not appear to be so elevated as those of 
 Granada and Cartago. We spent so much time 
 in viewing the effects of the eruption, and the 
 beautiful appearance of the lakes and the adjoin 
 ing country, that we did not reach Massaya until 
 late in the day. I was waited upon by the son of 
 Colonel Sacassa, with an invitation to breakfast. 
 This young gentleman, to whom I was indebted 
 for the present of clothes and linen, when unwell, 
 on my way to Leon, mentioned that his father 
 was confined to his apartment, by severe indispo 
 sition ; and, as he understood every Englishman 
 knew something of medicine, entreated I would 
 prescribe for him. The Colonel s house was a 
 handsome building, opposite to the principal 
 church ; which, with the monastery, and Cuartel, 
 or place d anncs, formed one side of the square. 
 I found the old gentleman in a dark, close, pent- 
 up room, on the ground floor, in an English tent- 
 bed, with thick cotton curtains, surrounded by 
 every precaution to exclude the fresh air. When 
 he held out his hand to welcome me, I found he 
 was in a high fever: he lamented there was no 
 medical advice to be had nearer than- Granada, 
 and complained of violent headach, and great pain 
 in the back and loins. I advised him to lose not 
 a moment in getting removed to an open and airy 
 apartment ; take aperient medicines ; and get 
 blood drawn : and, if next day he was no better, 
 to have a blister applied to his stomach ; get his 
 body rubbed with the pods of Cayenne pepper ; 
 
232 INDIAN PROCESSION. 
 
 use the warm bath ; and take spruce beer, or a 
 beverage of lime-juice, water and sugar, seasoned 
 with Cayenne pepper, to quench his thirst. It 
 was with great difficulty I could persuade him of 
 the utility and necessity of a free circulation of 
 air, but by the following day he felt great relief. 
 
 His son, who was educating for the church, 
 pressed me to spend the day with him. We walk 
 ed about the town, which is smaller than Mona- 
 gua, but built nearly in the same manner, plea 
 santly situated in a fertile valley, surrounded by 
 plantations of cocoa, plantains, and vast enclosures 
 of Indian corn. The detached group of moun 
 tains, amongst which is the " Volcan de Grana 
 da, " rise in majestic grandeur above the hills to 
 the westward. 
 
 During our walk, we met a number of Indians 
 going in procession to a church. Before them 
 was borne a huge crucifix, and an image, made of 
 wood, which, I was told, was the representation 
 of some idol they had formerly worshipped, which 
 they were now going to deposit in the church. 
 These neophytes had been formed into a settle 
 ment in the vicinity, under the direction of some 
 Catholic missionaries, who resided with them, and 
 who were endeavouring to bring them to peaceful 
 and industrious habits. 
 
 I remained at the Colonel s house that evening, 
 and at my departure in the morning, received a 
 letter specially recommending me to his son, the 
 acting Governor of Granada. After a very plea 
 sant ride, the sergeant and I arrived in the suburbs 
 of that city, where he halted to breakfast, and 
 wait the arrival of the soldiers, who travelled this 
 last stage on foot. 
 
CITY OF GRANADA. 
 
 The whole distance by the route we travelled to 
 and from Leon, as stated in the preceding account, 
 may be computed at about one hundred and four 
 teen miles ; and from Leon to the Pacific is, as I 
 was assured, and have the best reason to state, not 
 above six miles. I was told our route to Leon 
 was not the most direct ; birt, from the appearance 
 of the country, and leading direction of the road, 
 I am confident the difference cannot be greater 
 than a few miles. We proceeded to the Governor s 
 house, where, after reading his brother s letter, 
 Don Cresantia Sacassa congratulated me on my 
 safe return ; but informed me, that it was Don 
 Miguel s instructions, that I should take up my 
 abode at one of the Cuartels, out of which I was 
 on no account to sleep ; but that in the day time 
 I should be at liberty to go where I chose. That 
 unless I could obtain a passage in one of the mer 
 chant bongos going to San Juan, with a cargo for 
 the two schooners, I would have to proceed to 
 San Carlos in the government boat, sailing on the 
 first day of every month. I expressed myself sa 
 tisfied with these arrangements, and took posses 
 sion of a room at the barracks, by fixing up my 
 hammock, and obtaining other accommodation ne 
 cessary for my comfort. 
 
 The city of Granada is said to have been found 
 ed by Francisco Fernandez de Cordova about three 
 hundred years ago. The population, including- 
 European Spaniards, Creoles, Mestizoes and purep 
 Indians, cannot be estimated much lower than that 
 of Leon. The principal public buildings, includ 
 ing the sumptuous parochial church, and the one 
 dedicated to the Lady of Guadalonpe in the grand 
 T 
 
V 
 
 234 PUBLIC BUILDINGS. 
 
 square, with others of minor importance, are, the 
 Franciscan convent ; one of San Juan <le Dios, 
 with an hospital attached to it ; another of La 
 Merced ; and three other convents, besides the bar- 
 racks or cuartel in the parade. The situation of 
 this city hetween the lakes, and its central posi 
 tion in respect to the Atlantic and Pacific, afford 
 great facilities for making it the depot for the 
 greatest commerce in South America, or perhaps 
 in the world. It is well built ; one side of the 
 great square is chiefly formed by the principal 
 church ; a large monastery and a convent make up 
 the greater part of another side ; the guard-house, 
 and soldiers barracks, a third ; and the principal 
 shops in the town, front the church, and complete 
 the square. The streets are for the most part 
 wide, and paved with stone ; and, in some places, 
 the footpaths are raised two feet above the level 
 of the streets, and sheltered by the balconies and 
 projecting roofs of the houses. Many of the 
 houses are three stories high, and, as the streets 
 intersect each other, form squares of buildings, the 
 longest sides of which extend from east to west. 
 The town stands on a gently rising ground, which 
 contributes much to its cleanliness ; and the 
 principal streets are terminated by views of the 
 hills in the neighbourhood, or mountains in the 
 distance. The cross streets are narrower, but the 
 houses in general are, like those of Leon, large, 
 handsome, and convenient ; the apartments lofty, 
 and better furnished than is usual in Spanish 
 towns. Granada is said to be celebrated for its 
 cabinet ware, the workmen possessing many beau 
 tiful kinds of wood. They are obliged, however, 
 to work with very inferior tools, good edge-tools 
 
COMMERCE, TRADE, &C. 235 
 
 being much wanted. One of the most valuable 
 pieces of furniture in the family room is generally 
 a crucifix, and an image of the virgin and child, in 
 a case, richly ornamented, and illuminated at night. 
 There is a great variety of shops, for the sale of 
 small wares, butjno indications of a full supply of 
 any thing like valuable goods. In the principal 
 warehouses nothing was exposed in the windows, 
 or otherwise ; every thing appeared private, and 
 concealed, and the depositories were not thrown 
 open as at the Havannah, Buenos Ayres, and Li 
 ma. I was given to understand that the principal 
 trade was entirely in the hands of a few old Spa 
 niards, natives for the most part of Catalonia and ^ 
 Biscay, who contrived to have the offer of every 
 cargo that arrived at San Juan ; and their trans 
 actions were managed with such secrecy, as to 
 preclude all chance of competition : the native 
 Creoles seldom or never receiving any notice of an 
 arrival, until they saw the goods going into the 
 warehouses, which, in appearance, almost resemble 
 prisons, but are well stocked with the most valu 
 able productions of the countiy, such as indigo, : 
 cochineal, sarsaparilla, cocoa, hides, barks, &c. The 
 greater part of the retail trade of the place is, on 
 market and holidays, carried on by the Creoles and 
 other natives of the country, whose shops, as I 
 before observed, are numerous ; the commodities 
 they vend, consist of a small assortment of dry 
 goods and earthenware : others, the places called 
 pulperias, resemble the hucksters shops in Eng 
 land ; and, in these places are sold bread, cheese, 
 agua-ardiente, pottery, glass, sugar, sweetmeats, oil, 
 and a variety of small wares ; which are also 
 vended by people in the public square, much in 
 
256 LAKE AND ADJACENT COUNTRY. 
 
 the manner of our travelling Jews and pedlars. 
 The place seems poorly supplied with medicines, 
 and the priest generally administers to both soul 
 and body. Close to the lake there is a pleasant pro 
 menade, much frequented in the evening by the 
 principal inhabitants ; it commands a delightful 
 prospect of the lake, and of the hattos in the 
 neighbourhood. In the course of my morning ab 
 lutions, I noticed a visible difference in the height 
 of the waters of the lake. I cannot undertake to 
 affirm that it had a regular ebb and flow ; and 
 believe the circumstance is owing to the influence 
 of regular morning and evening breezes, impelling 
 the waters of the lake in certain directions at par 
 ticular periods of the day and night ; and with 
 greater force at some times than at others. The 
 Strand is generally covered by daybreak with lin 
 en. I have often seen one or two hundred wo 
 men and girls washing clothes in the morning, so 
 that whether in the evening, or morning, a walk to 
 the lake is a cheerful recreation. Near the Playa, 
 or Embarcadero, some enterprising individuals had 
 undertaken to build a vessel, which, from the ap 
 pearance of the frame laying on the spot, I should 
 suppose to have been intended to carry fifty or 
 sixty tons. When she was nearly finished it was 
 discovered that the ground had sunk, so as>to 
 cause a rise, between the slip and the lake. The 
 ground had afterwards been levelled, and every 
 exertion made to launch the vessel ; but, so igno 
 rant were they of the use of mechanical powers, 
 that, after several fruitless attempts, they were 
 obliged to take the vessel to pieces. 
 
 The markets, at Granada, are abundantly sup 
 plied with beef, pork, poultry, cheese^ butter, and 
 
GAME, FISH, &C. 237 
 
 milk from the farms in the neighbourhood, at a 
 very reasonable rate ; and with a great variety of 
 excellent fish, and water-fowl from the lake. 
 
 The neighbouring country and forests furnish i 
 game in abundance ; wheat-flour is brought from 
 Guatemala, and the northern provinces ; but the 
 bread, used in general by the poor and middling 
 classes, is made of Indian corn, which is also pre 
 ferred by many of the gentry. The common me 
 thod of preparing it is by making it into small 
 cakes, called Tortillas ; the grain is first put into 
 a large earthen vessel containing a strong lye of 
 wood ashes, or lime and water, to soften it and 
 take oft the husk ; it is then put upon a stone made 
 concave for the purpose, and bruised with a small 
 stone roller, held firmly with both hands, and rol 
 led backwards, and forwards, until the corn is 
 bruised to a fine paste ; it is then shaped into 
 round flat cakes, and baked on an earthen pan, or 
 flat iron plate ; the young women show great clean 
 liness and activity in preparing it, and, when well 
 toasted, it will keep good for many months. 
 
 The kinds of fish caught in the lake, in the im 
 mediate vicinity, are, the carvalhoe or carvally, tar- 
 poin, snook, sturgeon, rock-fish, carp, mullet, bar 
 bel, perch, red and yellow snapper, calapaver, 
 pike, grooper, and various others ; one of them 
 said to be a species of shark. Immense numbers 
 of wild-fowl resort to its waters, amongst these 
 are the large and small Muscovy duck ; the red 
 and black-legged widgeon ; teal ; arid many others. 
 Snipe and curlew in great numbers frequent the 
 islands, and low savannahs, on the borders of the 
 lake ; and, being seldom molested, will suffer even 
 the large bongos to approach so near, that they 
 
238 EARTHQUAKES. 
 
 may be knocked down with a stick. Widgeon 
 and teal are so numerous, that they at times ap 
 pear, when on the wing, to darken the air like a 
 cloud. The terrapin, and hiccatee or river-turtle, 
 are also very numerous ; and are to he met with 
 near all the islands, and creeks ; as also are 
 shrimps, and a very large species of cray-fish. 
 Although the temperature of Nicaragua is too 
 warm for wheat, it yields, most bountifully, all the 
 other articles appertaining to the climate, such as 
 cocoa, indigo, cochineal, cotton, and various medi 
 cinal drugs, barks, and gums ; besides, grapes, and 
 other delicious fruits : the forests abound in the 
 most valuable timber ; and various rare plants, 
 birds and animals, afford ample scope for the re 
 searches of the naturalist. 
 
 Granada is sometimes subject to earthquakes : 
 a slight shock was felt during my stay there. The 
 day on the evening of which it took place was 
 very close and sultry, without a breath of wind. I 
 was in one of the small shops, the master of which 
 generally supplied the officers mess at the Cu- 
 artel : and, resting myself at the moment in a ham 
 mock, smoking a cigar, and talking with the man s 
 daughter ; although I did not feel any motion of 
 the earth, my attention was suddenly roused by a 
 burst of apprehension from all present. Some 
 threw themselves on their knees ; others hastened 
 to illuminate the image of the Virgin, and, on 
 reaching the street, the whole population was hur 
 rying to the churches : the greatest anxiety and 
 alarm depicted on every countenance : many had 
 formed themselves into processions, headed by their 
 clergy ; some bore lighted tapers, crucifixes, and 
 other insignia of the Catholic faith ; the Miserere 
 
CURA OF MONAGUA. 239 
 
 was clianted in every street ; and " Santa Maria," 
 and " misero mio " issued from every mouth. I 
 pitied people hurrying- to places, in which, if the 
 shocks bad been violent, they must have been over 
 whelmed with inevitable destruction ; but the 
 shocks gradually became less, and I have frequent 
 ly felt them more severe during my residence in 
 tropical climates. The whole night was spent in 
 illuminations, prayers, and processions, and no ma 
 terial damage was occasioned. My friend the Cura 
 of Monagua, who had been some time in Granada, 
 asked rne, on joining him and his family next 
 morning, at the breakfast-table, in which of the 
 churches I had taken refuge during the awful 
 threatening ? I ventured to express my disappro 
 bation of that custom, and explained my reasons 
 for preferring the shelter afforded by one of the 
 small houses, the walls of which being of hardened 
 clay, little danger could be apprehended, unless 
 the earth opened ; and that, certainly, the spot un- 
 incumbered by buildings was, in such circumstan 
 ces, the safest for an assembly of the clergy and 
 people to propitiate the omnipresent Almighty; 
 and that, on the other hand, to trust themselves in 
 their heavy Gothic churches, appeared to be little 
 better than tempting Providence. He observed, 
 that there was some reason in my remarks ; but, 
 that he considered it his duty to be there, even if 
 he knew it was likely to be his destruction ; and 
 that, in the day of calamity, it became him to be at 
 his post, in the midst of his people. The more I 
 knew of this worthy man, the more cause I had to 
 admire him : so far from pressing me on the arti 
 cles of my faith, or seeking me to change from the 
 of the Protestant religion, he never for one 
 
240 EXACTIONS OF THE GOVERNMENT. 
 
 moment gave me cause to doubt his universal be 
 nevolence. 
 
