Bay Islands, a small group in the Bay of Honduras, 150 miles SE. of Balize. The cluster was proclaimed a British colony in 1852, but in 1859 they were ceded to the republic of Honduras. The chief of the six islands are Roatan (30 by 9 miles; 900 feet high), and Guanaja, whence in 1502 Columbus first sighted the mainland of America. Total pop. 5000.
Bay Islands
Chambers's Encyclopaedia, Volume 1: A to Beaufort, p. 808
Source scan(s): p. 0835