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Show HONDURAS: LAND OF RIVERS AND BIG DEBT Honduras, least developed of the five Latin American countries which nro now considering the fonnntton of a "United States of Central Amerjca," Is n country of hills and valleys ; ' or" rain nnd sunshine; of largo nnd small rivers. A half dozen rivers may be.crossqd In one day, nnd while they nro usually narrow nnd shallow, n few hours' rnln will turn them Into roaring . torrentB, absolutely lmpussnblc. A traveler may bevheld up for mnny days by n stream that when ho first crossed It was less than three feet In depth. Hondulu 'i. fc.ild to bo the mast backward of all the Central American republics, and sho will remain so until railroads cross tho country and the, government becomes stnhlo. TIieri; there will be great opportunltes there, for mni.y, nnd Americans nnd American Ameri-can capital will always bo welcome. Tho country ls Just n little larger thnn tho State of Pennsylvania, yet It has n populntlon ot only n little more thnn half n million. It has the largest per capita debt ot any country on the faco of the globo except New Zenland nt least It hnd tiofore the present European wnr upset nil statistical conditions. con-ditions. It owes ?220 per capita. Most of this debt was created by loan-shnrlt methods, however, Bur Honduras would agree to pay $10 to get one or some such ridiculous proportion. Tho nnmo of the- country Is snld to be derived from n Spnnlsh term meaning mean-ing "depth," tho early explorers having hav-ing found difficulty In striking water shallow enough for anchorage. They were so delighted when they reached the Nicaragua!! shore nearby thnt they called tho headland "Capo Orceins n Dlos" (Capo Thanks to God), n name It still holds. As n rule, the night will be spent In n native house,' sometimes Uttlo more than n hut. built of mud, thatched or roofed with tiles. One Is apparently always welcome to the best the house affords; but a hammock ns pnrt of the ' traveler's outfit Is a necessity, for tho -beds of stretched hull-hide or canvas nro usuully fully occupied, If not by those at whoso homes you nro a guest, then by other rosldonts greatly to be fen red. Everybody sleeps In ono room men, women, nnd children together. Your hosts nro curious, but politely so, watching 'you undress nnd get Into your hammock, with fi calm atnre theft must not ho considered Impertinent, for n white man is mi' mi every-dny visitor One li-ams m ' 'm tn iirulrus eu;fWe!y. |