 ^___j_ On calling next day at tbe Governor s, I found 
 him and all his household, assorting a large quan 
 tity of cocoa and indigo, which had that morning 
 yarrived from Nicaragua ; and they appeared too 
 busy to think any thing of the recent earthquake. 
 The principal people consider it no degradation to 
 be employed in the meanest offices of trade. The 
 produce of a farm, for instance cheese, butter and 
 milk, were retailed under the immediate superin- 
 tendance of the Governor s lady ; who, also, sold 
 coarse checks, and some other articles, the manu 
 facture of the country. The Governor was su- 
 perintendant of the customs, and revenue ; pass 
 ports were requisite for persons travelling a dis 
 tance of thirty miles ; clearances were necessary 
 for bongos crossing the lake ; all public business 
 was transacted at the Governor s house ; every 
 means seem to have been devised, by the Govern 
 ment, to keep the trade of the country in its 
 grasp ; and to extort money from tbe people by 
 eveiy possible method. All those in power were 
 natives of old Spain, and there seemed to be little 
 cordiality between them and the majority of the 
 natives. 
 
 I availed myself of the facilities afforded by the 
 letter of recommendation, from Leon, to become 
 acquainted with the nature of the trade of Grana 
 da, and the province generally. 
 
 The articles in the greatest request, and which 
 find a ready sale in Guatemala, Comoyagua, Le 
 on, Granada, Nicaragua, Cartago, and in the Cen 
 tral States generally, are noted in the Appendix. * 
 * See Note V. 
 
CAUSE OF DETENTION. 241 
 
 Most of the articles there enumerated, are such 
 as I have found answer on the Mosquito Shore? 
 and also on the shores of the Pacific, when en 
 gaged in the free trade. 
 
 There seems no doubt that my detention in 
 Granada was to give the schooners Flor del Mer, 
 and Estrella, time to receive their cargoes and 
 proceed to sea, before I should be able to leave 
 the coast, or be in a situation to communicate with 
 any of the Independent cruizers. The cargoes 
 consisted of the choicest productions of the coun 
 try, collected and sent down in bongos, and these 
 schooners, with their cargoes, would have made 
 the fortune of any cruiser who might have captur 
 ed them. Contrary to the Governor s promise, I 
 was not allowed to proceed in the bongo which 
 sailed on the first day of the month ; that boat 
 was accompanied by others, having on board goods 
 to complete the cargoes above named. About 
 eight days afterwards I had a final interview with 
 the Governor, who furnished me with the means 
 of laying in provisions ; and, I obtained a passage 
 in one of these bongos, belonging to traders or 
 sutlers, who cross the lake to San Carlos with 
 groceries, liquors, tobacco, &c. at the time the 
 soldiers there, and on the river San Juan, are re 
 ceiving their pay. These people open a temporary 
 store for the sale of their commodities, and gene 
 rally realize a profit upon cocoa, coffee, &c. of one 
 hundred to one hundred and fifty per cent. 
 
 From the worthy Cura of Monagua and my o- 
 ther friends in Granada, I had continued to receive 
 the kindest attentions and demonstrations of re 
 gard. After bidding them adieu, 1 left Granada in 
 
24-2 LAS B LIT. AS.. 
 
 the boat mentioned, with two men and a woman, 
 the joint owners, a padrone, and a crew of twelve 
 Indians. 
 
 We commenced the voyage about twelve o clock, 
 pulling for the islands called Las Elitas, where we 
 arrived in the evening, and slept. These islands 
 are composed of vast masses of rock, upon some 
 of which there is much good soil covered with 
 fruit-trees and others, of various descriptions, much 
 frequented by the guam, currassow, bill bird, co- 
 quiricot, &c. on account of the hog plum, sapodilla, 
 mamee, and other fruit, growing upon them. The 
 water is here clear and deep, containing abundance 
 of fish. Between these islets and Granada, there 
 is a small bay, said to be infested by water-snakes 
 of the most venomous description, and on that 
 account, little frequented. 
 
 We left Las Blitas early in the morning ; and, 
 making sail with a light breeze across the lake, 
 reached the small islands, close to the main, in 
 the evening. We continued next day to coast 
 along the shore, always going ashore on the main 
 land, or on some of the islands, to cook our vic 
 tuals. The water about these islands, at a dis 
 tance from the main, is clear and deep, with a 
 rocky bottom, the islands, as already stated, being 
 surrounded with large masses of stone. Others 
 close to the shore are, however, flat, and some of 
 them are inhabited by a few families of Indians, 
 whose principal occupation is fishing and cultivat 
 ing small patches of Indian corn. The shore, to 
 wards the eastern side of the lake, is in general 
 flat ; and has, in most places, a muddy bottom, 
 for upon the wind blowing strongly, the water 
 became much discoloured, and we were then oblig- 
 
SAN CARLOS. 
 
 ed to take shelter on the leeside of one of the 
 islands, or to run the bongo into some creek on 
 the -main. Any elevation in this quarter is still 
 however composed of rocks. At several of the 
 farms we procured dried beef, and cheese, and at i 
 one place, a bullock, for which the padrone paid 
 seven dollars, the common price being from eight 
 to ten dollars. On the evening of the sixth day 
 we landed at San Carlos. Immediately I waited 
 on the Governor, who now received me politely, 
 and mentioned that he had recovered some of the 
 goods which had been plundered from my little 
 vessel ; that these would be returned to me, and 
 that my Indians were well, but that he had been 
 ^obliged to keep four of them confined, to prevent 
 their escaping, hut that one was allowed to be at 
 liberty, in succession, to provide additional com 
 forts for his companions. Brown came to me 
 overjoyed at my safety ; but loudly complained that 
 the Governor, and Salablanca, who had been promot 
 ed on account of the action with the Centinela, 
 had used every means to induce them to criminater 
 rue as a spy for the Patriots, offering to give them 
 clothes, send them safe home with presents, 8cc., 
 but all to no purpose. Finding these efforts of no 
 avail, they were then confined to the castle, as al 
 ready mentioned, and compelled to perform mental 
 services for the officers. They were allowed only 
 half rations, and the remainder of their subsistence 
 was procured by the labour, or solicitations, of the 
 one at liberty in the village a line of conduct, 
 than which none could have been better adapted 
 to keep up their enmity to the Spanish name. 
 Some of the Spaniards may have since suffered for 
 it, they were now allowed their liberty, with 
 
CONDUCT OF 
 
 half a real a day for subsistence. I gave them 
 money, supplied Brown with a good suit of clothes, 
 and each of the others with a new shirt and 
 trowsers ; bargaining with the woman who cross 
 ed the lake with me, for their provisions. This 
 conduct seemed to surprise the Spaniards, who 
 were not at all aware of the genuine worth of 
 these men. They had been repeatedly told that 
 I !iad been again tried as a spy, found guilty, ex- 
 teuted at Leon, and quartered ; arid, till they 
 heard from some of the Indian boatmen of my re- 
 uem to Granada, they had given up all hope of 
 ever seeing " Robert, " and were meditating how 
 to make their "-escape. Still their fidelity to me 
 had remained incorruptible ; and they now felt 
 indignant at the impositions which had been at 
 tempted saying frequently, " very bad lie, " " no 
 good fashion, " and using similar expressions. 
 
 Salablanca, the old commandant of the battery, 
 seeing the turn my affairs had taken, now offered 
 to render me all the assistance in his power to 
 make my residence at San Carlos agreeable, and, 
 my passage down the river as comfortable as pos 
 sible ; giving me also an invitation to reside at his 
 quarters. The ladies of the Governor s family 
 seemed glad I had returned in safety, and showed 
 me great attention and kindness. 
 
 I received, from the Governor, about three 
 dozen of moscheats which he had recovered ; with 
 a small quantity of dry goods ; and I was per 
 mitted to dispose of them in the village. The 
 moscheats cost me about forty-five shillings per 
 dozen, and I sold them at from two to three dol 
 lars each ; the other goods produced me about one 
 hundred dollars. On finishing this business I be- 
 
THE GOVERNOR. 245 
 
 gan to prepare for my departure, by providing a 
 sufficient stock of provisions, chocolate, rum, &c. 
 for myself and my Indians ; two bongos witli sup 
 plies of provisions, and a reinforcement of men for 
 the defence of the river, being ordered shortly 
 to proceed. 
 
 u 2 
 
CHAPTER XII. 
 
 GUATEMALA NICARAGUA INDIANS POPU 
 LATION HOSTILE TRIBES LAKE OF NICARA 
 GUA SPANISH POSTS ROUTE BY BLUEFIELD s 
 
 RIVER JOURNEY OF PATTERSON ATLANTIC 
 
 AND PACIFIC CANAL NECESSITY OF FOREIGN 
 
 LABOURERS UNITED STATES CONTRACT FOR 
 
 CUTTING A CANAL GOLD MINES PASSAGE 
 
 DOWN THE SAN JUAN MOSQUITO KING S LET 
 TER INDIAN DARING PLAN OF REVENGE 
 
 ARRIVAL AT PRINZAPULKO JOY OF THE IN 
 DIANS. 
 
 J PONSETT, in his " Notes on Mexico" remarks, that 
 Guatemala extends from about 81 45 of west 
 longitude, to 94, and from 8 to 17 north lati 
 tude. It is bounded on the west by the Intendency 
 of Oaxaca in Mexico ; on the N. W. by Yucatour ; 
 on the S. E. by the Province of Veragua in Santa 
 Fe de Bogota ; on the south and southwest by the 
 Pacific ; and on the north by the Atlantic Ocean. 
 The distance by land from Chillilo, the frontier of 
 Oaxaca, to Chiriqui and Veragua, is seven hundred 
 leagues ; and the distance from sea to sea, in no 
 
POPULATION, &C. 217 
 
 place exceeds one hundred and eighty leagues, 
 nor falls short of sixty. Of the fifteen provinces 
 into which it is divided, five are situated on the 
 Pacific, five on the Atlantic, and five in the In 
 terior. 
 
 The Province of Nicaragua, in 1823, was sup 
 posed to contain a population of 164,374. The . 
 district of Leon, hesides the capital of the same 
 name, contains the cities of Granada, and New 
 Segovia ; and the towns of Nicaragua, Esteli, Al- 
 coyapa, Villa Nueva and Massaya ; to which 
 may he added Monagua, Matares, Nagarotta, and 
 others of less note. 
 
 The province of Costa Rica, the most eastern 
 on the Atlantic side, was, at the same time, esti 
 mated to contain a population of 37,716. Be 
 tween Nicaragua and Comayagua are the pro 
 vinces of Taguzagalpa, Tologalpa, and Matagalpa, 
 peopled by Indians who have not been converted 
 to the Christian religion, and who may be consi 
 dered entirely independent of the Spaniards, with 
 whom they hold no intercourse. They are called 
 indiscriminately Xicagues, Moscoes, and Samboes. 
 There are also several other tribes inhabiting the 
 country to the eastward and north-westward of the 
 Lakes of Nicaragua and Monagua or Leon. A- 
 mong which may be reckoned the Valientes or 
 Indios Bravos, the Chilibees, Tiribees, Woolwas, 
 Ramas, Cookras, Poyers and various others, who 
 have zealously maintained their liberty, and a- 
 mongst whom the Spaniards have not been able to 
 establish themselves. All these tribes are favour- \J 
 able to the British, and took the opportunity, on 
 most occasions, of joining the Buccaniers, in their 
 predatory excursions agaiiist the Spanish posses- 
 
248 LAKE OF NICARAGUA. 
 
 sions, particularly New Segovia, Ilealojo, Leon, 
 Granada, and Nicaragua, with other towns near 
 their territories which they repeatedly plunder 
 ed, and sometimes burnt. A natural harrier of 
 mountains on each side of the lake seems to he 
 the boundary which separates these tribes from 
 the Spaniards. It is difficult to ascertain the total 
 number of each class but the whole Indian po 
 pulation of Central America has been estimated 
 at from eighteen hundred thousand to a million of 
 souls. 
 
 A great proportion of these Indians are still 
 hostile to the Spaniards, and they consider the 
 descendants of the Spaniards born in the New 
 States as such ; were they properly united, un 
 der one head, and their efforts combined, they 
 are capable of giving serious annoyance to the 
 new government of Central America. 
 
 Inarras, * whom I have already quoted, says 
 that the Lake of Nicaragua is " more than one 
 hundred and eighty miles long, and nearly one 
 hundred broad ; having almost every where ten 
 fathoms water, with a muddy bottom, except 
 along the shore, where there is a clear bottom, 
 with an inexhaustible number of fine fish ; it is 
 rendered extremely picturesque by the numerous 
 small islands with which the surface is studded. " 
 His knowledge, however, both of the dimensions 
 of the lake, and of the rivers that empty them 
 selves into it, is extremely limited ; and a mere 
 reference to the chart, which accompanies his 
 work, will convince the most casual observer, that 
 it is full of the grossest errors ; in speaking of 
 the " fortification " on the river San Juan, he 
 
 * History ef Guatemala. London, 1825. 
 
SPANISH POSTS. 24?9 
 
 seems to have been quite ignorant on the subject, 
 and leaves it in doubt whether he means San 
 Carlos, the beaten down castle of San Juan, or 
 the battery at the harbour. My tedious voyage of 
 six days along the shores of the lake, gave me au 
 opportunity of landing in several places ; the land, 
 as I have before stated, is in general low, and 
 composed of luxuriant savannahs, but rises gra 
 dually in the interior. Except near the village of 
 San Miguel, I did not perceive any river or con 
 siderable stream falling into the lake. My com 
 panions mentioned the names of several streams, 
 but did not seem to be aware of any considerable 
 river. San Miguel has some defences, doubtless, 
 from fear of the incursions of the Mosquito and 
 other Indians ; and it is at this point that I sus 
 pect the easiest communication with Bluefields 
 River may be found. The Spaniards have also a 
 email post or guard a few miles to the southward 
 of San Miguel, at about thirty miles from San 
 Carlos, and there is a similar post within seven or 
 eight miles of the castle, in a situation low, but 
 commanding a good view of the coast towards San 
 Miguel and Trinidad. 
 
