That portion of Honduras known as the Musquito coast derived its name, not from the abundance of those troublesome insects, but from a native tribe who at the discovery occupied the shore near Blewfield Lagoon. They are an intelligent people, short in stature, unusually dark in color, with finely cut features, and small straight noses—not at all negroid, except where there has been an admixture of blood. They number about six thousand, many of whom have been partly civilized by the efforts of missionaries, who have reduced the language to writing and published in it a number of works. The Tunglas are one of the sub-tribes of the Musquitos.
On the head-waters of the streams which empty along the Musquito coast reside the numerous tribes of the Ulvas, called by the English Smoos. These are dark, but lighter in color than the Musquitos, and are much ruder and more savage. The custom of flattening the head prevails among them, and as their features are not handsome at the best, and as they are much afflicted with leprous diseases, they are by no means an attractive people.
THE ULVA LINGUISTIC STOCK.
- Bulbuls, see Poyas.
- Carchas or Cukras, on Rio Meco above Matlack Falls.
- Cocos, on Rio Coco.
- Micos, on Rio Mico.
- Parrastahs, on Rio Mico.
- Pantasmas, on upper basin of Rio Coco.
- Melchoras, on Rio de los Ramas.
- Siquias, on upper Rio Mico.
- Smoos, see Woolwas.
- Subironas, on Rio Coco.
- Twakas, at San Blas and on Rio Twaka.
- Woolwas, Ulvas, Smoos, on head-waters of Blewfield river.
The Ramas, described as men of herculean stature and strength, with a language of their own, reside on a small island in Blewfield Lagoon.
Toward the mountains near the head-waters of Black River, are the Payas, also alleged to be a separate stock. But unfortunately we have no specimens of these tongues.[216]
The upper waters of the Rio Frio and its affluents form the locality of the Guatusos or Huatusos. By some older writers these were supposed to be of Nahuatl affinities, and others said that they were “white Indians.” Neither of these tales has any foundation. I have seen some of the Guatusos, and their color is about that of the average northern Indians; and as for their language, of which we have rather full vocabularies, it is not in the slightest related to the Nahuatl, but is an independent stock. They are a robust and agile set, preferring a wild life, but cultivating maize, bananas, tobacco and other vegetables, and knitting nets and hammocks from the fibres of the agave. The huleros, or gatherers of india rubber, persecute them cruelly, and are correspondingly hated. It is doubtful if at present they number over six hundred.[217]
The mountain chain which separates Nicaragua from Costa Rica, and the head-waters of the Rio Frio from those of the more southern and eastern streams, is the ethnographic boundary of North America. Beyond it we come upon tribes whose linguistic affinities point towards the southern continent. Such are the Talamancas, Guaymies, Valientes and others, which I must include, in view of recent researches into their languages, in the next section.