6 BRITISH HONDURAS. 



Northern Two Cays, Saddle Cay, Hot Cay, and Half-Moon Cay : 

 the latter, about 80 miles from Belize, has a lighthouse which 

 gives the first intimation of the coast. Another important 

 light is on English Cay about half-way between the southern 

 point of Turneffe and Belize. Between Turneffe and the 

 mainland are numerous small cays, some of which are only 

 just visible, rendering the navigation difficult, if not dangerous. 

 About eight miles north-east of Belize is St. George's Cay, a small 

 island affording good sea-bathing, and, being well exposed to 

 the inspiriting influences of the trade-winds, is utilised by the 

 inhabitants of Belize as a sanatorium. To the south, the whole 

 coast-line is fringed by numberless coral islets upon which the 

 surf breaks with considerable force, leaving the inner waters, 

 however, comparatively calm. The total area of the cays is 

 estimated at 212 square miles. 



The most northern, and next to Belize the most important, 

 town in the colony is Corosal, situated near the mouth of the 

 New River, and a depot for all the mahogany and logwood cut 

 on its banks, as well as of those on the river Hondu. The 

 coast-line from Corosal to Belize, after running due east as far 

 as Rocky Point, turns suddenly to the southward, with a portion 

 of Yucatan and Ambergris Cay between it and the open sea. 

 After passing Hicks Cay and the Hen and Chickens Cay, the 

 principal mouth of the Belize River is passed, the smaller and 

 more southerly mouth being that on which the town of Belize 

 stands. On the headland, near the latter, is Fort George, built 

 in 1803, as a defence to the settlement. 



To the south of Belize, every river mouth or " bar " is the 

 scene of a settlement or small village : many of which, however, 

 consist merely of a few huts. 



The country generally near the coast is low and only 

 slightly raised above the sea. In the interior, however, it is 