 I have already, in a former chapter, hinted at 
 the great probability of an easy communication 
 between the Lake of Nicaragua, and the Atlantic, 
 by way of Bluefields River ; and as my attention 
 had been forcibly drawn to that circumstance by 
 the special manner in which I was questioned on 
 that subject, by the Governor of Leon, I had be 
 come very desirous of learning something of the 
 particulars of a visit which, I had heard, was paid 
 to that city about twenty-five or thirty years ago, 
 by a person named Patterson, in search of some 
 
250 ROUTE BY BLUEFIELDS RIVER. 
 
 male and female runaway negroes. I had heard 
 that one of them, a girl at that time, was still in 
 Granada, and had become the wife of the English 
 negro soldier one of my conductors to and from 
 Leon, and I went to her house for the purpose of 
 ascertaining the foundation of the story. She told 
 me that she was the daughter of one of the negroes 
 helonging to Colonel Hodgson at Bluefields ; 
 that, when a girl, she had joined a party who had 
 run away from the British settlers at Pearl Kay 
 Lagoon ; that they went up Bluei^lds River, until 
 they arrived at a stream whose course they fol 
 lowed for a short distance, and then passing through 
 a pine ridge of no great extent, and crossing a sa 
 vannah, they, in a few hours after leaving Blue- 
 fields River, arrived on the borders of the lake 
 along which they walked, and shortly came to the 
 town or village of Trinidad. They were kindly 
 received by the authorities of the place, and sent 
 to Granada. Their owners having heard of the 
 route they had taken, drew up a memorial to the 
 Spanish government and intrusted it to Mr Pat 
 terson, who, following the negroes, found his way 
 across the savannahs to the lake, and from thence 
 to the city of Granada, where he presented his 
 memorial demanding restitution of the slaves. 
 
 The Spanish authorities were surprised at his 
 appearance by this unusual route ; but as the men 
 had professed themselves converts to the Catholic 
 religion, and been taken into the Spanish service, 
 the authorities declined delivering them up, offer 
 ing, however, to pay Patterson a sum which they 
 considered the value of the negroes ; but, having 
 declined to enter into any compromise, and hav 
 ing, in the heat of argument, made use of some 
 
JOURNEY OF PATTERSON". 251 
 
 improper expressions regarding the Spanish go 
 vernment, he was placed in confinement, and short 
 ly afterwards sent across the lake, and down the 
 River San Juan to the harhour ; from whence, by 
 the help of some Indians, he found his way home. 
 The woman, who now kept a small shop and was 
 laundress to the Governor s family, told me the 
 story of Patterson s disappointment very circum 
 stantially, and with great glee. I consider it of 
 importance to notice this story, because it has 
 given rise to gross misrepresentations regarding 
 the practicability of rendering the river San Juan 
 navigable ; and, because it confirms what had been 
 told me by the Woolwa and Cookra Indians, liv 
 ing on the borders of Bluefields River, regarding 
 a route by which goods might be forwarded to the 
 Lake of Nicaragua otherwise than by the River 
 San Juan, and I found persons in Granada who 
 had formerly received goods, in a contraband man 
 ner, by this route. 
 
 Pitman in his Work on the Practicability of * 
 joining the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans by a Ship 
 Canal, has the following quotation from Robin 
 son. * " About sixteen years ago an enterprising 
 Englishman, who casually visited the River San 
 Juan, examined the different passages over the 
 bar, and discovered one, which, although narrow, 
 would admit a vessel drawing twenty-five feet. " 
 It is needless to say this enterprising Englishman 
 was Patterson ; who, so far from having any op 
 portunity of examining " the different passages 
 over the bar, " was closely, and jealously, confined 
 until sent out of the country. 
 
 * Robinson s Ai coant of General Mii;a Expedition. 
 
 I 
 
252 ATLANTIC AND 
 
 In perusing the narrative of this voyage and jour 
 ney, the reader will have attended to many of the 
 natural obstacles which have to be encountered, if it 
 should ever be attempted to form the much wished 
 for communication between the Atlantic and Pa 
 cific Oceans through the River San Juan and the 
 Lakes of Nicaragua and Leon ; and the very in 
 accurate information which lias hitherto been re 
 ceived in regard to their magnitude. 
 
 These obstacles are undoubtedly much more 
 formidable than any writer on the subject has yet 
 given out ; and although they may be overcome 
 by a judicious application of English and Ameri 
 can capital, aided by the hearty co-operation of 
 the Central States, the United States, and the 
 Government of Colombia ; it is evident that the 
 associations hitherto formed in England, and else 
 where, are totally inadequate to the end proposed; 
 and that they possess neither the capital, informa 
 tion, nor influence, requisite for even making the 
 attempt in this quarter with the slightest chance 
 of success. Admitting that the principal impedi 
 ment is to be found in the Ilio San Juan itself, 
 and from the erroneous accounts propagated by 
 the elegant historian of the West Indies * and 
 others, hitherto reckoned the easiest part of 
 the undertaking, it must be evident that, tak 
 ing every advantage of the deep parts of the 
 river, numerous locks and cuts will require to be 
 carried along the banks of the river to overcome 
 the shallows and rapids in its course. The har 
 bour is undoubtedly admirably calculated for an 
 entrance to the canal, and there would. not, I ap- 
 
 * Bryan Edwards. 
 
 A 
 
PACIFIC CANAL. 253 
 
 preliend, be any great difficulty in deepening the 
 bar, and making the river itself navigable, for large 
 ships, as far as Serapiqui ; but, at a very short dis 
 tance above that place, the serious obstacles would 
 begin to be felt ; and although it will require works 
 of very considerable magnitude to overcome the 
 principal rapid at the Castle of San Juan, I do 
 not consider these works likely to be either the 
 most difficult or expensive. It is the necessity of 
 overcoming the long shallows in the river, and the 
 consequent extent of the side canals, and the a- 
 queducts necessary for carrying them over streams 
 falling into the river, that will require the greatest 
 labour and expense. From the Lake the stream, 
 forming the commencement of the river, descends 
 over a rocky bottom with considerable rapidity. 
 The fort of the eminence on which Fort San Car 
 los stands, and round the extreme end of the point 
 that forms the outlet from the Lake, seems com 
 posed of solid rock, with, here and there, large 
 detached masses of stone ; but, by cutting a chan 
 nel through the low ground behind the fort, there 
 may perhaps be no great difficulty in constructing 
 a safe entrance from the lake to the river, thereby 
 avoiding all the hazard and difficulty presented by 
 the abrupt nature of its bed, where it issues from 
 the lake ; but, I consider the greatest difficulty of 
 all is, the absolute necessity which there would be 
 for employing foreign labourers, unaccustomed to 
 the climate, to perform the whole of the heavy 
 work on the river ; for it must be very obvious, 
 from what I have stated of the nature, habits, and 
 disposition of the Mosquito and other Indians on 
 the coast, that it would be in vain to expect any 
 x 
 
S54 <;REAT DIFFICULTY 
 
 efficient assistance from them ; because, whatever 
 temptation might he held out in point of wages, 
 they are incapable of any continued effort or hard 
 labour, and it is not at all probable that they would 
 forego the comforts of their present easy and in 
 dolent life, to embrace one of severe exertion, 
 more especially to benefit, as they would suppose, 
 their inveterate enemies the Spaniards. 
 
 The speculations of Robinson and other writ 
 ers, in regard to the facility of obtaining native 
 labourers, are perfectly chimerical. If, however, 
 foreign labourers were employed, the Indians, 
 kept in good humour, might procure and fur 
 nish, at an easy rate, abundant supplies of pro 
 visions. 
 
 With regard to materials for the construction of 
 the various locks, &c. there would be at hand a- 
 bundance of the fine timber, basalt, or whinstone 
 rock ; as also brick clay, and perhaps freestone, 
 although I did not perceive any of the latter on 
 my passage up or down the river. 
 
 Vessels once in the lake of Nicaragua, would 
 find sufficient depth of water ; and, with the oc 
 casional assistance of a few steam vessels, would 
 have no difficulty in proceeding from one end to 
 the other. 
 
 The obstacles, to be surmounted in forming 
 a communication between the two lakes, arc 
 not very formidable. It is probable the natural 
 channel, which, at one time, existed, has only been 
 partially, or for a short distance, filled up ; and 
 that a few miles of canal over the narrow isthmus 
 which separates the two lakes, will rot be a work 
 of irreat magnitude; and, that no ^renter difficulty 
 
OF THE UNDERTAKING. 255 
 
 would present itself, although more locks might 
 be necessary, in opening the communication from 
 Leon down to the South Sea, the distance, as 
 formerly stated, being only a few miles. 
 
 The greater part of the work ^t these two last 
 points might, through the influence of the local 
 authorities, be performed by native labourers ; 
 but I am satisfied, the greatest number of native 
 and Creole labourers which the Central States 
 could furnish, would be inadequate to the immense 
 labour which would be requisite on the River Sail 
 Juan. 
 
 Perhaps, as I have formerly stated, a still better 
 line of communication between the lake of Ni 
 caragua and the South Sea, may be found across 
 the low land to the westward of the Island of 
 Omtepec, in the Lake, into the Gulf ot Papa- 
 gayo : The land at that point is undoubtedly 
 neither elevated, nor the distance great. If I may 
 be permitted to hazard another speculative opinion, 
 on a subject so important, it would be on the pro 
 bability of finding a more eligible communication, 
 between the Lake of Nicaragua and the Atlantic, 
 by Bluefields River, near the route taken by the 
 negroes already mentioned ; but I do this with 
 extreme deference, and merely with the intention 
 of indicating a point worthy of being examined. 
 
 In the above remarks I have merely been de 
 sirous to correct several prevailing errors, which 
 have long existed, regarding the topography of 
 this interesting country : and, in the absence of 
 any scientific guide, to add my mite to the great 
 mass of information lately diffused regarding the 
 New World. 
 
 To say any thing regarding the manifold ad- 
 
256 GOLD MINES. 
 
 vantages to be derived from a ship-communication 
 between the two great oceans, is perhaps super 
 fluous, after the volumes already written on the 
 subject. It may be remarked, however, that I 
 have not yet hear^ of any plan upon a scale suf 
 ficiently grand, to insure to the world, all the ad 
 vantages of an undertaking so worthy the com 
 bined exertions of Europe and America. I hum 
 bly conceive that, to insure all the advantages of 
 which a ship-communication, on a grand scale, is 
 capable, it can only be executed under the sanction 
 of all the great maritime powers ; and, that, to a- 
 void jealousy and interruptions, it must be placed 
 under the control of an inferior state, whose in 
 dependence should be guaranteed by the joint 
 powers of both Europe and America. Without 
 some such guard against the jarring interests of 
 nations, and the mistaken policy which might be 
 adopted by any powerful people having this canal 
 within their control, its navigation would be con 
 stantly liable to interruption, and the immense be 
 nefits which ought to accrue from it, would con 
 sequently be lost to the world. * 
 
 Should it ultimately be determined to follow 
 the line of the Rio San Juan, the persons engaged 
 in the undertaking would be benefited, and might 
 ultimately defray a part of the expense of this gi 
 gantic undertaking, by working the gold mines to 
 the right and left of the upper part of the river, 
 near the Lake of Nicaragua. The mine on the 
 north side of the river, which is understood to be 
 exceedingly productive, had, for some time, been 
 abandoned by order, as I was informed, of the 
 
 * See Note VI. 
 
DYE WOOD 257 
 
 provenmient, who were probably afraid its value 
 might become known, and provoke the incursions 
 not only of the Indian tribes, but also of the Inde 
 pendents, whose attempts to penetrate into the 
 country they seemed particularly desirous to guard 
 against. 
 
 Those on the other side were still in progress 
 of being wrought, although in a private manner. 
 The quantity of gold found at these mines, and in 
 the streams in the neighbourhood, was said to be 
 very considerable, both in grains got by washing, 
 and also in rnarcasite. * There is no doubt that 
 the whole of this country contains auriferous par 
 ticles, and that, when skilful mineralogists have 
 free access to its recesses, other mines of an equal 
 ly, or perhaps of a more valuable description, may 
 be discovered. Having, however, very slender 
 pretensions as a mineralogist or engineer, I mere 
 ly throw out these hints for the consideration of 
 persons of skill and research ; for I am persuaded 
 that, in this enterprising age, the canal question 
 will not be allowed to drop, as it did about one 
 hundred and thirty years ago, but that it will be 
 followed out, and ultimately brought to a happy 
 result. 
 
 Before leaving San Carlos, I may notice, as an 
 instance of the quantity of dyewood which could I 
 be collected in the country, that upwards of three 
 hundred tons of Brazilleto wood had, for some 
 time, been lying there, contracted for by an Ame 
 rican, who finding its transport down the river in 
 convenient, and being engaged in a more profita- 
 
 * See Note VII. 
 x 2 
 
PASSAGE DOWN THE 
 
 ble trade, was supposed to have abandoned his 
 bargain, and the Governor was now using it as 
 firewood. 
 
 San Carlos has, for years, been made the recep 
 tacle or prison for felons, and vagabonds of all de 
 scriptions, who are sent from Leon, and the diffe 
 rent towns on the lakes. The landing place is 
 round the point at some distance facing the vil 
 lage, and is the only spot clear of large detached 
 rocks. Here the soldiers generally resort for the 
 purpose of fishing, and are seldom unsuccessful. 
 
 When I took leave of the Governor, Don .Juan 
 Blanco, he gave me a passport addressed to the 
 commanding officer at the harbour of San Juan, 
 authorizing me, as some compensation for my 
 losses, to trade thereat any future period : he also 
 informed me that I should be at liberty to proceed 
 from thence to the Mosquito Shore with the first 
 Indian party who touched there, and that, it being 
 now the month of October, I would find some of 
 them returning home from the fishery. 
 
