Sambos, who are of negro and Indian descent, have driven the latter southward and have forced them to relinquish their former domain. Their origin in Honduras is ascribed to the wreck of a large slaver which was driven ashore not far from Cape Gracias a Dios early in the seventeenth century. The negroes escaped, and, mingling with the Indians, soon intermixed with them, and later, by the receipt of firearms and other means of aggression supplied to them, became the masters of the entire region. They engaged extensively in the traffic of slavery, by capturing and selling Indians into bondage. The Indians, thus driven into the interior by the aggression of the Sambos, left the usurpers in power throughout Mosquitia. The number of the Sambos now in Honduras is exceedingly small.

The story of the alleged coming of the Caribs to Honduras is not without romance. They are said to have lived in the island of St. Vincent, in the West Indies, where, at the conclusion of the war between England and France, they were found to be in such sympathy with the French that their deportation in 1796 to Roatan in the Bay Islands was brought about. From the Bay Islands they soon made their way to the mainland of Honduras, where they established a number of settlements near Trujillo. The Caribs who came to Honduras were of the tribes of Black and Yellow Caribs, and the distinction in this direction is apparent after the lapse of a century.

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The Carib is short of stature and well built. He is active, industrious, and provident, with the incalculable aid of his wife or wives. Young says of them: "They are peaceable, friendly, ingenious, and industrious. They are noted for their fondness for dress, wearing red bands around their waists to imitate sashes, straw hats knowingly turned up, clean white shirts and frocks, long and tight trousers. The Carib women are fond of ornamenting their persons with colored beads strung in various forms. When bringing the products of their plantations for sale they appear dressed in calico bodices and lively patterned skirts, with handkerchiefs tied around their heads and suffered to fall negligently behind. The Caribs can not be considered a handsome race, but they are hardy and athletic. The difference in their color is remarkable, some being coal black and others nearly as yellow as saffron.

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"They are scrupulously clean and have a great aptitude for acquiring languages, most of them being able to talk in Carib, Spanish, and English; some even add Creole-French and Mosquito. Polygamy is general among them, some of them having as many as three or four wives; but the husband is compelled to have a separate house and plantation for each. It is the custom when a woman can not do all the work required on the plantation for her to hire her husband. * * * Men accompany them on their trading excursions, but never by any chance carry the burdens, thinking it far beneath them."

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The Caribs are engaged in agriculture, and serve as stevedores at the ports and roadsteads.

Squier, in commenting on the Indians of Honduras, says: "The existing Indian element in Honduras, left to itself, promises little or nothing for the development of the country; yet, with the introduction of an intelligent and enterprising people, their industry may probably be turned to good account. Frugal, patient, and docile, they have many of the best qualities of a valuable laboring population, and only lack direction to become an important means in the physical regeneration of the country. The Caribs certainly have shown great capacity for improvement, and at their present rate of increase must always be able to supply every industrial demand which may be created on the nothern coast, where the climate is least favorable for the introduction of foreign labor."

CHAPTER II.

GOVERNMENT AND CONSTITUTIONAL ORGANIZATION-LAW OF CITIZENSHIP-RIGHTS OF FOREIGNERS-GUARANTEES-CIVIL AND COMMERCIAL LAWS-RELIGION.

CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT.

Rule of Spanish Government.-Columbus first stepped on the ground of the American continent in what is now the Republic of Honduras. He discovered the island of Guanaja (or Bonacca) on his fourth voyage, in 1502. From this island he beheld, toward the southward, high mountains rising above the sea. Setting his course in that direction, he reached a point which he called "Punta de Casinas" (now Cape of Honduras), and took possession of the country on the 14th of August, 1502, on behalf of the Crown of Spain. From this point, sailing eastward, he skirted the coast (of Honduras) as far as Cape Gracias á Dios, named so by him in gratitude for his safe journey.

Some twenty years later Hernando Cortez, the conqueror of the empire of Mexico, made an expedition from Tehuantepec, across what is now the Republic of Guatemala, into Higueras, or the present State of Honduras, arriving at the point where Columbus landed after two years of wandering under tremendous difficulties. From this time forth Honduras constituted a part of the captain-generalcy of Guatemala, which comprised Central America.

Declaration of independence.-The various intendencias, Guatemala, Honduras, Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica, threw off their allegiance to Spain in 1821 and became sovereign States. Soon afterwards the several States united in a confederacy called the "Republic of Central America," which continued in consequence of internal dissensions and struggles of factions only until 1839, when the union was dissolved. Attempts to form a union of the Central American States were made again in 1842, 1847, 1852, 1889, and 1898. The union of Central American States of Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala lasted but one month.

Present constitution.—The first constitution of Honduras was framed in 1848, the second in 1865, the third in 1880. The fourth and present constitution became operative on January 1, 1895. The form of government is representative and republican. Division I of the constitution declares Honduras a separate State of the Republic of Central America, and empowers the legislative branch of the Government to