[733] 



ACCOUNT OF BOOKS, 



An Account of the British Settle- 

 ment of Honduras;ie2wg a View 

 of its Commercial and Agricul- 

 tural Resources, Soil, Climate, 

 Natural History, Sfc. To which 

 are added Sketches of the Man- 

 ners and Customs of the Mos- 

 quito Indians. By Captain 

 Henderson, 8vo. 



THE opportunities for useful 

 investigation, afforded by a 

 military life, are many and singu- 

 larly favourable ; but from what- 

 ever cause it may arise, it still is 

 9 subject of regret that so few mi- 

 litary men, comparatively, are to 

 be found in whom the ability and 

 inclination to profit by such ad- 

 vantages are united. This inter- 

 esting volume of captain Hen- 

 derson presents a favourable spe- 

 cimen of what may be effected, 

 when talents for inquiry and ha- 

 bits of observation meet together 

 in the military character. 



The British settlement of Hon- 

 duras is situated in the province of 

 Yucatan, a peninsula extending 

 from the province of Honduras to 

 the sea, northwardly, forming the 

 bay of Campeachy on the west, 

 and the bay of Honduras on the 

 east. It extends from about 16 

 to 21 degrees north latitude, and 

 from about 84; to 91 degrees west 

 longitude. 



In the former part of the last 

 century, small parties of English 

 settlers had established them- 

 selves, with the approbation of 

 the natives, on the east coast of 

 Yucatan. These settlements were 

 in 176f5, solemnly guaranteed to 

 Britain by the treaties of Paris 

 and Madrid ; but the Spaniards 

 have on several occasions vio- 

 lated this stipulation, and have 

 treated the settlers with singular 

 cruelty. 



«' The climate of this part of the 

 American continent is greatly su- 

 perior to that of most other parts 

 of the same vast portion of the 

 globe, either in higher or lower 

 degrees of latitude. It is equally 

 superiorto the climate of the West- 

 India islands generally ; for per- 

 sons, whose health and constitu- 

 tions have become impaired from 

 the effects of the latter, very fre- 

 quently acquire a sudden restora- 

 tion of both after an arrival at 

 Honduras. 



" With the exception of a few- 

 months in the year, this coun- 

 try is constantly refreshed by 

 regular sea-breezes, accompani- 

 ed by an average of heat that 

 may be taken at the temperature 

 of 80 degrees. The seasons have 

 also their marked difference, 

 though nature may not have de- 