 The bongo, in which we embarked, contained 
 provisions for the port at San Juan, and for the 
 garrison of the battery at the harbour : the other 
 bongo carried a reinforcement of twenty men for 
 these places. Our voyage the first evening ter 
 minated at the commencement of the shallow 
 place where we had deposited our poles, in com 
 ing up the river. Here we made the bongo fast 
 for the night ; and on the first appearance of dawn 
 renewed our voyage, keeping generally in the 
 strength of the current, which, in the shallow parts 
 of the river, carried us down with great velocity. 
 In the course of the morning we came to the prin 
 cipal fall, or rapid, at the old fort of San Juan; 
 
RIVER SAN JUAN. 269 
 
 and, keeping the centre of the stream, passed it in 
 safety, although at an astonishing rate. Great ex 
 ertion was required to pull the bongos into the 
 eddy of the current towards the landing place, or 
 portage attached to the fort. We there landed, 
 and disembarked the provisions intended for the 
 place. Early on the following morning we renew 
 ed our passage down the river, keeping, as on the 
 preceding day, in the strength of the current ; and 
 the waters of the river being now considerably 
 higher than when we ascended, we always found 
 a sufficiency in the middle of the stream, even at 
 the most shallow parts of the river where islands 
 intervened. 
 
 We arrived in the evening at Serapiqui, where 
 I found a sergeant and three or four miserable 
 looking fellows now stationed as a guard. 
 
 There was no visible current in the Serapiqui 
 branch of the river communicating with the Rio 
 Colorado, which branch is wide, and appeared to 
 be of considerable depth. 
 
 On the first appearance of daylight, we left this 
 place ; and, in the course of the morning, were 
 met by a courier in a despatch-boat from the com 
 mandant of the battery at the harbour. He was 
 the bearer of letters from the Mosquito King, 
 written -in the Spanish language, to the Governors 
 of San Carlos and Leon ; in which were demand 
 ed the instant release of Brown and his other sub- , 
 jects, and in case of refusal, he roundly threatened f , 
 to commence an Indian warfare on all the Spanish 
 settlements bordering on his territory ! The same 
 person was also the bearer of letters for my 
 self, acquainting me with the purport of what 
 had been written to the Government one from 
 
260 INDIAN PLAN 
 
 the Xin& himself, anil another from my corre 
 spondent at Honduras : I was requested by the 
 King 1 to return, as quickly as possible, to Cape 
 Gracias a Dios, from whence he would get me 
 conveyed to the Bay, and I could not but feel 
 pleased with this spirited conduct of his Mosquito 
 Majesty, which Brown explained to the other In 
 dians, and they seemed much pleased that their 
 friends had not forgotten them. 
 
 To give an instance of the spirit and disposition 
 of these people, I may here mention, that, prior 
 to our reaching Serapiqui, I had observed Brown 
 to appear very thoughtful, and frequently conver- 
 ing aside with the other Indians, who now and 
 then eyed the packages in the boat, and also the 
 Padrone and crew, with a peculiar expression. I 
 was convinced the treatment they had experienced, 
 and the loss of a whole season s fishing, had made 
 a deep impression on their minds, and suspected 
 that Brown was concerting some mode of retalia 
 tion or revenge. On hinting that his mind was 
 occupied with some scheme or other, he asked me 
 if I knew what was contained in the packages. 
 " Only provision for soldier," said I. " Bye ! 
 Robert! no money to pay him?" " No, " said 
 I, " to my knowledge it was sent off some time 
 before \ve left San Carlos, and I should like to 
 know what you are thinking about. " After some 
 communication with his companions, he told me 
 that he and his comrades thought they might seize 
 some small arms left in our boat, throw the pa 
 il rone and rowers overboard, and, in the confu 
 sion, pull the bongo into the Serapiqui branch 
 secure the money and valuables, and make the 
 best of their Tray to the mouth of the Colorado 
 
OF REVENGE. 261 
 
 River, or Boca de la Tortuga, where they would 
 be sure to meet some of their countrymen, with 
 whose assistance they could set the Spaniards at 
 defiance. He pointed out that the other bongo 
 with the soldiers was always a considerable dis 
 tance a-head of us that there might still be some 
 thing of value in the boat, and that only the pa 
 drone and ourselves were in the after part of it 
 so that, with my concurrence and assistance, it 
 could easily he done. 
 
 I represented to him, that under all the circum 
 stances, it was " Not good " for mere revenge ; 
 that we could only get the boat and provisions, 
 which were of no use to us. I pointed out the 
 sergeant and his guard at Serapiqui, but he made 
 light of them, saying, that with " the bush, his 
 musket, and moscheat, " he could finish them with 
 out assistance ; and, notwithstanding my disappro 
 bation, it was only the consideration that the other 
 bongo, with the soldiers, might pull after them, 
 that prevented their attempting to execute their 
 plan ! 
 
 On the afternoon of the third day we arrived at 
 the fort. I do not think we were more than thirty- 
 six hours in motion, descending the river, and I 
 am convinced that the Indians could ascend to the 
 lake in one of their common dories, with great 
 ease in three days ; and, would come down in 
 less than half of that time. The commandant at 
 the battery received me politely? regretted that I 
 had been so long detained at Granada and San 
 Carlos, which had been requested by those inte 
 rested in the two schooners, who were still suspi 
 cious I might be in communication with the Inde 
 pendent cruisers : that for fear of being again at- 
 
PftlNZAPULXO. 
 
 tacked in the harbour, the garrison had heen aug 
 mented ; but that the vessels had sailed some time 
 ago, and were now either in port, or in the hands 
 of their enemies. 
 
 The day after we returned to the harbour, some 
 Mosquito men arrived from the Boca de la Tortuga. 
 They had heard of our seizure, and, in common with 
 all the other Mosquito men, had orders from the ad 
 miral to furnish me, on my reappearance, with all 
 things necessary to enable me to reach the Cape 
 without delay, there being " a King s order," to 
 supply provisions, men, horses, dories, &c. ; and 
 so eager were they to comply with this order, and 
 hear our adventures, that they immediately pro 
 ceeded for the Kama settlement, without wait 
 ing to kill manati, according to their first inten 
 tion. Accordingly, after taking another view of 
 the place where I had so narrowly escaped death, 
 and having again viewed the entrances to the ri 
 ver in as careful a manner as prudence would ad 
 mit, I embarked with these Indians, and, at the 
 Rama settlement, was received by Pedro, the chief 
 man, with great kindness and attention. He fur 
 nished a large canoe to convey us to Bluefields, 
 and from thence to Pearl Kay Lagoon, where we 
 were welcomed with great rejoicing, it having been 
 reported that I had been put to death, and the 
 Indians sold as slaves. At this place I parted 
 with the llamas, and Scipi, the headman, gave us 
 a canoe up the lagoon to the harbour, within eight 
 miles of the great river ; we walked from thence 
 to Drummer s, who provided us with horses, and 
 on the following day, we reached Prinzapulko the 
 native place of my Indians. By some means or 
 othur our approach had been made known, and 
 
JOY OF THE INDIANS. 263 
 
 before we bad well entered the savannah leading 
 to the settlement, we were met by a great many 
 of the people, who showed the most lively joy at 
 the safe return of their friends, thus, as it were, 
 restored from death. Brown and his lads were 
 pulled from their horses, and almost devoured by 
 the caresses of their friends and relations, who 
 Ethed tears of joy at their safe return, venting, at 
 the same time, execrations against the Spaniards ; 
 and I could not help shuddering when 1 thought 
 what might have been my fate, if, through any ne 
 glect of mine, these people had periled, and I had 
 afterwards fallen into the hands of their relations. 
 I rode leisurely forward towards the King s house, 
 but was soon rejoined by Brown, and by Para the 
 headman, with other elders, who, having been 
 made aware of the anxiety I had evinced for the 
 safety and comfort of my companions, attributed 
 their deliverance to my exertions, looked upon me 
 as a true friend, and now showed me every mark 
 of respect and kindness. They had, for some 
 weeks past, contemplated an expedition against 
 some of the Spanish settlements nearest to them, 
 with the view of seizing as many Spaniards as 
 possible, to be held as hostages for the safety of 
 Brown and his companions made many inquir 
 ies regarding the strength of the Spanish posts, 
 andamishla drink being prepared, we spent th 
 evening of our return in mirth and rejoicing. 
 
CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 GENEROUS CONDUCT OF THE INDIANS THEIR 
 
 ACCOUNT OF LORD NELSON ? S EXPEDITION 
 
 JOURNEY TO CAPE GRACIAS A DIGS SIZE AND 
 
 VALUE OF MAHOGANY, &C. MOSQUITO MEN 
 
 CRUELTY OF BARRAS KING IS TOKEN VOYAGE 
 
 TO BALIZE RACON VISIT TO BLACK RIVER 
 
 KHARIBS AND KHARIB BREAD SETTLEMENTS 
 
 HISTORY AND CHARACTER OF THE KHARI- 
 
 BEES POYER COUNTRY ISLANDS OF GUAN- 
 
 AJA ROATAN STORMY PASSAGE ACROSS THE 
 
 BAY OF HONDURAS. 
 
 DURING the few days I remained at Prinza- 
 pulko settlements, the headman earnestly entreat 
 ed that I would determine on settling entirely 
 amongst them, assured me that if I did so and be 
 came indentified as one of *heir tribe, they would 
 not only defend me to the last man, but that I 
 might command such a trade, through their means, 
 both on the coast and in the interior, as would in a 
 few years make me wealthy. Although my connec 
 tion at the moment prevented me from listening 
 to their proposals, I had no doubt of their feasibi 
 lity. I stated to Brown and his companions, that, 
 by the loss of my goods, vessel, &c., I was depriv- 
 
LORD NELSON S IXPEDITION. 265 
 
 ed of the means of remunerating them at present 
 for the time they had lost, and the distress they 
 had suffered ; but I divided the remainder of my 
 money among them, reserving- barely as much as 
 would pay my expenses to the Bay of Honduras. 
 At first they not only refused remuneration entire 
 ly, but, to my surprise, their friends told me that 
 they had reserved a part of the tortoise-shell in 
 tended for me before they heard of my seizure, 
 that it was now entirely at my service, and that I 
 might pay for it hereafter when I had recovered 
 my losses. Moreover, although Brown and his 
 Indians had, through my misfortunes, lost an en 
 tire fishing season, they generously insisted, upon 
 paying over to their countrymen, the money they 
 had just received from me, on account of this shell 
 a trait of character I might have in vain looked 
 for among the Mosquito-men : But it must be kept 
 in mind that these Prinzapulko Indians are of the 
 genuine unmixed breed, and that, in all my visits 
 to them, and in every transaction, I had found 
 them just, upright, and honourable in their deal 
 ings. 
 
 Brown accompanied me to Cape Gracias a 
 Dins ; and as the wet season had set in early, and 
 with uncommon violence, we kept the inner pas 
 sage, calling at Brancmans and at the residence of 
 Governor Clementi. 
 
 At the former place I again saw several of the 
 old Indians who had been with Lord Nelson, 
 when he ascended the River San Juan. They 
 uniformly agreed that that expedition had been 
 undertaken at an improper season of the year ; 
 that they had been restricted in their mode of act- 
 Y 8 
 
266 CAPE GRACIAS A DIGS. 
 
 ing, and obliged to conform to habits, discipline, 
 and diet, which dispirited them. Disease, discon 
 tent and disappointment were the consequences, and 
 the enterprise was abandoned, after a partial suc 
 cess. 
 
 Our recent seizure suggested many inquiries 
 regarding the Spanish settlements on the Lake of 
 Nicaragua; and from the confident manner in which 
 they spoke of penetrating to the Lake, I have no 
 doubt that these people, properly commanded, 
 would, at any time, when a fair opportunity offer 
 ed, attempt to lay these settlements under contri 
 bution. 
 
 I arrived at Cape Gracias a Dios in the latter 
 end of October, and was received by the King 
 with every mark of attention. He expressed 
 much satisfaction at my safe return ; explained 
 the measures he had taken to assist me, and seem 
 ed pleased that his letters had been so far attend 
 ed to. I agreed, at my departure, to take charge 
 of two very large dories, which he was desirous 
 of sending to the British settlement in the Bay of 
 Honduras, to convince the merchants there of the 
 extraordinary size, and excellent quality of the 
 timber which could be procured in his country. 
 These boats were each cut out of a single tree, 
 one mahogany, the other cedar ; measuring about 
 thirty-five feet in length ; nearly six feet in breadth ; 
 and above five feet in depth. * 
 
 I have already given some account of the dis 
 position and propensities of the Mosquito men, 
 and, before taking leave of them, shall add some 
 remarks regarding their manners and customs. 
 
 They do not seem to possess, any distinct idea, 
 of a future state of rewards and punishments 
 * See Note VIII. 
 
INDIAN SUPERSTITIONS. 267 
 
 whatever others assert who may have put the 
 question, and received a different answer. I need 
 scarcely add, that it is only by living with a peo 
 ple, and mixing familiarly among them, at all 
 times and seasons, that their genuine sentiments 
 can he discovered. They are, nevertheless, like 
 all ignorant people, exceedingly superstitious, and 
 believe firmly in the appearance of " duppies " or 
 ghosts, of which they are very much afraid, attri 
 buting their appearance to some malignant design, 
 or evil purpose. Many of the Mosquito-men dare 
 scarcely venture out of their houses at night, with 
 out a companion, for fear of those ideal spirits. 
 The mind of King George Frederick, was so imbued 
 with this superstitious dread, that I have repeat 
 edly seen him terrified to pass the threshold after 
 sunset. 
 
 Their great evil spirit is the " woolsaw " or 
 devil, who, in their opinion, by his malign influ 
 ence, destroys their crops, spoils their fishing, and 
 does them other very grievous injuries. To pro 
 pitiate this evil spirit, is a part of the Sookeah 
 man s business ; and it is not the least profitable 
 part of it. 
 
