369 
CHAPTEB XXIII. 
BLEWFIELDS RIVER.-THE GREAT STORM OP 1865. —BOAT IM¬ 
PALED ON COCOA-NUT-TREE. - NEW PIELD POR PROFESSOR 
OWEN AND DR. GUNTHER.-STRONG AND WEAK DOLLARS.- 
HOW TO MAKE A CHOWPA.—LAYING IN PROVISIONS. 
There are several natural highways leading into the 
interior of Mosquito,—I mean its rivers,—which form 
quite a feature on the maps of the country. They 
take their rise in the chain of mountains which divide 
the watershed of the Atlantic from that of the Pa¬ 
cific ; and, although not navigable for more than about 
half their length, yet, looked at in conjunction with 
the extensive system of lagoons which lie parallel to 
the coast, and reach from Blewfields almost to Cape 
Gracias a Dios, they give to Mosquito, taking into 
consideration the limited extent of its area, an inland 
navigation, unrivalled on the entire continent. Cer¬ 
tainly no similar section of country on the Atlantic 
side of America, from the St. Lawrence to the Parana, 
not even excepting that containing the Mississippi, 
the Orinoco, or the Amazon, can boast such a perfect 
means of intercommunication between their river out- 
2 B 
