or observed in the Republic of Honduras, <Sfc. 19 



raised above the surface, like the head of a dog when swimming ; 

 but they sank before the canoe got near them. The reeds and 

 grass were frequently growing in a* great depth of water, in many 

 places twenty feet at the .very least ; and our passage was often 

 obstructed by mud-banks, as well as by the thick growth of lilies 

 and other water-plants. 



The lake is surrounded by high mountains, and the scenery is 

 beautiful. Much in the way of ornithology might have been done 

 there, with good health and fewer agarrapatas ; but I was forced 

 to proceed in company with my party. Leaving the lake, our 

 first day's march was to the town of Yojoa, principally over savan- 

 nahs and open ground. From Yojoa we proceeded to Potrerillos, 

 an unhealthy locality, enclosed by lofty hills, which shut out 

 the breezes and prevent the necessary ventilation of the town. 

 From the neighbourhood of Yojoa to the Atlantic, palm-trees 

 and bamboos were common in the forests; and our route fre- 

 quently lay for miles together through long vistas of them, 

 where we were completely shaded from the sun by their feathery 

 branches, which drooped over the path and had a most pic- 

 turesque effect. Although the shade was pleasant, it was pro- 

 ductive of some inconvenience ; for, as the rays of the sun could 

 not penetrate, the track was in these spots obstructed by deep 

 mud-holes which never dry up. Between Yojoa and San Pedro 

 we halted for the night at a hacienda by the roadside. I have 

 every reason to remember it well ; for, while I was asleep, one of 

 the women there thought fit to drink a quantity of a solution of 

 corrosive sublimate in spirits of wine, which I kept for my bird- 

 skins, under the impression that it was aguardiente. She for- 

 tunately drank too much, and vomited it up again ; or nothing 

 we had at hand could have saved her. As it was, she had a nar- 

 row escape from death, and was exceedingly ill in consequence, 

 and still more frightened than hurt. 



Near San Pedro I saw Monkeys for the first and only time in 

 Central America. There were not many of tlicm ; but the sap- 

 pers, who were riding a little ahead of us, saw forty or fifty 

 together; they were of a large size, brown, with white faces 

 and long tails. Soon after leaving San Pedro we crossed a high 

 range of mountains, and arrived at Omoa on the 14th of Feb- 



c2 