 A belief in witchcraft, and the power of Obeah 
 practices, seems also to have got firm possession of 
 the minds of the Mosquito-men : and to these are ; 
 attributed many of the cures, which, as surgeons; 
 and physicians, the Sookeah men perform. As a 
 proof of this, I need only relate one instance. 
 Frank, a negro slave, formerly belonging to Co 
 lonel August, had run away Crom Bali/e, and 
 had been received at Patook by old Jack, a per 
 son formerly mentioned. Frank had acquired some 
 knowledge of the treatment of a particular com- 
 
268 INDIAN 
 
 plaint, caught by both General Robinson and Bar 
 ras, at Honduras. 15 arras was cured, but Robin- 
 son, from previous neglect and obstinacy, became 
 so exceedingly ill that, after undergoing a surgical 
 operation at Balize, he died. About that time a 
 son of Ban-as, who succeeded Robinson as general, 
 being ill, the regular Sookeah man maliciously de 
 clared that the Negro Sookeah s powers being 
 strongest, he could not, on account of the Negro s 
 interference, save the child ; upon this Frank was 
 sent for, but the child died, and, immediately after 
 the funeral, Barras came with a strong party of his 
 adherents to Patook, and, seizing the Negro, deter 
 mined, in spite of the poor fellow s protestations of 
 innocence to put him to the proof. He was 
 bound hand and foot, and thrown into the river, 
 but, by great exertion and presence of mind, he 
 contrived to keep himself from drowning. He 
 was then taken in a canoe to a deeper part of the 
 river, but, still contriving to keep himself afloat, he 
 was declared guilty, and being fastened to a rope 
 with weights appended to him, he sunk to rise no 
 more alive. Old Jack afterwards dragged out the 
 dead body and charitably buried it. Barras after 
 wards accused Old Jack of Obeah practices, an 
 noying both Negroes and Kbaribees by driving 
 away their cattle, seizing one of Old Jack s sons 
 as a slave, and other such acts of oppression that 
 until the King put an end to them for the moment, 
 they contemplated leaving their plantations, held 
 ever since the English evacuated the place, and 
 giving themselves up an skives to the descendants 
 of their former owners. 
 
 The method of preparing mishlaw drink, al 
 ready described, will remind the reader of tlie 
 
SUPERSTITION S. 
 
 Otahcitcans, and otlier South Sea islanders ; and 
 a similarity of customs may also be noticed in the 
 burial of the dead. The body is buried in some 
 pleasant part of a savannah, and a but erected over 
 the grave, several earthen jars with water, and also 
 fruit and other provisions are lodged in the hut, 
 and to keep up the supply for months, nay some 
 times for years, is considered a sacred duty. Ano 
 ther system is to consider the house in which there is 
 a sick person tabooed, if I may use that expression : 
 for instance, the last time I passed that of the late 
 General Robinson, I was specially prevented from ap 
 proaching near to it, and obliged to make a consi 
 derable circuit to leeward ; I argued that it 
 would be better to keep to the windward of the 
 house, but that was strictly prohibited, because, by 
 going on that side, we might kill the sick man by 
 intercepting, or " taking away his breath." Their 
 demonstrations of grief for the death of a relation, 
 are not only exceedingly violent in the first in 
 stance, but are kept up for a very considerable 
 period in a peculiar manner, sometimes for years, 
 especially if the dead person s family is beloved in 
 the settlement. I have frequently, in the middle 
 of the night, heard some female relation of the 
 deceased commence a sort of low melancholy howl 
 or lament, enumerating the real or supposed good 
 qualities of the deceased, and the regret of his 
 friends for his loss ; the females within hearing 
 chime in with this doleful chant, which, increas 
 ing in loudness, spreads through the whole settle 
 ment, and in the silence of the night has a very 
 mournful effect. When these sounds were once 
 fairly set acroing, it became useless to attempt 
 
270 KING S TOKEX. 
 
 sleeping any hiore that night, as they generally 
 continued until daylight* Christmas is universally 
 observed all over the Mosquito Shore, by both 
 Indians, Samboes, and Kharihees ; but for no other 
 reason that I could ever learn, except that it was 
 " English fashion, " and happens at a time when 
 it does riot interfere with their fishing- and other 
 pursuits. They in general apply to the traders 
 sometime beforehand to know the number of days 
 which must elapse ; and, to keep an account of 
 these, they have recourse to the knotted cord for 
 merly alluded to. The principal men send pre 
 sents of rum, &c. to the King, which enables him 
 to gratify fully their drunken propensities, and as 
 they come from the most distant settlements, and 
 none of them appear empty handed, the houses 
 are generally crowded to the door, and there is 
 for several days a constant scene of intoxication. 
 
 In travelling along the Mosquito Shore, it is cus 
 tomary for the King to give any friend of his who 
 is a stranger, or travelling specially " on King s 
 business, " a token, by producing which, all the 
 King s people readily assist him on his journey. 
 This token is sometimes a gold-headed cane, a spy 
 glass, or any other article known to belong to him. 
 On one occasion I obtained a sabre as a King s to 
 ken, but I seldom had occasion to use any thing of 
 that sort, being known on the coast ; and although 
 I always offered some slight remuneration, for pro 
 visions and assistance, such payment was in many 
 instances peremptorily refused, especially after it 
 was known that I had been seized by the Spi - 
 m ards, and lost so much property. That circum 
 stance alone seemed sufficient to entitle me to 
 every accommodation gratis :- for instance at Ku- 
 
* VOYAGE TO BALIZE. 271 
 
 kari, when I latterly visited that place, I found only 
 one old man with his wife and children, the other 
 people having moved up to their plantations in the 
 interior to await the termination of the rainy sea- 
 eon, yet these people insisted upon killing their 
 last fowls to give me " a good belly-full, " and un 
 til they have a plain declaration from their guest 
 to that effect, they never cease insisting that he 
 must continue to eat. 
 
 The large dories, formerly mentioned, being put 
 in order for the passage to Balize, and a crew of 
 ten expert Indians appointed to each, with a plen 
 tiful supply of provisions, I took charge of the one 
 made of cedar ; and the other, of mahogany, was 
 intrusted to llacon, a Mosquito man, acquainted 
 with the navigation of the coast, and with the dif 
 ferent kays and shoals in the bay, we were ac 
 companied by other Mosquito-men in canoes with 
 various articles for sale at Balize, upon the value 
 of which 1 was to have a commission. 
 
 \Ve left the Cape about midnight with the 
 land-breeze, by the help of which, and the use of 
 our paddles, we arrived off False Cape before the 
 sea-breeze set in, which blowing fresh, and well to 
 the eastward, conveyed us at a great rate down the 
 coast. Towards evening when the breeze began 
 to fall oft, we stood, close in to the land, and in 
 the morning considered it prudent to run over the 
 bar at Black River, to endeavour to procure a 
 compass from some of the new settlers. We 
 found these people in good spirits, and in hopes of 
 being soon joined by emigrants daily expected 
 from England I here met with two chiefs of the 
 neighbouring Kharibs, One named Big, the other 
 Liitie Louis, the former of whom had, with some 
 
272 KHARIB BREAD. 
 
 of his people, been assisting the settlers to erect 
 houses, and clear ground, and enable them to se 
 cure a good crop, of early provisions. I promised 
 to meet these men at their principal settlement ; 
 and Mr Warren, and Colonel Gordon, having fur 
 nished me with what I wanted, we took advantage 
 of the land-breeze in the evening, and again re- 
 crossed the bar. We ran down the coast to one of 
 the principal Kharibee settlements, about twelve 
 miles from Black River, were received with great 
 kindness, and readily furnished with as many fowls, 
 and as much fruit, Kharib bread, and other pro 
 visions, as we chose to have, for which they would 
 scarcely accept any remuneration. The method 
 of preparing this bread, a considerable quantity of 
 which is sent to Balize, and other places for sale, 
 is as follows : Havingselected from their extensive 
 plantations, some of the largest and finest cassava 
 roots, they are carefully skinned and washed ; then 
 grated upon large tin graters, procured for that 
 purpose from the traders ; the substance is then 
 washed in clean water, which is frequently shifted 
 and run oft , to free the cassava, which is now of a 
 brownish colour, from a strong acid liquor, said to 
 be poisonous ; the whole mass, when sufficiently 
 whitened, is put into a long bag or basket, general 
 ly made of the spathes of a particular sort of tree ; 
 this basket is placed in a perpendicular position, 
 between two posts ; and, by the application of a 
 lever, every drop of moisture is pressed out ; the 
 farinaceous substance is then dried in the sun, 
 and either kept for use as a substitute for flour, or 
 made into round cakes, of eighteen or twenty in 
 ches in diameter, and about a quarter of an inch in 
 thickness, toasted upon thin iron plates, over a 
 
KHARIB SETTLEMENTS. 273 
 
 clear fire of wood-ashes. When properly prepar 
 ed, these cakes will keep good for months, and, 
 when new, taste pleasantly, and are a strong nour 
 ishing food. The flour is also used in hot water 
 as gruel, made more or less thick, seasoned with 
 salt and Chili pepper ; or, sometimes, eaten with 
 sugar-cane syrup. 
 
 These Kharibees, or Caribs as they are usually 
 called in Europe), were originally natives of the 
 Leeward Islands, but having become troublesome 
 to the Government of St Vincents, were, some 
 time ago, banished from that Island, and conveyed 
 to Hoatan or Rattan, an island in the Gulf of 
 Honduras, and means afforded them for forming 
 a settlement there : they were supplied with 
 clothing ; and a large vessel containing provisions, 
 agricultural implements, and other stores, was 
 placed, in a secure harbour of the island, entirely 
 at the disposal of their chiefs. Grieved at their 
 banishment from St Vincents, and careless of life, 
 they improvidently suffered the store-ship to sink 
 at her anchors, and thus lost the greater part of 
 every thing provided for their future comfort. Be 
 ing visited by the Spaniards, from Truxillo, many 
 of them went to that place, and built a village to 
 the westward of the town. As their liberty had 
 been guaranteed, many of them entered the Spanish 
 service, under subalterns appointed from their own 
 tribe ; and, at present, they are the most numerous 
 part of the population of Truxillo. 
 
 Some of them, however, who were at first discon 
 tented with their situation, emigrated from thence, 
 and from Roatan, to the Mosquito Shore, where 
 they have two principal settlements; one of them 
 nc>ar the Great Rocks, about twenty miles to the 
 
274 HISTORY AND CHARACTER 
 
 westward of Black River, the other near Cape 
 Cameron. The Mosquito King having given them 
 all the encouragement in his power, they extended 
 a chain of small settlements as far as Patook. But 
 by the oppressive conduct of the late chief, Ro 
 binson, and his successor Barras, they have for the 
 most part retired, and concentrated themselves to the 
 northward of Black River, where they are rapidly 
 increasing in numbers, and now bid defiance to 
 their enemies. Their houses are built more neatly 
 than those of the Mosquito-men, and have an air 
 of greater comfort and independence. Each house 
 has its small plantation attached to it, kept in very 
 neat order ; they had assisted the few settlers at 
 Black River in erecting houses and clearing ground ; 
 but these settlers were not possessed of sufficient 
 capital to turn the labours of these men to farther 
 account. Louis, one of their headmen, informed 
 me, that they never interfered with the Indians, 
 by intermarriages or otherwise ; and, whatever 
 their ancestors of St Vincents may have been, they 
 are now honest and industrious. They are not so 
 expert, as the Indians, at striking fish, or with the 
 bow and arrow ; but, with the cutlass, they are 
 equal to the Valientes ; and with muskets, of which 
 every Kharibee has one, they excel all the Mos 
 quito-men and Indians. Their settlements are in 
 general close to the sea-shore ; they cultivate rice, 
 cassava, sugar cane, &c. and have abundance of 
 hogs, ducks, turkeys, and other small stock, which, 
 with considerable quantities of the bread already 
 mentioned, they convey for sale to Truxillo and 
 Balize. At the latter place they hire themselves, for 
 several months at a time, to the mahogany and 
 logwood cutters of the bay, and work with the 
 
OF THE KHARIBEES. 275 
 
 regular woodmen. These people s ancestors were 
 the last unremoved descendents of the race which 
 occupied many of the Islands on the Carribean 
 Sea, at the time of their discovery by Columbus ; 
 considerably modified, however, by their mixture 
 with the Negroes. 
 
 They are in general of a dark red colour ap 
 proaching to, and often not easily distinguishable 
 from black ; they have the short curly hair of the 
 Negro ; but are remarkably clean skinned, well 
 made, active, and vigorous. Their features are 
 agreeable, particularly those of the young people ; 
 and I never could perceive any of that malforma 
 tion, of the head mentioned by some writers in 
 their description of the Kharibees of the Orinoco. 
 These latter, however, together with several other 
 tribes inhabiting the banks of that river, the Canra, 
 and Cumana, who are said to be marked not 
 only by that peculiarity, but also by superior size, 
 and strength, were a different people, generally at 
 war with the red men of St Vincents, and the 
 other Leeward Islands. The country behind their 
 present settlements is fertile, hilly, and well water 
 ed ; having several considerable rivers and streams, 
 on the banks of which are abundance of the finest 
 mahogany, dyewoods, sarsaparilla, and other valua- 
 able natural productions of the soil. The Poyer 
 hills, called by the Spaniards Sierra de la Cruz, 
 come down almost to the sea-shore. 
 
 We left the Kharibees in the evening, and from 
 the Great Rocks stood over for Bonacca or Guan- 
 aja, a small island discovered in 1502 by Colum 
 bus on his fourth voyage, when he had his first 
 interview with the natives of the continent. We 
 reached this island early on the following morning, 
 
276 ISLAND OF ROATAN, 
 
 and landed opposite a watering place in an excellent 
 harbour on the south side ; the heach, above high 
 watermark, was thickly covered by cocoa nuts ; 
 and near the watering place, innumerable tracks 
 of the wild hog. The island contains hills of con 
 siderable elevation, thickly covered with trees ; 
 and it is said to contain beds of limestone, and 
 some ores of zinc. From the east end of Bonacca 
 to the small island of Barbaratte, there is an un 
 connected chain of reefs and patches of rock, some 
 with deep channels betwixt them, and others with 
 not more than eight or ten feet of water which is 
 so clear, that we never lost sight of the bottom, 
 and frequently saw large shoals of fish sporting 
 about. We landed on Barbaratte, which is 
 thickly overgrown with prickly plants and thick 
 underwood, on the borders of which I found 
 three or four sorts of wild grapes. Our fishers 
 procured a large green turtle, and caught some 
 very fine fish ; in the evening we pursued our 
 voyage, running along the remaining part of Bar- 
 barratte and the small Island of Moratte, towards 
 the island of Roatan. 
 
