28 



CENTRAL AMERICA. 



a village about twenty-five miles from the 

 spot pitched upon, and having arrived at the 

 scene of operations, accompanied by eight 

 or ten Indians, the top of an elevated patch 

 of grass land was marked out, and all the 

 trees, except three, cut down within a hun- 

 dred yards on every side but one, where 

 the clear stream rippled under the shade of 

 trees within fifty yards of the intended cot- 

 tages. Search was then made in the neigh- 

 bouring forest for trees uniting every requi- 

 site quality, viz. good hard wood ; straight 

 for about fifteen or sixteen feet, about the 

 thickness of a man's waist, and dividing at 

 the above height into a fork or two branches, 

 which being lopped rather short might serve 

 as a secure support for the lateral poles. The 

 plan I marked out for the largest hut was 

 thirty- six feet in length by eighteen in 

 breadth, and operations were commenced by 

 digging six holes in the ground about seven 

 feet deep, one at each corner, and one at the 

 middle of each long side. The trees were 

 then, after having been lopped where they 

 fell, dragged by the oxen to the clearing, 

 and planted in the holes, taking care to turn 

 the forks so as to receive the side poles 

 firmly ; the earth was then rammed in again 



