The inhabitants removed whatever aliment they could; and the want of food, and the increase of sick ness, at length compelled the adventurers to re. turn to their ships, which they effected, though not without the loss of nearly half their men. The result of this expedition, however disastrous, has proved the possibility of ascending to this great lake. Some obstacles to complete navigation exist, which might be easily removed. The lake is navi gable for vessels of the largest size to its western shore, where it is separated from the Pacific Ocean by an isthmus not more than fourteen or fifteen miles across. The nature of this isthmus is not very accurately ascertained ; but some travellers have as serted that it is nearly level in many parts, and that channels in which streams already run, demonstrate the practicability of cutting a canal, which would accomplish this great object. It is clear, from the current of the river St Juan, that the lake of Nica ragua is higher than the Carribean Sea. Whether the level of the Carribean Sea is higher than the Pacific, is a problem yet unsolved ; but be that as it may, there can scarcely be a doubt that if a chan nel was once opened, the impetus with which the trade winds drive the water towards the Gulf of Mexico, would increase any opening that was once made, and in a short period give sufficient passage to a vast body of water. On the eastern side of the isthmus the tide does not rise more than twelve or fourteen inches, whilst on the western shore it rises from fourteen to sixteen feet.
The climate of this province is generally healthy, the soil is fruitful, and the aspect of the country so pleasing, that the first discoverers denominated it " El paraiso de Mahomo," or Mabomet's paradise. The air is perfumed with odoriferous plants, there is a constant verdure, from the moisture of the cli mate, and the greatest profusion of beautiful flowers.
Its vegetable productions are hemp, flax, cotton, sugar, with dyeing and medicinal woods and gums. Its mines produce some silver, but the working of them is not very extensive. A small quantity of gold is found by washing in the rivers; but the mineral productions are of trifling importance. The inha bitants increase rapidly, and have some few menu factures; the most celebrated goldsmiths and jewel. lers of America are said to reside here.
The city of Leon, containing a population of about 6000 souls, is the capital of the province. It is on the side of a fresh water lake of its own name, to the north-west of the lake of Nicaragua. It is the see of .a bishop, and has some handsome churches and convents. It is not a place of much commerce, be ing removed from the sea. The nearest port is Re alejo, on the Pacific Ocean, from whence its exports for Panama are shipped. The river Realejo is capable of containing large fleets, but, having a bar, it is dif ficult of entrance, even for the small vessels that car ry on the trade of the western sides of America. Pitch, tar, and cordage, are sent from it to Panama, and sometimes even to Guyaquil.
Granada, sometimes called Nicaragua, is the town of next importance. It is at the south-east extre mity of the lake, and depends principally for its pro. sperity on the intercourse it maintains by the lake with the other parts of the province. The nopal plants in the vicinity of this city furnish some co chineal, but it is inferior to that produced in the province of Oaxaca in Mexico. The only other town of note is St Juan, at the mouth of the river of that name, which runs from the lake to the eastern sea. It is a small place, mostly inhabited by In dians, and very unhealthy.
The province of Honduras, to the northward and 1 westward of Nicaragua, is 390 miles in length, and 150 in its greatest breadth. On its eastern and northern side it is bounded by the Carribean Sea, to which it presents a front of low and marshy land, intersected with innumerable streams, which .com municate a humidity to the atmosphere highly pre judicial to human life.
Though the coast is generally unhealthy, and the soil, though luxuriant, scarcely cultivated, yet, in the interior of the province, where the land gradually rises to hills, end thence to mountains, the agricul ture is considerable and the soil highly fertile. On some of the more elevated spots wheat and other Eu ropean grains are raised. Maize is most abundant, yielding three harvests in the year, and vines are cultivated, which produce fruit twice in the year. Black cattle and sheep are abundant. Honey and bees-wax are furnished in considerable quantities. The most abundant produce, however, is that of ma hogany, logwood, and other dyeing drugs, and these, indeed, compose almost the whole of its exportable commodities. Mines, both of gold and of silver, exist in this province, but they are worked to a very in considerable extent. The number of inhabitants is by no means proportioned to the extent of the.pror vince. Many of the Indian. tribes which compose its population are not only independent but even hostile to the Spaniards, and are maintained in that hostility by their intercourse with the English settlers, who occupy a small part of the province. The principal town on the Spanish part is Comyaguas, or, as it is sometimes called, Valladolid. It is the seat of the governor and the see of a bishop, and, though situat ed on a river which runs to the Bay of Honduras, enjoys but little commerce. It inhabitants are not more than 2500, and mostly Indians. Truxillo is a town in a bay of the same name, and of considerable importance. Its commerce has increased during the wars of Europe, from the intercourse between the United States of America, and the whole captain generalship of Guatimala, having been carried on here. Its situation was favourable for contraband trade, the wants of the interior were increased by the long duration of the war, some understanding probably existed between the governor, the officers of revenue, and the Northern Americans, and hence this city has been increased and enriched consider ably.