46 BRITISH HONDURAS. 



decided to return to Belize by boat, and get to Caledonian 

 Bank and Corosal by sea ; while I elected to remain up- 

 country, and explore the upper portions of the valley of the 

 Old Eiver, and, if possible, push on to the Cayo, or western 

 frontier station. 



After one day's rest at Orange Walk, during which the plants 

 collected on the journey from Belize were examined and dried, 

 and after taking a short section through the forest for the 

 purpose of seeing the country towards the left branch of the 

 Sibun Eiver to the south, I left Orange Walk with a guide, for 

 the western frontier. 



The valley of the Old Eiver through which we passed 

 gradually widened as we travelled to the westward, and nume- 

 rous mahogany works (banks) were dotted on each side of the 

 river, each having so many miles of frontage, and reaching far 

 into the backwoods. It appears that the land tax on mahogany 

 and logwood works is estimated at $8 per mile base. Having 

 seen one mahogany works, with the exception of the difference 

 in the scenery, and varying circumstances of soil and climate, 

 the details are much the same. 



Most of the mahogany forests are in the hands of a few pro- 

 prietors, who, to preserve their young trees, as a rule, discourage 

 settling. They adopt a rude system of forest conservancy, backed 

 by a very strict trespass law, which entirely prevents the land 

 from being alienated or used as provision grounds by settlers. 

 This feeling, in a measure, is, no doubt, the outcome of the old 

 terms on which the English were permitted to hold the settle- 

 ment, viz., that they were debarred from making plantations, or 

 in any way making permanent homes in the colony. 



Government land may be bought at a dollar an acre, or, if 

 preferred, short leases of five years are issued to persons desirous 

 to occupy waste lands of the Crown, not less than fifty acres, at 