 Roatan is about thirty miles long, and eight or 
 nine in breadth; the land is moderately high, covered 
 with Avood, except at the west end, where there 
 are some savannahs on which mules and other 
 cattle used to be raised. This beautiful island has 
 an excellent harbour, easily defended ; it was once 
 in possession of the English, who erected batteries 
 completely commanding this harbour, and marked 
 out a space at its end for the erection of a town. 
 The woods abound in deer, wild hogs, gibeomtes, 
 pigeons, with millions of parrots and other birds, 
 many of them excellent food, and the whole coast 
 
ISLAND OF UTILA. 277 
 
 s warms with fish and turtle, both green and 
 hawkshill. The English withdrew their troops 
 from it at the time they abandoned the Mosquito 
 Shore, and owing to their liability to attacks from 
 the Indians and others in those troublesome times, 
 none of these fine islands are now inhabited. 
 
 From Roatan the Island Utila is visible ; and 
 after a short run we landed at a low beach at the 
 west end, where the water was perfectly smooth. 
 The soil of all these islands is rich, and well a- 
 dapted for the cultivation of cotton, coffee, &c. ; 
 and the natural productions of each are similar. 
 Innumerable flocks of parrots and pigeons were 
 flying about ; and cocoa nuts were so very plenti 
 ful, that whole cargoes could be procured with very 
 little trouble. 
 
 We left this island on the second day, but had 
 scarcely got clear away from the reefs, which we 
 did before sunset, when we experienced a tremen 
 dous swell from the north-east ; and, notwith 
 standing that we had a considerable quantity of 
 ballast on board, together with the ten Indians 
 and myself, I found our vessel too light to make 
 a true course. In the night it blew a heavy gale, 
 and although the mahogany craft kept to wind 
 ward much better than our cedar vessel, she was 
 constantly shipping seas ; and on that account was 
 obliged to bear away, and follow in our wake. 
 During the night we carried away our mast, and, 
 when again getting it up, we shipped a sea that 
 nearly filled us, and must have sent any ordinary 
 boat to the bottom. 
 
 The greater part of the Mosquito men imme 
 diately jumped overboard to lighten the vessel, 
 z 
 
278 STORMY PASSAGE ACROSS 
 
 while the remainder promptly employed them 
 selves in heaving out the water, using their hats, 
 calabashes, or whatever else was readiest for that 
 purpose. During this operation we kept the boat 
 before the swell, the men overboard held by the 
 gunnels until we were ready to readmit them, and 
 they again made sail with as much fearless ala 
 crity as if nothing unusual had occurred. In the 
 morning we found ourselves close to Glover s Reef, 
 upon which there were dreadful breakers ; but, as 
 the dawn approached, the wind moderated, and 
 we got round the south end, into smooth water. 
 Racon and his crew had much difficulty to keep 
 the water out of their dorie ; and ours, although 
 not so steady in the sea, was, upon the whole, 
 the most safe ; as she would not only have float 
 ed, but borne a considerable weight, when full of 
 water. The smaller canoes had kept more to 
 windward, and got safe in by the Tobacco Kay 
 Channel, without the least damage. I had a good 
 opportunity, during this passage, of judging how 
 far the Mosquito-men could be depended upon in 
 bad weather ; and I formed a very favourable opi 
 nion of them as boatmen. They were always 
 ready to obey orders, never seemed to lose their 
 presence of mind, and I have no doubt that, 
 with proper instructions, and experience in ma 
 naging larger vessels, they might, in their own 
 seas, be made good seamen. 
 
 We found, on one of the Kays, at Glover s 
 Reef, a party of fishermen curing fish and turtle 
 for the Balize market ; and, in the course of the 
 day, I had an opportunity of obtaining a passage 
 to Brtlii -e in a trading- vessel from Ginta, the crew 
 of which had stopped to gather cocoa-nuts for sale 
 
THE BAY OF HONDURAS. 279 
 
 there. The Mosquito meu being desirous of re 
 maining for the same purpose, and to procure fish 
 for sale at the British settlement, I left the fleet 
 under charge of Racon, and they in a few days 
 joined me at Balize, where, hy orders of Colonel 
 Arthur, his Majesty s superintendant, they were 
 kindly received, and regular rations allowed them. 
 
CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 MOSQUITO COUNTRY ITS FITNESS FOR EURO 
 PEAN SETTLEMENTS CLIMATE, PRODUCTIONS, 
 
 &C. FORMER BRITISH SETTLEMENTS THERE 
 
 KATIVES, AND NECESSITY FOR AFFORDING THEM 
 PROTECTION DISPUTES REGARDING THE MOS 
 QUITO SHORE OPINION OF MR EDWARDS 
 
 DIFFICULTY OF ACCESS TO THE CENTRAL STATES 
 
 FROM THE EAST COAST ROUTE BY OMOA TO 
 
 GUATEMALA LEAVE BALIZE TAKEN BY PI- 
 HATES ESCAPE TO CUBA, AND RETURN TO 
 
 ENGLAND. 
 
 THE recent injudicious and ill-seconded attempts 
 of an individual, * to fix a colony of Europeans on 
 the Mosquito Shore together with the misrepre 
 sentations to which these gave rise, and the gene 
 ral want of attention to correct information on the 
 subject have induced many persons to adopt the 
 most erroneous ideas of the soil, climate, and ca 
 pabilities of this country. 
 
 My own experience, and the information ob- 
 
 i 
 
 * Sir Gregor Macgregor. See some Account of the 
 Mosquito Territory, &c. from the original manuscripts of 
 the late Colonel Hodgson, Edin. 1822. Hastie s Narra, 
 tivc, and various publications on the subject. 
 
MOSQUITO COUNTRY. 281 
 
 tained from several Europeans, many of them 
 nearly a century old, who were residing on the 
 coast little more than a year ago, is, to me, a suf 
 ficient proof that several parts of it are decidedly 
 more salubrious than any one of our settlements 
 in the West Indies. It is well known, that if men 
 are located in low marshy ground, in the neigh 
 bourhood of stagnant water, the consequences are 
 injurious to them in every country, but more es 
 pecially in a hot climate : but I venture to af 
 firm, and I do so without fear of contradiction, 
 that in dry situations similar to the Valiente set 
 tlements, where the waters quickly run off, Euro 
 peans would, generally speaking, enjoy an almost 
 uninterrupted state of health, and live to a good 
 old age ; and I venture to add, that in such situa 
 tions, the general mass of European cultivators 
 could, with safety, perform more than double the 
 work presently done by the Valientes, or any other 
 tribe of Indians. Many of the dry savannahs, and 
 fine ridges, are equally healthy ; but it is in the 
 interior, on the banks of a river, that, as an agri 
 culturist, I would prefer forming a settlement ; 
 and many hundred thousands of Europeans could 
 find an asylum in such situations along the line of 
 coast possessed by the Indians, and in the hilly 
 country behind the Kharibbee settlements, with 
 out putting any of the native residents to incon 
 venience for want of room. 
 
 The mosquitoes, sandflies, and other insects ; 
 the poisonous reptiles, and wild beasts, of which 
 so much is said in England, are, as regards the si 
 tuations alluded to, mere bugbears to frighten 
 children ; the former are only troublesome on the 
 
 z 2 
 
28 2 CLIMATE, &C. OF 
 
 low sandy beaches and swamps, some settlements 
 being entirely clear of them ; and the Litter seldom 
 come near the habitations of men, or do any harm. 
 It has been asserted, and I am more inclined to 
 confirm than deny it, that nearly the whole line 
 of coast from Cape Honduras to the River San 
 Juan, is free from those violent hurricanes which 
 sometimes rage with such destructive fury in the 
 West India Islands ; and it has also been affirm 
 ed, that the same tract of country is not subject to 
 those dreadful earthquakes which have so often 
 shaken, and, at one time or other, almost entirely 
 destroyed the Spanish American towns towards 
 the Pacific Ocean ; spreading death and dismay 
 amongst the wretched inhabitants. I have in 
 the course of the preceding narrative endea 
 voured to describe such of the valuable produc 
 tions of the country as came under my notice ; 
 and I now repeat that inexhaustible supplies of 
 cedar, mahogany, santa maria, rose- wood, and 
 many other exceedingly valuable timbers, may be 
 obtained on the coast, and on the banks of all the 
 rivers in the interior : Dyewoods, gums, drugs, 
 and medicinal plants of various descriptions, are 
 plentifully dispersed all over the country. The 
 savannahs rear considerable numbers of cattle ; 
 and, if there was a demand for them, innumerable 
 herds could be supported on the plains close to 
 the shore, as well as in the interior. Past ex 
 perience confirms the assertion, that the soil is well 
 adapted to the cultivation of sugar, coffee, cotton, 
 tobacco, indigo, and all the other productions of 
 a tropical climate ; and I have no doubt that a 
 sufficient quantity of rice and Indian corn might 
 be produced, to supply the whole of our posses- 
 
THE MOSQUITO COUNTRY. 283 
 
 sioris in the West Indies with these necessaries. 
 The turtle fishery might not only he protected from 
 interlopers, hut, hy using proper methods to pre 
 serve the animal from wasteful destruction, a much 
 greater quantity of tortoise-shell might he procured. 
 
 Perhaps it is not generally known, that it was 
 owing to political difficulties, and not to any in 
 capabilities of the soil or climate, that the British 
 Government were induced to break up their in 
 fant settlements, on the Mosquito Shore, at a time 
 when they were rapidly increasing in prosperity 
 and that it was with the greatest reluctance, and 
 only in obedience to positive orders, that the Bri 
 tish settlers slowly and discontentedly left their 
 plantations. Many of the Creoles and people of 
 colour, however, as well as some of the Euro 
 peans, preferred remaining at all hazards ; and I 
 have had occasion to state that, even at the pre 
 sent day, their descendants still reside unmolested, 
 and comparatively comfortable, in their old pos 
 sessions, particularly at Bluefields, Pearl Kay La 
 goon, and other places on the coast, which are by 
 them, and their Indian friends, considered EnglisJi 
 settlements. 
 
 The actual number of persons, exclusive of the 
 aborigines, under the British jurisdiction in the 
 year 1757, according to the account of their su- \/ 
 perintendant, Colonel Hodgson, was about eleven 
 hundred souls ; and in the year IT^fe Mr Ed 
 wards estimates the number at fourteen hundred. * 
 The greater part of these people were at Black 
 
 * Some account of the British settlements on the Mos- J 
 quito Shore drawn up from the manuscripts of the late 
 Colonel Hodgson, &c. EUIN. 2d ED. also Edward s His 
 tory of the West Indies, 5th edition Appendix, 
 
384 DISPUTES CONCERNING 
 
 Kiver, Cape River, and Brancmans : The former 
 place, where the British had erected a small fort, 
 was the only one of the deserted settlements which 
 the Spaniards dared even attempt to take into their 
 possession ; but they were immediately driven from 
 it by the Indian General, Robinson, whom I have 
 so often had occasion to mention. The remainder* 
 of the British, at Cape Gracias a Dios, Sandy Bay, 
 Pearl Kay Lagoon, the Corn Islands, Bluefields, 
 Punta Gordo, Brewers Lagoon, Plantain River, 
 Miztisoe Creek, and other parts of the coast, as 
 far southward as Chiriqui Lagoon, were never 
 molested. They owned twelve merchant vessels, 
 several of them in the European trade, the others 
 constantly trading to Jamaica, and the United 
 States ; and their exports of mahogany, sarsapar- 
 illa, tortoise-shell and mules ; together with spe 
 cie, indigo, cocoa, hides, and tallow got in barter 
 with the Spaniards, were veiy considerable, and 
 daily increasing. 
 
 In the year 1776, the sloop Morning Star, 
 Alexander Blair and Dr Charles Irving owners, 
 having been seized by two Spanish Guarda Cos- 
 fas a memorial drawn up by Bryan Edwards, * 
 explanatory of the right which Britain had to re 
 tain her settlements on the Mosquito Coast, was 
 laid before parliament. In that memorial Mi- 
 Edwards clearly traces the connexion which had 
 subsisted between the British and Free Indians 
 on the Mosquito Shore, since the reign of Charles 
 the First: and contends, that by the seventh arti 
 cle of the treaty of Madrid, in 1670, the repeated 
 
 * The historian of the West Indies, one of his Ma 
 jesty s Counsel for the Island of Jamaica, F. R. S. S. A. 
 &c. vide 51 h edition of his Works A]>pentlix. 
 
THE MOSQUITO SHORE. 2S5 
 
 cessions made by the* Indians to the King of Great 
 Britain were recognised and confirmed ; and, that 
 these cessions were not rendered invalid by the 
 treaty of Aix la Chapelle ; consequently that 
 the order issued after the conclusion of that treaty 
 to withdraw our troops, and dismantle the fortifi 
 cations built by the British at Black lliver, &c. 
 " were evidently grounded on a most unaccount 
 able notion that the Mosquito Shore was part of 
 the Bay of Honduras ; an astonishing instance of 
 inattention, to call it by no harsher name, as it is 
 no part of the Bay of Honduras, so neither is it 
 any part of the territory of Spain in that part of 
 the world. But, whatever interpretation may have 
 formerly been given to these Spanish treaties, they 
 may now be considered as no longer in existence; 
 and, therefore, it is to be hoped the British Go 
 vernment will, in good time, see the propriety of 
 again extending its protection to the descendents 
 of these British settlers and not abandon them, 
 and their Indian friends, to the restrictive regula 
 tions, and arbitrary exactions of the new govern 
 ments of Spanish America ; who, although they 
 cannot have derived from their ancestors, or other 
 wise, any well-founded claim to the Indian eoast, 
 or Mosquito Shore, seem, by their despotic and 
 arbitrary decrees, to assume the right of imposing, 
 upon these free people, a yoke similar to that 
 which they have thrown upon their own shoulders. 
 It appears certain, that the natives will never as 
 similate with the citixens of these new States, nor 
 willingly submit to their domination ; and as the 
 latter are not at present sufficiently powerful to 
 occupy the Indian country by force of arms, it is 
 to be feared that, unless prevented by the inter- 
 
286 ROUTE FROM OMOA 
 
 ference of Great Britain, they may cede tbeir pre 
 tensions to the United States ; whose traders, 
 speaking the same language as the English, have 
 been gradually spreading themselves on the coast 
 and undermining ours ; and, if they ultimately 
 obtain a firm footing, they may not only do serious 
 injury to our West India possessions ; but, on some 
 pretence or other, overpower, and by forced la 
 bour, at canals or other works, gradually destroy 
 the natives. Positions strong by nature, and easily 
 fortified at a trifling expense, have been pointed 
 out ; and Bryan Edwards, Colonel Hodgson, Cap 
 tain Wright, and other well informed men, have 
 repeatedly insisted upon the advantages to be de 
 rived from the occupancy of some points on the 
 coasts ; more especially that our West India pos 
 sessions would be thereby strengthened, and our 
 colonists on any emergency, such as a hurricane 
 or other sudden calamity, could in a few days be 
 supplied from thence with provisions, stock, and 
 lumber, instead of being obliged to depend upon 
 uncertain arrivals from the United States and Ca^ 
 nada ; or, in the event of war, from perhaps a 
 much greater distance. 
 
