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great beauty, surrounded by water of such depth as to enable vessels of 

 the largest size to approach close In-shore. The most important of these, 

 from the circumstance of its size and the fact that it commands and is tlie 

 key to the entire bay, is the island of Tigre, belonging to Honduras. 

 This island was the headquarters and depot of Drake during his opera- 

 tions in the South seas. It is about forty miles in circumference, level 

 near the shore, but rising regularly and gradually to a perfect cone in the 

 centre, thus affording almost every variety of air and climate desirable. 

 Upon this island is situated the free port of Amapala, recently established, 

 where there are a few storehouses and dweUings. The rest of the island 

 is almost wholly uninhabited. I refer thus particularly to this island be- 

 cause the English have long regarded it with longing eyes; and since the 

 project of a canal across the isthmus of Nicaragua has been seriously en- 

 tertained, and is likely to be carried into effect, but particularly since the 

 large accessions by the United States of territory on the Pacific, they 

 have resolved to possess themselves of it. The alleged debts due by 

 Honduras to England, or rather English subjects, are the basis of opera- 

 tions. They have unquestionably offered to receive this island in pay- 

 ment, in whole or in part, of the debt; but in case the proposition is not 

 accepted, they propose to seize upon it by way of indemnity. England 

 is never in want of pretexts for any act which may promote her interests, 

 real or fancied. Witness the seizure of the island of Raatan, on the At- 

 lantic coast of Honduras, and of the port of San Juan, on the same coast 

 of Nicaragua. The contemplated acquisition of the key to the Gulf of 

 Conchagua is but another step of the same policy which has for its prin- 

 cipal and ultimate object the prevention of American preponderance in 

 the Pacific. Our vessels, merchandise, and citizens passing round Cape 

 Horn, across the isthmus of Panama, or through the proposed ship canal 

 in Nicaragua, would be completely within the power of Great Britain, 

 and might be easily intercepted from this commanding position in the 

 Gulf of Conchagua; besides, the three States of San Salvador, Hondu- 

 ras and Nicaragua, with their great mineral wealth and unlimited agricul- 

 tural productiveness, Avould soon be reduced to the condition of depend- 

 encies of Great Britain, and ultimately be absorbed by her. 



^' Into the southern extremity of the Gulf of Conchagua empties a con- 

 siderable stream called the Estero Real, up which the tide flows for many 

 miles. Its course for a long distance is near the base of the volcanic 

 range which I have mentioned, and in ascending it the voyager takes a 

 direct course to the northern and deepest bay of Lake Managua. There 

 is a sand-bar at the entrance, upon wliich at low tide there are but two or 

 two and a half fathoms of water. The tide rises about ten feet, and 

 with some artificial improvement, it is said, could be made passable at all 

 times. The bar passed, the Estero deepens to five or six fathoms, and 

 pursues a uniform width of from three hundred to four hundred yards. 

 It is one of the most beautiful natural canals that can be imagined; the 

 banks lined with mangroves and a dense background of other trees. 

 Sir Edward Belcher, R. A., who was here in 1838, went thirty miles up 

 the Estero in a vessel drawing ten feet of water, and might have pene- 

 trated further, had it not been for opposing winds." 



