INTRODUCTION. 
for some months, until the work was finished, when he received an appointment as 
Ornithological Clerk in the Division of Economic Ornithology and Mammalogy (now the 
Biological Survey) in the Department of Agriculture, remaining until the middle of 
January, 1892. During the summer of 1891 he met three young men who were expecting 
to engage in horticultural work in Central America (Honduras) and was invited to join 
them. The prospect of taking up a residence in a tropical country, where he could study 
and collect birds appealed to him, and he decided to become one of their number, if possible. 
He had no funds (being still engaged in helping to support a large family), but thought 
he might raise the necessary capital by the sale of his collection of birds. In this he was 
successful, the National Museum coming to his rescue. He stipulated that his brother 
should be one of the party, which was agreed to, and after much scheming and preparation 
the five members sailed from New York, with a large outfit, for Greytown, Nicaragua. 
A stop of one day at Kingston, Jamaica, enabled Richmond to get a few birds from that 
island. A few days later the “ Coban 55 reached Greytown, where the party remained 
for a couple of months, making further preparations. During this time, Richmond 
collected specimens in various branches of natural history ; helped in the work of modifying 
a 25-foot life-boat (taken from the wreck of the “ Aguan 55 on Roncador Reefs) into a 
decked-over sail-boat of strange design for use on the proposed voyage to Honduras ; and 
also made a visit to Lake Nicaragua, thence up the Rio Frio to the Guatusa Indian 
habitations of Costa Rica. 
In April, the party began its voyage up the coast for Honduras, in a greatly overloaded 
craft, Richmond refusing to go until a capable “ Carib ” sailor was hired as a navigator. 
The boat was not only overloaded but was top-heavy, and while being prepared for the trip 
excited much comment among sea-faring men, who wagered among themselves that the 
party would or would not reach its destination. On this account the craft was christened 
the “ Forlorn Hope,” and the little 12-foot dug-out canoe that was added to its equipment 
was called the “ Last Chance ”—both' suitable names. When the boat put to sea, two 
of the men (who had the book-lore concerning yachting) promptly became seasick, while 
two others were suffering from grave attacks of malaria, leaving the Carib and Richmond 
available as able seamen. Bluefields, the first port on the coast, about 60-70 miles away, 
was reached in about eight days, after innumerable troubles, and in a water-logged 
condition. Supplies of all kinds were much damaged by salt water, and the voyagers 
decided to spend some time there, drying and salvaging their effects. Three of the members, 
including Richmond, made an excursion in the “ Forlorn Hope ” up the Escondido River, 
and reached a point about 50 miles from its mouth, where they met a congenial American, 
one of the owners of the International Planting Company's plantation (called the “ I.P.” 
plantation for short), who invited them to begin their enterprise there, and make the planta¬ 
tion their headquarters. They decided to do so, and shortly returned to Bluefields to 
pack up their effects and remove the two invalids to the plantation. By the middle of 
June the two members who had first suffered from malaria were nearly recovered, but 
the other three promptly came down with it. Thence on, it was a constant source of 
trouble. Richmond's brother had had enough of it, and made arrangements to return 
home at once; another member of the party started for Washington in November, and a 
few days later one of the remaining three died of the malady. 
vn. 
