1890.] Geography and Travel. 939 
General Notes. 
GEOGRAPHY AND TRAVEL. 
Honduras.— The geography of Honduras is too well known to be 
here treated in a detailed manner. Its territory stretches from north 
latitude 13 degrees ro minutes to 16 degrees, and in west longitude be- 
tween 83 degrees and 89 degrees 45 minutes. 
Honduras contains 46,000 square miles, with a population of about 
450,000. Of these we may reckon 35,000 as belonging to the white 
race; the remainder is composed mainly of Indians, Caribs, and 
mixtures. 
The country is of a very mountainous character. A series of 
large streams drain Honduras, mainly toward the north and south. 
On the Pacific slope of the Cordilleras we have two main streams, the 
Rio Choluteca and Rio Goascoran, both entering the Gulf of Fonseca. 
The north coast is better supplied with streams. We encounter 
the rivers Cuyamee, Chamelican, Rio Ulna, Rio Caballo, Rio 
Caymanes, Rio Patook, and a number of others which, though 
large enough to float canoes, are not of sufficient importance to be 
mentioned in this general geographical sketch of Honduras. The 
rivers Ulna and Patook, which have their sources far in the 
interior near Comayagua and Tegucigalpa, are most important for 
navigation. Although at present scarcely navigated except with small 
boats, they might be with little expense, made navigable for river 
steamboats with light draft. These two rivers traverse one of the 
richest territories of Honduras, covered with a luxuriant growth of 
valuable wood, well adapted for raising coffee, sugar cane, cocoanuts, 
cocoa, cotton, and a great number of agricultural products. The 
mountains are traversed by lodes of gold and silver ore; also cop- 
per, lead, zinc, mercury, and coal occur ; and yet the whole district is 
entirely undeveloped in spite of the navigable rivers Ulna and Patook, 
which connect the rich interior with the Atlantic ocean. 
In a northeasterly direction we have the Rio Segovia, entering the 
Atlantic at the Cape Gracias a Dias. This river forms for hundreds 
of miles the boundary between the Mosquito territory of Honduras 
and Nicaragua. Though one of the largest rivers of Honduras, its 
course, as well as the territory through which it passes, is nearly un- 
known. The banks of these rivers are inhabited by the tribes of the 
Payas Indians, who have not only kept their independence, but also 
their seclusion from the outside world. 