 I have particularly described one of the princi 
 pal routes by which the Central States have access 
 to the Atlantic ; and, I need only give a short 
 sketch of the direct road from the Bay of Hondu 
 ras to the capital, to show how nearly they are 
 shut out from all communication with the east 
 coast ; and the consequent difficulty of maintain 
 ing a free intercourse, and exchange of commodi 
 ties, with Europe and the W T est Indies ; premising, 
 that the shore of what is termed the Province of 
 Honduras, and the greater part of that Province 
 
TO GUATEMALA. 287 
 
 itself, is, for the most part, either uninhabitable, 
 or in the hands of the Kharibees and hostile In 
 dians ; who, without regarding the almost deserted 
 towns of Truxillo and Omoa, could at any time 
 render even this, the most direct route, dangerous 
 or impracticable. 
 
 The coast, to the westward of Cape Honduras 
 and Truxillo, is low, swampy, shut out from the 
 regular sea-breeze, and exceedingly unhealthy. 
 The distance in a direct line from Truxillo to 
 Omoa, is about 60 or 70 leagues, and a recent 
 traveller, who seems to entertain a favourable opi 
 nion of the Central States, gives the following ac 
 count of his journey from thence to the city of 
 Guatemala. * On their arrival at Omoa, he and 
 his companions preferred remaining two days on 
 shipboard, rather than expose themselves to the 
 putrescent vapours which exhale from the marshes. 
 Providing themselves with mattresses, provisions, 
 &c. they left Omoa on the 2Sth April 1825, and 
 travelled twenty-two leagues to the mouth of the 
 river that empties itself from the Golfo Dulce 
 into the sea. Proceeding up that river, they en 
 tered the small gulf, and, crossing a streight into 
 the Golfo Dulce, descended it to Izabel, a trifling 
 village recently established, inhabited by a few ne 
 groes : here they sold their mattrasses and bought 
 amachcs, a lighter kind of bedding : they took up 
 their abode in a small hut, and the only provision 
 they could procure was a few fowls. This village 
 is eighteen leagues from the river above mentioned : 
 leaving it at live in the morning, they crossed the 
 
 * Journal of Dr Lavagnino. New Monthly Magazine ! j 
 ibr Deccai. 1S^", No. CO. MS. account, &c. \ 
 
288 ROUTE TO GUATEMALA. 
 
 mountain Del Micho, and arrived at Micho in the 
 evening, a distance of about seven leagues. u The 
 road we traversed on that day was horribly bad, 
 and we often sunk deep into the mud. In the 
 rainy season the mules often perish in lakes of 
 mud. Sometimes the traveller passes on the verge 
 of precipices, where it is necessary to shut his eyes 
 not to he terrified by beholding danger in its most 
 frightful aspect. Then he is forced to trust en 
 tirely to the experience of the mules, which are 
 wonderfully sagacious in selecting paths, but not 
 withstanding this sagacity, they sometimes sank to 
 the belly in mud. At other times, the traveller is 
 compelled to pass on an inclined plane, from which 
 lie every instant appears destined to slip and fall 
 into quagmires. If his attention be diverted from 
 his perils and difficulties; he hears the roarings of 
 lions and tigers, and a confused noise arising from 
 the bowlings of animals, and the singing of birds, 
 the beautiful and lively colours of whose plumage, 
 seems to be brought into view in some sort to qua 
 lify the scene of horror and of friuht around. " 
 The travellers slept in a hut at Micho, boiled a 
 fowl, and made some soup with biscuit. Next 
 day they continued their journey, on the top of a 
 mountainous pine-ridge, where they still heard 
 the roarings of tigers the road tolerably good, 
 but the descent inconvenient ; they then came to 
 a grove of wild palms: in some places the scene 
 was beautiful, in others horribly savage. In the 
 afternoon they arrived at Encuentros, a mean ham 
 let with few inhabitants, on the banks of the 
 river Montagna, having a post-house, and custom 
 house officers : the distance from Micho is about 
 six leagues. From Encuentros to Guana is four 
 
SAN ANTONIO. ZACAPA. 289 
 
 leagues, the road mountainous. From thence to 
 Gualain, where the country begins to assume a 
 better appearance, and to be in some degree inha 
 bited, the distance is four leagues more. " Gualam 
 is a country containing four thousand souls : the 
 district is daily increasing in prosperity and popu 
 lation by reason of the river Montagua passing 
 in its neighbourhood, by which stream, all the 
 merchandise from Omoa is transported to Guate 
 mala. " 
 
 On the 5th of May they travelled two leagues 
 to San Antonio, where they found provisions cheap; 
 and as none were to be had on the road, they 
 here renewed their store. From San Antonio to 
 San Pablo, an Indian village with a church, the 
 distance is five leagues : they arrived there at eight 
 in the evening, and reposed till eleven, when, trust 
 ing to the light of the moon, they went three 
 leagues farther to Zacapa, a large village situated 
 in an extensive plain. The road last gone over 
 was steep and stony ; they often met convoys of 
 mules laden with merchandise, and saw many 
 tents filled with goods lying in heaps, guarded by 
 one or two white men ; and they observed some 
 Indians travelling nearly naked and loaded like 
 " beasts of burden. " The heat of the sun was 
 oppressive, and created such intolerable thirst, that 
 the sight of a hut promising a draught of water 
 was hailed as a luxury. At a short distance from 
 Zacapa the river of that name unites with the 
 San Augustine to form the river Montagua, which 
 at Gualam, nine leagues farther, becomes navigable 
 for large canoes forty leagues to the sea. From 
 Zacapa to Similappa consisting of about a huu- 
 2 A 
 
290 OMOA TO GUATEMALA. 
 
 dred small huts, the distance is eight leagues, and 
 Sobecas is four leagues farther. The roads were 
 fitrown with dead horses and cows, in consequence 
 of the pastures being universally burnt up. Pro 
 ceeding by Guastatojas, a town containing several 
 stone houses, to Incontro and Roncadilla, seven 
 leagues distant they ascended a mountain, and 
 passed over various hills in succession, four leagues 
 to Montegrande, and from thence to the estate of 
 father Caballeros,yrre leagues farther. Travelling 
 latterly was pleasanter, the road being more shaded 
 from the sun. 
 
 On the 18th of May they travelled on a narrow 
 road on the brink of a precipice, near to an ex 
 tinguished volcano ; and passing over a high moun 
 tain reached the estate of San Jose, Jive leagues 
 from the estate last mentioned. Here they found 
 the air cool and salubrious. They rested in the 
 evening at another estate two leagues farther, and 
 next morning (the \&th.cf Mag) went forward by 
 a road, at first good, but which gradually grows 
 worse to the city of Guatemala, situated in a plain, 
 which, although badly cultivated, contains many 
 Indian villages. They had frequently during the 
 last few days met troops of Indians " of both sexes 
 loaded like beasts of burden, walking to the sound 
 of a drum. " It seems only necessary to add, that 
 the whole distance from Omoa to the city of 
 Guatemala is ninety leagues ; and that, by a re 
 port of their own Chamber of Commerce, merchant- 
 dise cannot, in many instances, be transported, 
 from the Bay of Honduras, to the capital, in less 
 than eight months ! 
 
 The route by the River San Juan, therefore, al 
 though at an inconvenient distance from the Cen- 
 
LEAVE BALIZE. 291 
 
 tral part of the States, is evidently the one by 
 which European commerce will ultimately pass to 
 the side of the Pacific. There is still a third 
 road, namely, that hy Matina and Cartago ; but it 
 distance from the capital of the New States, and 
 the want of a harbour on the Atlantic side, form 
 insuperable objections to its ever becoming attrac 
 tive except to smugglers. 
 
 To return to my proceedings at Balize I had 
 drawn up and delivered to Colonel Arthur and 
 the Reverend Mr Armstrong a short sketch of the 
 different settlements where the establishment of 
 missionaries and commercial depots were most 
 likely to prove successful, and these enlightened 
 men seemed to be fully impressed with the im 
 portance of the subject, both in a public and pri 
 vate point of view ; but the unjust clamours 
 afterwards raised and kept up by a few in 
 terested individuals against these worthy men, 
 whose only crime seems to have been a desire to 
 do good, and to dispense impartial justice to all 
 classes, without distinction of rank or colour, pre 
 vented their sound and charitable endeavours from 
 being effectual. The colonel was shortly recalled 
 from the superintendency, to the great regret and 
 dissatisfaction of the population of Balize ; which 
 circumstance, together with the wavering conduct 
 of the Mosquito King, the jarring interests of the 
 Balize merchants, and other circumstances not in 
 teresting to the general reader, rendered it neces 
 sary, after one or two inefficient voyages, to seek 
 more effectual support in England. 
 
 But I was still destined, before leaving the 
 Western world, to be involved in another danger 
 ous adventure. The small schooner in which I 
 
292 TAKEN BY PIRATES. 
 
 was proceeding from Balize to Jamaica was cap 
 tured, near the Island of Cuba, by a large pirati 
 cal row-boat, containing a numerous crew of fero 
 cious desperadoes of all colours. Without the 
 means of effectual resistance, and being at the 
 moment nearly becalmed, we had no alternative 
 but quietly to submit to our fate. Having plun 
 dered our persons of every thing valuable, the 
 pirates ordered us to quit the vessel in a leaky old 
 canoe, and await their further pleasure at a small 
 desert kay or island, seen at a little distance. 
 When in the act of going over the schooner s side, 
 one of these gentry took a fancy to my jacket, (1 
 had previously lost my hat), which I pulled off, 
 and threw down at his feet, telling him to " take it." 
 Not liking the manner in which I complied with 
 his request, he without ceremony struck a furious 
 blow at my head with his cutlass, the weight of 
 which sent me into the canoe in a state of insen 
 sibility. W T hen I recovered my recollection, I 
 found that I had instinctively put myself in a de 
 fensive attitude, while he was deliberately taking 
 aim at me with a pistol which fortunately missed 
 fire, and in the meantime my companions kept 
 pulling away from the vessel. We landed for a 
 short period on the Sandy Kay ; but having no doubt 
 that, so soon as the pirates had removed the most 
 valuable part of the cargo, they would set her on 
 fire, and complete their crime by murdering us, 
 we came to the determination of endeavouring to 
 effect our escape. Stopping the leaks in our crazy 
 canoe in the best manner we could, we got her 
 round to the side of the kay opposite to that 
 on which they were plundering the schooner ; 
 and, keeping the kay interposed between us, dur- 
 
ES6APE TO CUBA. 293 
 
 ing the night, in the course of which we saw 
 the light of the burning schooner, we rowed in the 
 direction of the Island of Cuba, the south side 
 of which we happily reached, and entering a 
 small creek, we waded for sometime through mud 
 and swamps, until we came so a small Spanish 
 fort or outpost, where we were well treated, and 
 shortly afterwards sent, across the Island of Havan- 
 nah, from whence, I readily obtained a passage- 
 home to England. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 NOTE I. Preface, page xix. 
 
 * I Alonso de Ojeda, servant of the most high and 
 powerful Kings of Castile and Leon, the conquerors of 
 barbarous nations, their messenger and captain, notify to 
 you and declare, in as ample form as I am capable, that 
 God our Lord, who is one and eternal, created the heaven 
 and the earth, and one man and one woman, of whom 
 you and we, and all the men who have been or shall be 
 in the world, are descended. But as it has come to pass 
 through the number of generations during more than five 
 thousand years, that they have been dispersed into difler. 
 ent parts of the world, and are divided into various king 
 doms and provinces, because one country was not able to 
 contain them, nor could they have found in one the means 
 of subsistence and preservation ; therefore God our Lord 
 gave the charge of all these people to one man, named St 
 Peter, whom he constituted the Lord and head of all the 
 human race, that all men, in whatever place they are born, 
 or in whatever faith or place they are educated, might 
 yield obedience unto him. The whole world he hath sub- 
 jected to his jurisdiction, and commanded him to establish 
 his residence in Rome, as the most proper place for the 
 government of the world. He likewise promised and 
 gave him power to establish his authority in every other 
 part of the world, and to judge and govern all Christians, 
 Moors, Jews, Gentiles, and all other people of whatever 
 sect or faith they may be. To him is given the name of 
 Pope, which signifies admirable, great father and guardian, 
 because he is the father and governor of all men. Those 
 who lived in the time of this holy father obeyed and ac 
 knowledged him as their Lord and King, and the Em 
 peror of the universe. The same has been observed with 
 respect to them who, since his time, have been chosen to 
 the pontificate. Thus it now continues, and will continue 
 to the end of the world. 
 
