6 CENTRAL AMERICA. 



vessel that carried me through the crisis ; 

 though, one night, I overheard a conversation 

 between him and the EngHsh vice-consul re- 

 specting the spot where I was to be buried. 

 I shortly recovered, though very we&k ; and, 

 as soon as I could sit on horseback, went up 

 to Leon, about thirty leagues from Realejo, 

 to make the necessary preparations for a tour 

 through the interior of the country. 



I now take leave of the sort of narrative 

 that I have given ; it was only to shew that 

 my objects in exploring Central America were 

 partly to discover some of the rich mines I 

 had often heard of, partly to see a country I 

 had never seen, and to enjoy the wild sports 

 of its immense forests, in many parts of which 

 no Englishman had ever been, and lastly, to 

 make my way to the Atlantic overland, and 

 return to England after a visit to the West 

 Indies. 



My aim is not to give a connected account 

 of two years"* residence in Central America, 

 of which almost the whole was passed in the 

 midst of the forest, and near the foot of the 

 central ranges of mountains, but to give short, 

 unconnected details of the country, inhabi- 

 tants, produce, and minerals, but more espe- 

 cially of the wild beasts, birds, reptiles, &c., 



