as there are many Caribs, still a strong race of Indians,
having a strict and severe criminal law of their own. They are employed
mostly as mahogany cutters, and are energetic, intelligent and
thoroughly reliable workmen. Puerto Cortez in Honduras has the finest
harbour on the whole Atlantic coast of Central America.

Note.--St Thomas is supposed to have visited and civilized the Central
American Indians, as Quetzalcohuatl did in Mexico.

On leaving New Orleans it had been my intention to enter Nicaragua and
report to a certain New Orleans newspaper on the conditions in that most
distressful country; said paper having commissioned me to do so.
Entrance to the State could only be made from Guatemala, but that
country's consul in New Orleans refused to issue the necessary passport.
Had I gone as an Englishman, and not as an American, there might have
been no difficulty. As said before, Central American States have a dread
and suspicion of Yankees. This was at the time that two Yankee
revolutionists had been shot by the President of Nicaragua.

The next place of call was Limon, the port of Costa Rica. Every foot of
land on these coasts, suitable for the growth of bananas, has been
bought up by the great American Fruit Co., a company of enormous
resources and great enterprise. Limon is a delightful little town from
whence the railway runs to San Jose, the capital, which stands some 4000
feet above sea-level. Costa Rica is a peace-loving little state,
prosperous, and enjoying a delightful climate. Much coffee and cocoa is
grown, shaded by the Bois immortel or madre de Cacao. The live-stock
industry is also a large one, and the animals seen on the high grassy
plains are well grown and apparently well bred enough. I visited
Cartago, a city which soon afterwards was destroyed by an earthquake.

On the railroad trip up to and back from the capital we passed through
lovely and romantic scenery, high hills, deep ravines and virgin
tropical forest. The rainy season was at its height, and how it rained!
The river was a raging torrent, and from the railway "cut" alongside
continuous land-slides of loose gravelly soil were threatening the track
with demolition. Indeed, at some points this had actually occurred, and
the train several times had to be stopped to allow the gangs of workmen
to clear the way. A bad slide, had it hit the train, would have pushed
the whole thing into the deep and turbulent river. All the passengers
were mu