BODEGAS OF HONDA. 171 



will be of great advantage to the country, in 

 regard to its commerce, as it is a better line 

 of direction than the present road from Hon- 

 da, and can be performed in the same time ; 

 thereby saving v^ater- carriage of two or three 

 days from Guarumo to Honda. Slept on the 

 playa (sandy beach, or flat.) 



19th. Continued our course, and arrived 

 by moonlight in sight of the bodegas, or cus- 

 tom-house stores of Honda, but could not 

 reach them on account of having to pass a 

 rapid. Much rain during the night. 



20th. At daylight passed the rapid, and 

 landed at the bodegas on the right bank of 

 the river, where we immediately put our 

 luggage in the custom-house stores, which 

 are miserable in the extreme. Not being 

 able to procure any thing to eat, we crossed 

 to the left bank in the passage-canoe, which, 

 on account of the rapidity of the stream. 



