Now such a dialogue took place, or might have taken place, on the Mosquito Shore. For all artistic purposes it did take place; and, as my book is chiefly devoted to the Mosquito man and his country, it shall be called Waikna—a word that, in the Mosquito tongue, means simply Man, but which is proudly claimed as the generic designation of the people of the entire coast.

CONTENTS.

PAGE
CHAPTER I.
Jamaica, and how the Author got there—A solemn Soliloquy—An Artist Tempted—Painting a Portrait—The Schooner Prince Albert—Captain and Crew—Antonio—Superstitions—Gathering of the Storm—A Scene of Terror—The Shipwreck [13]
CHAPTER II.
“El Roncador”—The Escape—Coral Cays—Scene with the Dead—A Night of Fever—Delirium—Island Scenes—Turtles—A cruel Practice—Sail ho!—An Encounter—Revolvers versus Knives—Departure from “El Roncador”—Island of Providence—A Scene of Revelry—Away for the Mainland [36]
CHAPTER III.
Approach to Bluefields—An Imperial City—New Quarters—Mr. Hodgson—The Mosquito King—“George William Clarence!”—Grog versus Gospel—The “Big-Drunk”—A Mosquito Funeral—Singular Practices—Superstitions—An ill-fated Colony—Sad Reflections [56]
CHAPTER IV.
Rama Indians—Departure from Bluefields—Canoe Voyage—Strange Companionship—The “Haulover”—Our first Encampment—Epicurean Episode—Night under the Tropics—Life on the Lagoons—Pearl Cay Lagoon—Climbing after Cocoa-Nuts—A Solitary Grave—Mangroves—Soldier Crabs—Roseate Spoonbill—River Wawashaan—Deserted Plantation—Sambo Settlement—“A King-Paper”—Extraordinary Reception—Captain Drummer—King’s House—Vanilla Plant—Philanthropy—A Dance—“Spoiled Head”—Fire-light Fishing—Night Scene [76]
CHAPTER V.
Visit to the Turtle Cays—Spearing Turtle—Jumping Turtle—Return to the Lagoon—Off again—Native Indigo—Another Haulover—Tropical Torments—Braving the Bar—Great River—Temporal Camp—Continuous Rain—Doleful Dumps—Freaks of the Flood—Rain, Rain!—Craw-Fish—“El Moro”—The Manzanilla—Guavas—The Release [105]
CHAPTER VI.
On the River—Strong Currents—An Indian Village—A Woolwa Welcome—Ceremonious Reception—Relations of the Indians—Their Habits—A Tabooed Establishment—Projected Sport—Hunting the Manitus—Habits of the Animal—The Attack—Great Excitement—Successful Capture—Division of the Spoil—Instruments of the Chase—Another Epicurean Episode [122]
CHAPTER VII.
Departure—The Plantain-Tree—Bisbire—Nocturnal Noises—“Stirring up the Animals”—At Sea Again—Mollusca of the Caribbean—Walpasixa—The Moonlit Ocean—Prinza-pulka River—Vines and Verdure—Savannahs—Village of Quamwatla—Inhospitable Reception—A Retreat—Fatal Encounter—A Trial of Cunning—Tropical Thunder-Storm—A Second Encounter—The Fight, and the Triumph—Flight—Asylum in the Forest—The Explanation [138]
CHAPTER VIII.
Tapir Camp—A Picturesque Retreat—Wild Life—Palm Wine—Queen of the Forest—Pine Ridges—Parrots and Paroquets—A Fright—“Only a Dante”—Trapping the Tapir—Successful Result—Narrow Escape—“An Army with Banners”—Honey-bees—Communion with Nature—Once more on the Lagoons [162]
CHAPTER IX.
Lagoons of the Mosquito Shore—Indians and Sambos—Life among the Lagoons—Aquatic Birds—Silk-Cotton Tree—Water Plant—Night Traveling—Tongla Lagoon—Fishing—A Disagreeable Discovery—The Chase—Prospect of a Fight—Successful Device—Diamond cut Diamond—Safely off—Wava Lagoon—Attack of Fever—Primitive Physic—Poisonous Reptiles—My Poyer Boy Bitten—The Cure [179]
CHAPTER X.
Leave Fever Camp—Towkas Indians—Formal Reception—Singular Practices—Towka Marriage—Extraordinary Ceremonies—Presents Propitiatory—Shouldering the Responsibility—Marriage Festival—How to get Drunk—The End of it—Wild Animals—Indian Rabbits—The Curassow—Chachalaca—Gibeonite—River Turtle—Savory Cooking [200]
CHAPTER XI.
Duckwarra Lagoon—Aboriginal Relics—Sandy Bay—Mosquito Fashions—Sambos of Sandy Bay—General Peter Slam—An English Captain—Brutality—Interference—A Drunken Debauch—Mishla Drink—Dances and Songs—A Sukia Woman—Opportune Warning—Hurried Departure—Power of the Sukias—Making Mishla—A Disgusting Operation [215]
CHAPTER XII.
Cape Gracias—Its Inhabitants—Fine Savannah—Sambo Practices—Novel Mode of Hunting—Island of San Pio—Mangrove Oysters—Trial of the Sukia—A Mysterious Seeress—Superstitions of the Sambos—Wulasha and Lewire—Character and Habits of the Mosquitos—Drunkenness—Decrease—Festival of the Dead—New Plans—River Wanks or Segovia—Iguanas—Armadillos [234]
CHAPTER XIII.
River Bocay—New Scenery—End of the Savannahs—Indian Village—The Messenger—A Night Adventure—Sanctuary of the Sukia—Hoxom-Bal, the Mother of the Tigers—Mysteries—Ruins among the Mountains—Serious Impressions—A Tale of Wanks River—Harry F. and the Padre of Pantasma [251]
CHAPTER XIV.
Up the Cape River—Imposing Scenery—Storm among the Mountains—Influence of the Moon’s Rays—River Tirolas—Mountain Streams—Picturesque Embarcadero—A Sweet Encampment—An Accident—Laid up—Send off the Poyer Boy for Help—Speedy Recovery—Monkeys—An Encounter with the Pigs—To Eat or to be Eaten, a wide Difference—Return of the Poyer—Abandonment of the Canoe—“El Moro” again—Ascent of the Mountains—Another Temporal—Reflections on Fire [272]
CHAPTER XV.
The Crest of the Mountains—A Desert Waste—Descent—Rio Guallambre—Gold Washing—The Poyer Village—Habits of the Poyers—Plantations—Poisoning Fish—Primitive Arts—Indian Naiads—Patriarchal Government—Departure—Rio Amacwass—Rio Patuca—“Gateway of Hell”—Approach to the Sea—Brus Lagoon [290]
CHAPTER XVI.
Arrival at Brus—A Festival—Hospitality—Loss of the Poyer Boy—Civilization of the Caribs—Cocoa-Groves—Sanitary Precautions—Wild-Fig or Banyan-Tree—Habits of the Caribs—Industry—The Mahogany-Cutters—Celebration of their Return—A Carib Dandy—Polygamy—Singular Practices—A Carib Crew—Departure—The Bay of Honduras—The Bottom of the Sea—Island of Guanaja—Night—Sombre Soliloquies—Antonio’s Secret—The Rousing of the Indians—Deep-laid Schemes of Revenge—The Voice of the Tiger in the Mountains [312]
APPENDIX.
A—Historical Sketch [335]
B—Notes and Extracts [354]
C—Mosquito Vocabulary [363]

