XII 
CENTRAL AMERICA 
Owing to their many points of similarity in 
productions and climate and their geographi 
cal position, the five republics of Central 
America, the English colony of British Hon 
duras, as well as the Republic of Panama, may 
be considered together. 
Nicaragua and Costa Rica were discovered 
by Columbus on his last voyage to the New 
World in 1502, and a small settlement was 
made by him in Costa Rica, which the In 
dians afterwards destroyed, being incensed by 
the treatment received at the hands of the in 
vaders. In 1540 a further attempt to estab 
lish a trading-post was successful and finally 
in 1565 a Spanish governor was appointed, 
these colonies having proved to be valuable 
acquisitions to the crown. 
In the meantime, Cortez, having completely 
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