HONDURAS, 37 



Mules are always in demand in the Southern States, only four 

 days' sail from Caratasca. The larger cities of the Atlantic 

 coast, as far north as New York will also buy large numbers of 

 mules. In Central America mules of small size sell freely for 

 $50 to $100 each; for exceptionally large, fine, and well-trained 

 animals prices range as high as $150 to $300 per head. Such 

 animals as may be gotten from the native mares by the use of 

 large and well-bred jacks will find ready market, even for pack- 

 ing, at $75 to $100 and if trained properly for riding, will bring 

 figures above the highest mentioned here. They can be raised 

 on the Perry grant at a very small cost. 



Where nature unaided produces such a profusion of food 

 suitable for feeding swine, and where two and even three crops 

 of corn can be grown each year, raising pigs will cost a merely 

 nominal sum per head. In all parts of Central America pork 

 and lard are in request at prices ranging from 12^ to 25 cents 

 per pound. No disease of epidemic nature has been known 

 among the hogs of Honduras, so far as has been learned. 



INLAND NAVIGATION. 



A system of sounds or salt water lakes, called lagoons in 

 Spanish, extends entirely across the north line of the Perry 

 grant, and beyond Caratasca to Cape Gracias a Dios, the eastern- 

 most point of Honduras. Nearly all of these lakes are clear, 

 free from obstructions and deep enough for safe navigation. 

 Very little marsh is found on their borders, the surrounding land 

 rising at once from the water's edge to a height of from one to 

 twelve feet, and then sloping upward. The lowest of these lands 

 are of unsurpassed fertility and value for the growing of rice, 

 sugarcane, breadfruit, bananas, plantains, cocoanuts. yams, cas- 

 sava, sweet potatoes, arrowroot, and many other crops which 

 thrive on moist soil. Many highly prized varieties of timber 

 abound on these low lands, all of which are within easy reach of 

 navigable water. Usually these sounds are separated from the 

 sea by strips of sandy land varying from one to ten miles in 

 width, in the middle of which there is generally a savanna from 