ILLUSTRATIONS.

NUMBERPAGE
1.ILLUSTRATIVE TITLE[1]
2.MAP OF MOSQUITO SHORE[12]
3.THE ARTIST[13]
4.MY LANDLADY[22]
5.ANTONIO CHUL[28]
6.THE SHIPWRECK[35]
7.THE ESCAPE[36]
8.“SHELLING” TURTLES[46]
9.A SAIL! A SAIL![48]
10.“EL RONCADOR”[52]
11.APPROACH TO BLUEFIELDS[56]
12.GOING TO THE FUNERAL[67]
13.A MOSQUITO BURIAL[70]
14.AFLOAT IN THE LAGOON[76]
15.CLIMBING AFTER COCOAS[84]
16.A MANGROVE SWAMP[85]
17.THE ROSEATE SPOONBILL[89]
18.CAPTAIN DRUMMER[93]
19.TURTLE CAYS[105]
20.SPEARING TURTLE[109]
21.TEMPORAL CAMP[117]
22.A FRESHET IN THE RIVER[122]
23.HUNTING THE MANITUS[133]
24.HARPOONS AND LANCES[136]
25.TROPICAL VERDURE[138]
26.MARINE MOLLUSCA[143]
27.ON THE MOONLIT SEA[144]
28.VILLAGE OF QUAMWATLA[149]
29.FIGHT NEAR QUAMWATLA[153]
30.TAPIR CAMP[162]
31.PALMETTO ROYAL[166]
32.THE DEATH OF THE TAPIR[172]
33.BIRDS OF THE LAGOONS[179]
34.LIFE AMONG THE LAGOONS[182]
35.CHASE ON TONGLA LAGOON[189]
36.FEVER CAMP[200]
37.TOWKAS INDIANS[202]
38.THE END OF IT![210]
39.TOWN OF SANDY BAY[215]
40.A GOLDEN IDOL[217]
41.GENERAL PETER SLAM[221]
42.SUKIA OF SANDY BAY[228]
43.CAPE GRACIAS A DIOS[234]
44.HUNTING DEER[237]
45.RIVER BOCAY[251]
46.THE MOTHER OF THE TIGERS[256]
47.SANCTUARY OF THE SUKIA[259]
48.SCENERY ON THE RIVER WANKS[272]
49.EMBARCADERO ON THE TIROLAS[276]
50.THE WAREE[283]
51.THE MOUNTAIN CREST[290]
52.A POYER VILLAGE[295]
53.“THE GATEWAY OF HELL”[309]
54.VIEW AT BRUS[312]
55.APPROACH TO GUANAJA[325]
56.REVEALING THE SECRET[332]

MAP of Mosquito Shore