HONDURAS. 13 



extending from the Rio Sico, past the mines of El Dorado and Rio Tinto 

 [Black or Negro River] to Rio Paz toward the south, over an amorphous 

 formation. On the borders of the Paz old and splendid cedars and ma- 

 hogany trees are found, as well as an extensive growth of fibrous plants. 

 The condition of these lands is excellent for agriculture. 



Paon [Black] and Platano rivers flow through the mountain systems 

 bearing their names. Almost all over the Mosquitia region, and espe- 

 cially descending from the south to the sea, hills and mountains disap- 

 pear and boundless savannas spread on all sides, except where inter- 

 rupted by river valleys. These are full of trees, including cedar, 

 and mahogany. The ridges of the savannas do not rise more than two 

 metres from the lower soil or general level. 



The savannas are generally dry, but as one approaches the coast there 

 are swamps. In the rainy season these sometimes become impassable ; 

 but this happens only on lands very close to the coast, and at those 

 times during the rainy season when the rivers overflow low lands. 

 These facts lead to the belief that all of the waters near the coast, from 

 Rio Sico eastward, could be made continuously navigable, it being very 

 easy to connect the rivers with each other by opening small ditches or 

 canals. 



Between the Rios Patuca and Ulan the land is all level and sandy, 

 but in the tracts near the rivers excellent and fruitful land is found. 

 Tobacco, rice, beans, corn, coffee, cacao, or anything planted grow 

 beautifully. 



In the district of Patuca is found the most beautiful and picturesque 

 part of Mosquitia There are extensive pampas or plains and spacious 

 lowlands. In the streams fish are abundant. The pasturage of these 

 lands could maintain over 100,000 cattle. There are here ocotals, or 

 groups of pine trees, some of the groups being fifteen to twenty miles 

 wide. Similar ocotals are found at Caratasca. Toward the south of this 

 district, and in the center of it, one may travel five days across savannas 

 and pampas abundantly provided with pure water. Deer, wild pigs, 

 jaquillas, apes, turkeys, pajuils, and a great variety of waterfowl are 

 very tame here. On the margins of the rivers precious woods are very 

 abundant, such as mahogany, cedar, granadillo, ronron, and santa maria, 

 and medicinal plants, as sarsaparilla, ipecacuana, etc., with India-rubber 

 and numberless other useful woods. 



Rio Patuca has an average depth of five to seven feet on its bar. 

 From a short distance from the sea to the place where, twenty-four 

 miles up the stream, it divides to send part of its water to Brus lagoon, 

 it is from three to five varas [8*4 to 14 feet] deep. From this place, fol- 

 lowing its course until it joins the Guayambre, in the Department of 

 Olancho, there is always, in the rainy season, from two to five feet of 

 water. From the bar of the Patuca to the mouth of the Guampu naviga- 

 tion is possible. 



