30 BRITISH HONDURAS. 



" cohune ridge," which are admirably adapted for the successful 

 cultivation of most tropical plants. On our way up the river 

 we landed at a small banana and plantain plantation, opened 

 by Mr. Eoss, which, although planted somewhat closely, yielded 

 some of the finest bunches of fruit seen in the colony. Among 

 the bananas there were several young trees of the native rubber- 

 tree (Castilloa elastica), thriving well. Cacao here would find 

 an excellent home, and a large plantation might be established 

 with but a small extra expense. 



As Mr. Koss has some 48 square miles of land, for the most 

 part adapted for the cultivation of bananas, Liberian coffee, 

 cacao, oranges, nutmegs, mangoes, &c., this instance alone will 

 serve to show what splendid investments await planters in this 

 country, provided they are men of energy and experience, and 

 possess capital sufficient to open up the land in an efficient 

 manner. 



The river banks are clothed chiefly with melastomads and 

 caliandras, which form a low fringe of a shrubby character : in 

 most situations the wild cane (Arundo) and aquatic grasses 

 exist as dense, tall-growing thickets, close to the water's edge. 

 Here and there are fine handsome trees of wild fig overhanging 

 the river, and in some cases with their huge spreading branches 

 resting almost on the surface of the water. Other trees noticed 

 were, salmwood and quamwood, the latter in abundant flower, 

 and scenting the air for miles round. Numerous trees were 

 completely covered by the rattan cane (Desmonciis), which on 

 account of its formidable recurved spines formed an impenetrable 

 barrier to both man and beast. 



The higher reaches of the river were bordered by tall, perpen- 

 dicular banks, composed for the most part of marl and clay : 

 these were afterwards succeeded by bold overhanging cliffs of 

 indurated shale, approaching almost the texture of slate, with 



