Page:Narrative of an Official Visit to Guatemala.djvu/464

444 notice of enterprising individuals: this beautiful river is at all times navigable for forty leagues from its mouth to the Barranco Colorado, and, in the rainy seasons, as far as Maniani, which is four leagues from the city of Comaiagua: the Aguan is also navigable to Olanchito.

The executive government being desirous of seeing a steam-navigation adopted in some or all of these rivers, ordered, on the 22d June, 1824, a despatch to be sent to their minister in the United States, authorizing him to receive proposals from the merchants of that country for carrying the same into effect.

There are many large lakes which at once ornament and fertilize this country: the Golfo Dulce of Honduras and the lake of Nicaragua, by which the water-communication between the two seas is in process of being adopted, are most worthy of attention. They are well calculated for the navigation of steam-vessels.