. The earth and its inhabitants .. . BRITISH HONDURAS (BELIZE). ^ HIS colonial territory, one of the lea'^t important in the vast British Empire, is, geographically speaking, nothing more than a section of Yucatan, conventionally severed from the peninsula. On the north, however, the frontier towards Mexico is distinctly marked by the southern shores of Chetumal Bay, tmd by the course of the Rio Hondo. Southwards the Rio Sarstun (Sarstoon) has been chosen as the political boundary as far as the so-called Gracias-Ã -Dios rapids. From this point an arbitrary parting-line runs nearly north to Gai
. The earth and its inhabitants .. . BRITISH HONDURAS (BELIZE). ^ HIS colonial territory, one of the lea'^t important in the vast British Empire, is, geographically speaking, nothing more than a section of Yucatan, conventionally severed from the peninsula. On the north, however, the frontier towards Mexico is distinctly marked by the southern shores of Chetumal Bay, tmd by the course of the Rio Hondo. Southwards the Rio Sarstun (Sarstoon) has been chosen as the political boundary as far as the so-called Gracias-Ã -Dios rapids. From this point an arbitrary parting-line runs nearly north to Gaibutt's Falls on the Rio Viejo (Mopan, or Belize), and is continued thence to the Rio Hondo. This line, laid down by the treaty of 18(d0, but not actually surveyed, is assumed very nearly to coincide with 89*^ 30' west longitude. Physically an integral part of Yucatan, this region was also politically regarded as within the Spanish main ever since the year 1506 or 1508, when its shores were visited by Yafiez Pinzon and Juan Bias de Solis. But towards the close of the seventeenth centur}^ some English corsairs seized the island of Carmen, which half closes the entrance to the Terminos lagoon on the opposite side of Yucatan. In 1717 they were driven from their stronghold by a Spanish flotilla, and then took refuge on the east coast of the peninsula ; here they founded a settlement, which, from the name of their leader, was known as Wallace, a terra afterwards corrupted by the Spaniards to Bclice or Belize. In this outlying station, far removed from the centre of Spanish authority, they easily held their ground, and, with the aid of the Indians and half-caste negroes, even overran the surrounding districts. But in 1730 an expedition was sent against them, which seized their boats, and fired their cabins and the piles of logwood collected on the beach. After the departure of the Spaniards, the English settlers returned from the forests where they had taken refuge, and reoccupied th
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