1884 ] PLANTING ENTERPRISE IN THE WEST INDIES. 351 



Besides several large sugar estates in good order, numerous cocoa- 

 nut and banana plantations are being established along the banks of 

 the rivers to the south, many of them by small local companies with 

 capitals ranging from £2,000 to ;S5,000. Steamers from New 

 Orleans periodically call at the principal settlements, and take off 

 the produce, paying high rates in cash as soon as deposited on 

 board. 



One of the most interesting spots visited in this journey was the 

 Toledo settlement, established several years ago by settlers from the 

 Southern States of America, About fourteen families came here and 

 took up their quarters in the virgin forest, with little or no capital. 

 But, by undaunted courage and perseverance in overcoming the first 

 difficulties, they have succeeded in establishing comfortable home- 

 steads, and in placing under cultivation, chiefly in sugar-cane, some 

 six hundred acres of land. The results of this experiment are in 

 many respects very suggestive. Although, in tropical countries as a 

 rule, and especially, as in this case, at sea-level, the white- man is not 

 suited for hard, laborious work in the sun, and it is better for him 

 to possess capital and to employ negroes and coolies, yet it speaks 

 well for the climate of British Honduras that the white settlers at the 

 Toledo settlement, which is by no means exceptionally placed, should 

 by their own hands have turned a wild tropical forest into a number 

 of rich and prosperous plantations. Most of the settlers, at present, 

 grow sugar-cane, and manufacture the produce into common 

 Muscovado sugar in open pans. The quality of the sugar is 

 exceptionally good, most of which is sold locally at prices ranging 

 from 5 to 6 cents, per pound. 



I returned from the southern settlements deeply impressed with 

 the vast natural resources of the country, and the great future which 

 lies before it when properly opened. 



I next visited the central and western districts of the Colony. 

 This country generally, with the exception of a few isolated ranges, 

 rises so very gradually from the sea coast to the interior, that 

 points on the western frontier, nearly one hundred miles from the 

 coast, are only three hundred feet high. This low, gently sloping 

 land is also plentifully intersected by deep navigable rivers which 

 flow slowly towards the sea. Along the banks of these rivers the 

 characteristics of the soil and climate were of a most favourable 

 character and the vegetation essentially tropical and luxuriant. On 

 further acquaintance with the interior portions of the country I 

 found that the alluvial deposits along the river banks, extending 

 some five or six, or in some instances some ten miles on each side, 

 contained, chiefly, the rich valuable soils of the Colony. Beyond 

 these were ' broken lands ' and ' Pine ridges.' 



