THE COLONY OF BRITISH HONDURAS. 



CHAPTER I. 



British Honduras. Position and neighbouring States. Historical sketch. 

 Constitution. Area. Boundaries. Coast-line. Interior. Highlands. 

 River system. Belize. Chief institutions. Health. Harbour. 

 Population. Imports, exports, and revenue. Chief industries. 

 Minerals. Wild animals. Bird life. Fish. Turtle. Conchs. Snakes. 

 Flies. Leaf -cutting ants. 



FOR the stay-at-home Briton, no less than for the tropical 

 traveller, it may be pardonable to mention that the Colony of 

 British Honduras occupies a small portion of the Atlantic slope of 

 Central America. It is situated immediately to the south of the 

 Mexican State of Yucatan, and has, as near neighbours, the 

 Republican States of Guatemala, Salvadora, and that of the 

 Mosquito Coast, or Spanish Honduras. 



It is the only portion of the mainland of Central America 

 where the British flag flies; and hence, in a political sense, it 

 has been regarded as an oasis of freedom and right, amidst 

 successive outbursts of rebellion and strife, which, unhappily, too 

 often characterises these Eepublics. 



British Honduras began, some two hundred years ago, as 

 a logwood and mahogany-cutting settlement ; the pioneers, at 

 that time, apparently having no intention to make a permanent 

 occupation there. From the beginning, Spain regarded the 

 settlement as an infringement of her sovereign rights ; the 

 Indians resented an invasion of their lands, and made periodical 