296 APPENDIX. 
 
 " One of these pontiffs, as Lord of the world, hatfr 
 made a grant of these Islands, and of the Tierra Firme of 
 the Ocean Sea, to the Catholic Kings of Castile, Don 
 Ferdinand and Donna Isabella, of glorious memory, and 
 their successors, our Sovereign?, with all thpy contain, as 
 is more fully expressed in certain deeds passed upon that 
 occasion, which you may see if you desire it. Thus his 
 Majesty is King and Lord of these Islands, and of the 
 Continent, in virtue of this donation ; and as King and 
 Lord aforesaid, most of the islands to which his title hath 
 been notified have recognised his Majesty, and now yield 
 obedienee and subjection to him as their Lord, voluntarily 
 and without resistance ; and instantly, as soon as they re 
 ceived information, they obeyed the religious men sent by 
 the King to preach to them, and to instruct them in our 
 holy faith ; and all these, of their own free will, without 
 any recompense or gratuity, became Christians, and con 
 tinue to be so ; and his Majesty having received them 
 graciously tinder his protection, has commanded that they 
 should be treated in the same manner as his other sub 
 jects and vassals. You are bound and obliged to aet in 
 the same manner. Therefore I now entreat and require 
 you to consider attentively what I have declared to you : 
 and that you may more perfectly comprehend it, that you 
 take such time as is reasonable, in order that you may 
 acknowledge the church as the superior and guide of the, 
 universe, and likewise the holy father called the Pope, in 
 his own right, and his Majesty by his appointment, as 
 King and Sovereign Lord of these Islands, and of the 
 Tierra Firme* ; and that you consent that the aforesaid 
 holy fathers shall declare and preach to you the doctrines 
 above mentioned. If you do this, you act well, and per 
 form that to which you are bound and obliged ; and his 
 Majesty, and I in his name, will receive you with love 
 and kindness, and will leave you, your wives and children, 
 free and exempt from servitude, and in the enjoyment of 
 all you possess, in the same manner as the inhabitants of 
 the islands. Besides this, his Majesty will bestow upon 
 you many privileges, exemptions, and rewards. But if 
 yovi will not comply, or maliciously delay to obey my in 
 junction, then, with the help of God, I will enter your 
 country by force ; I will carry OH war against you with the 
 utmost violence; 1 will subject you to the yoke of obedience 
 to the Church and King : I will take vour wives and child- 
 
APPENDIX. 297 
 
 r*m, and will make them slaves, and sell or dispose of them 
 according to his Majesty s pleasure ; I will seize your 
 goods, and do you all the mischief in my power, as re 
 bellious subjects, who will not acknowledge or submit to 
 their lawful Sovereign. And I protest that all the blood 
 shed and calamities which shall follow are to be imputed 
 to you, and not to his Majesty, or to me, or the gentlemen 
 who serve under me ; and as I have now made this de 
 claration and requisition unto you, I require the notary 
 here present to grant me a certificate of this, subscribed 
 in proper form. " 
 
 NOT* 1 1. Page 53. 
 
 Porto Bello has often been described. The harbour 
 was discovered by Columbus in 1502, and the town built 
 in 1584". It was captured by the EklCCUUer Captain 
 Morgan about the year 1680; by Admiral Vernon in 
 1740; and again by Sir Gregor MacGregor in 1819. 
 The Isthmus is here about sixty miles broad. The direct 
 route overland to Panama, the seat of the American Con 
 gress, is described by Surgeon Weafherhead, who, with 
 his companions in misfortune, travelled it in 1SJ9. Their 
 first day s journey was by narrow and difficult paths through 
 bushes, brambles, and stunted trees : they repeatedly 
 crossed a rapid river, and late in the afternoon began to 
 ascend the heights of Santa Clai a by a path narrow, steep, 
 and in some places so perpendicular, that one at a time 
 they were obliged to climb upon their hands and feet; in 
 other places they sunk to their knees in mud, extricating 
 themselves by means of the roots of the trees and bushes. 
 They rested in huts on those heights, and next morning, 
 after a difficult descent, they passed through mountainous 
 forests to a small but rapid river in a narrow ravine, with 
 immense sandstone rocks on each side ; after crossing it 
 eleven times, they by a narrow pass reached the station of 
 Bucaron, surrounded by high mountains. Next morning 
 passing up a deep glen, the road broken up and full of 
 holes, where they sunk to the knees in mud, they passed 
 over the height, but found a mountain-stream on the 
 other side so swollen by the mighty rains, that they were 
 forced to retrace their steps to Bucaron. Next day, pass 
 ing this stream, they ascended a succession of hills and 
 mountains, by a path sometimes winding, und at othert, in 
 
298 APPENDIX. 
 
 a perpendicular direction ; and, crossing the river no less 
 than thirty-one times, reached the station of Atrass. Next 
 morning they again repeatedly crossed the river, and 
 passed over a high ridge to St Juans, a place consisting 
 of about fifty bamboo huts. They next day crossed the 
 river three times, and from a high mountain had the first 
 view of the Pacific. Resting another night on the ground, 
 they passed through woods, swamps, meadows, and sa 
 vannahs^ to the city of Panama. The other route from 
 Porto Bello, by the river Chagre to Cruces and Panama, 
 notwithstanding the difficulty of propelling boats against 
 the rapid current of the river to Cruces, presents fewer 
 difficulties, and is better adapted for the conveyance of 
 goods, especially from the Pacific to the side of the At 
 lantic. Weatherhead s " Account of the Expedition a- 
 gainst the Isthmus of Darien. " Longman & Co., 1821. 
 
 NOTE III. page 58. 
 
 An English sailor, who, in the year 1730, sojourned a 
 few days at the Spanish village of Chiriqui, on the side of 
 the Pacific, thus describes an incursion of the Valientes. 
 " During my residence at the Governor s house, and at a 
 time when I lay dangerously ill of a fever,, came a com 
 pany of roving Indians into the town, and plundered it of 
 much riches. The inhabitants being few in number, and 
 unprepared to receive an enemy, were under the necessity 
 of submitting to whatever was. imposed on them ; and 
 after they had ravaged the town as they thought fit, they 
 committed one of the most outrageous cruelties that could 
 possibly enter into the heart of man. There was but one 
 clergyman in the town, who was a Spaniard, and of the 
 order of St Francis; him they seized on, and put to 
 death," In the midst of his torments they said, "that 
 this was but a small revenge for the torrent of Indian blood 
 heretofore spilled by the Spaniards. With the deplorable 
 catastrophe of this unhappy gentleman their fury ceased: 
 and they attempted to put no other person to death, but 
 declared, had they met more Spaniards in the town, they 
 would have served them all in the same manner. After 
 this, the enemy, being in number between tv/o and three 
 hundred, (men and women), came to the Governor s house, 
 which was no better prepared to receive them than the 
 rest of the people ; and when they had ransacked the 
 
APPENDIX. 99 
 
 greatest part of it, and taken out such things as they liked 
 best, they at last came into the room where I lay sick, and 
 the first question they asked me was, what countryman I 
 was ? 1 quickly answered an Englishman, taken by Spa 
 nish pirates, and cruelly used by them; and was now 
 waiting for an opportunity to get home to my own coun 
 try. They assured me they would do me no injury; but, 
 on the contrary, if I would put myself under their pro 
 tection, and go alonj: with them, they would do me all 
 the service in their power, and would furnish me with all 
 manner of things necessary towards forwarding my getting 
 home, which I might do with greater ease and expedition 
 by their means, than any other way I could propose : for 
 they were Indians that inhabited on the North Sea, where 
 vessels frequently arrived from Jamaica to trade with 
 them ; they had some knowledge of the English, and loved 
 them very well, though they abhorred the Spaniards ; and 
 as they had never yet been conquered by them, they were 
 determined utterly to defy them, and all their adherents. " 
 The murder of the priest, frightened the sailor too much 
 to trust himself with them, and they marched off with 
 their plunder without opposition. Cockburn s Narrative, 
 
 NOTE IV., page 143. 
 
 " It is not doubted, " (says Mr Rodgers, in a letter to 
 the President of the Antiquarian Society of London, read 
 April 6th 1780), "that the natives had formerly many 
 arts among them, which have been lost for several centu 
 ries, and even known to have existed by tradition only, 
 and by a few specimens still scattered in the interior, and, 
 at present, uncultivated parts of the district. " An Intel 
 ligent gentleman acquainted with their language, "had 
 the curiosity, under their direction, to take a journey into 
 the interior parts of the country of seventy or eighty miles ; 
 and, guided by them, lie found, on digging, many curious 
 pieces of antiquity, but most of them too massive to be re 
 moved : and, amongst the rest, a prodigious quantity of 
 such masques as are here exhibited, which his Indian con 
 ductors told him were the likenesses of chiefs, or other 
 eminent persons, who had been formerly buried there, and 
 that it was their custom to mix gold-dust with the clay of 
 these portraits, which were, in general, heads or busts only, 
 and often entire figures. These were placed at the heads 
 
300 APPENDIX. 
 
 of the deceased, whose bodies were enclosed in a fine 
 earth of red porcelain elegantly engraved. One thing is 
 observable, that the present race of natives have not the 
 least knowledge of the art of making these masques ; nor 
 of forming a composition which is likewise found with 
 them, or near the places where they are discovered, and 
 which is so hard, that no tool, how finely soever tempered, 
 will make the least impression on it. 
 
 To the above account may be added, that one of these 
 pieces is an entire foot, which, if it were Roman, would 
 be called a votive foot ; another is a head with swollen 
 eyes and nose, and a sore crown, which would likewise be 
 thought votive of a person recovered of these disorders, 
 and a third represents two children who died young. 
 
 Many of these Terra Cottas, have their backs concaved, 
 by which we may imagine they are parts of sepulchral 
 urns, if we had any authority for such a supposition. Se 
 veral of these masques are evidently of faces tatoo d, a 
 practise long disused on the Shore." 
 
 These masques were brought from the Mosquito Shore, 
 about the year 1775. Vide slrchfeologia, vol. 6th p. 107. 
 
 NOTE V. page 240. 
 
 A long enumeration of the articles requisite for the In- 
 dian and Central American trade, would now be uninterest 
 ing to the merchant as well as to the generality of readers 
 because recent speculations and publications have given 
 access to much information on the subject. It is, therefore, 
 only necessary to observe, that the articles requisite for the 
 Central States, are nearly similar to those demanded in 
 Mexico and other parts of Spanish America. The In 
 dians constantly require coarse linens of every kind 
 handkerchiefs and coarse cotton articles, chiefly showy red 
 colour^ moscheates or cutlass blades, of the best kind 
 spear-pointed, large clasp and table knives felling axes, 
 saws, locks and hinges, nails, large needles, pins, and 
 fish-hooks, iron pots, frying pans, flat iron plates, and 
 similar other articles of iron ware tin ware for cooking, 
 of all sorts small glass beads of lively colours small 
 Dutch looking glasses. Rum is indispensable for the In 
 dian trade also gunpowder, muskets and fowling pieces : 
 the New States object to the introduction of the latter ar 
 ticles amongst the Indians, but these people can always 
 be supplied by the free traders. 
 
APPENDIX. 301 
 
 Many other articles required by the chiefs will suggest 
 themselves to a speculator, and it seems only requisite to 
 observe further, that such goods as are likely to be sent 
 into the interior, should be packed in small light cases, 
 such as are easily moved, and not liable to be damaged by 
 moisture. 
 
 NOTE VI. page 256. 
 
 A contract has recently been formed between the Go 
 vernment of Central America, and a company of citizens 
 of the United States, for opening a canal through the lake 
 of Nicaragua, the principal conditions of which are, that 
 it shall be of such size as to admit vessels of the greatest 
 burden possible. The Central States permit the cutting 
 of timber necessary for the works, furnish such surveys 
 as have already been made on the subject and give every 
 facility in making new ones, and in procuring workmen. 
 The States bind themselves to indemnify owners of lands, 
 farms, and other property through which the canal may 
 pass, for all damages incurred thereby. Ten per cent, in 
 terest to be paid on the capital expended by the company, 
 who are also to receive two thirds of the duties on all vessels, 
 goods, and produce, passing through the canal, the States 
 to receive the other third. The Company are also to re 
 ceive one half of the net proceeds of the canal, for the 
 term of seven years, after the Central States shall have 
 repaid them the capital and ten per cent interest ; and, to 
 have the exclusive privilege of the navigation of the canal 
 by steam boats, free of duties, for twenty years after its 
 completion, with the right of fixing their own rates charge 
 able for freight and passage money, and the rate of com 
 pensation for towing vessels. The navigation to be open 
 to all friendly and neutral powers. The Company are to 
 have a preference for the supply of the castles and fortifica 
 tions, to be erected on the canal, with arms, ammunition, 
 and stores ; and also, in the contracts for building and 
 equipping vessels of war, to be kept on the Lake of Nica 
 ragua for the protection of the canal. This contract was 
 signed by the President of the Central States, in the month 
 of June 1826, and has received the approbation of the Se 
 cretary of State, and of the Treasury of the United States. 
 
802 APPENDIX. 
 
 NOTE VII. page 257. 
 
 Marcasite of gold is in the shape of little balls or nodules 
 about the size of walnuts, nearly round, heavy and of a 
 brown colour on the outside. The metallic stones that 
 contain gold, generally contain antimony, vitriol, sulphur, 
 copper, platina, or silver, and particularly the latter. The 
 method usually employed in South America to extract the 
 gold, is to break the metallic stones pretty small, with iron 
 mallets. They are afterwards ground in mills, to powder, 
 which is then passed through wire sieves, the last sieve being 
 very fine ; The coarsest particles are thrown back into the 
 mill. The fine powder is then laid in wooden troughs 
 with quicksilver and water, it is well kneaded, and left to 
 saturate in the air and sun for forty-eight hours ; the wa 
 ter is then poured off repeatedly, and the recrementitious 
 earth is thus readily separated, leaving the gold and quick 
 silver amalgamated. The quicksilver is then evaporated 
 by distillation, and the gold being fused in crucibles, is 
 cast into plates or ingots. 
 
 NOTE VIII. page 266. 
 
 Few people are acquainted with the immense size and 
 value of some logs of mahogany brought to this country. 
 The following may serve as an example. " The largest 
 and finest log of mahogany ever imported into this coun 
 try has been recently sold by auction at the docks in Li- 
 verpool. It was purchased by James Hodgson, Esq. for 
 three hundred and seventy- eight pounds, and afterwards 
 sold by him for five hundred and twenty-five pounds, and 
 if it open well, it is supposed to be worth one thousand 
 pounds. If sawn into vineers it is computed that the cost 
 of labour in the process will be seven hundred and fifty 
 pounds. The weight at the King s beam is six tons thir 
 teen hundred weight. " 
 
 Macdesfield Courier, Oct. 1823. 
 
 THE END. 
 
 PRINTED BY J. HUTCHISON, 
 FOR THE HEIRS OF D. WILUSON. 
 

 Vj 
 
 a 
 
 i 
 
 Q 
 
 * 
 
U.C.BERKELEY LIBRARIES