A lady's ride across Spanish Honduras

A determined Englishwoman finds herself perched in a San Francisco hotel, weighing the costs of a sea‑to‑land expedition across 19th‑century Honduras. She measures the expense and risk of a steamer to Panama and a perilous trek over the ruins of an abandoned railway against a direct Pacific crossing to Amapala, where a trusted local promises mules and a guide. The narrative opens with her witty calculations, vivid portraits of fever‑prone ports, and an earnest resolve to trade comfort for the untamed mountain trails few Europeans have ever ridden.

Undaunted by the prospect of crossing swollen streams and navigating rough roads, she enlists a loyal servant and an experienced muleteer to barter for food and water along the way. The opening pages hint at the dramatic geography—towering peaks, dense jungle, and crumbling railway bridges—that will test her stamina and ingenuity. With a quiet confidence and a sense of divine companionship, she sets out, inviting listeners to share each sunrise and unexpected obstacle on her remarkable ride.