The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1872-01-27

below, or beneath. One yellow belle
who came down from the bamboos to
see us, was evidently more aristocratic
than her kindredj for, in addition to her
! white wrapper, she sheltered her com.
plexion under brown silk umbrella, 10
which her pride as we'll as her purse
was invested. Near these clusters of
huts, rise the neat white house of the
station masters two stories high, with
broad vernudahs aud lattices OF vines.
Here, with his heels on a rail, sits,
smoking a cigar, the Yankee lord and
master Of the settlement. The yard of
the house, enclosed by a white picket
fence, is shaded by cocoauut palms,
oleanders, altheas and other flower.
bearing trees. 1t is pleasant to meet
these civilized spots which, blooming
out at intervals all along the road, maxi
a wonderful contrast TO the hudle Of
dirty huts that lies ou their outskirts.
The railroad frequently touches and
turns away from the Chagres river, but
hually crosses it by a long iron bridge
There is now no life on this muddy
stream, once swarming with adventures
seeking fortune GU the Puci6c coast.
A bunch Of curlew were skimming over
it, and two white cranes stood dozing
on its sandy shore, as wo passed by.
Soon after crossing the river, the road
reaches its summit grade, which is not
high enough to open any distant land
scapes, aud then desceuds rapidly to.
wards the Pacific; winding between the
highlands that form the back bone of
the istbmus, and running out upon the
beach OF Panama before you are aware
OF the proximity Of the sea. Steamers
bound to San Francisco aud to ports in
Central America, lie ut anchor near the
islands Of Flamenco aud Perico, three
miles Off to which ferry boat trans.
fers passengers from the railroad.
THE CITY.
There 10 not much in the city of
Panama to interest stranger. IL is a
hot placej built Of stone on A rock y
peninsula nearly 200 years old. Veg.
citation has long since taken root on the
erumbliug walls erected for its protec.
tiou against buccaneers, aud on the
decayed churches and conveuts that
once attested the piety OF its Spanish
founders. Its natives are a mongrel
race, whose yellow skin and coarse black
hair tell that Indian blood predominates
in them They speak a language us
mixed as their blood, but showing a
Spanish origin. The city has some
trade because it is free port. Linens.
umbrellas, cigars, French wines and
muSlins and rold cheap. Most of the
shops are kept by the family of Isaacs
aud Nathans from Europe aud the Uni.
ted States their thrift gives some life
to the streets. The city is partly lighted
by gas, aud has as good an hotel as can
be found IN the tropics. A tri.wenkly
newspaper is published ia the English
language aud there is u Protestant
Episcopal Mission Church here. under
the charge of Rev. Mr.. Lee, from York
Pennsylvania.
AS the city has no harbor, all vessels
have to lie remote in the bay, in which
the ordinary tides rise and fall IS feet,
and the spring tides % feet. When
the tide GIBBS ii uncovers coral reefs aud
sandy fats in front OF the walls. setting
the town inland. Then groups of lazy
natives may be seen scratching into the
sands in search of coins and trinkets.
believed 10 have been lost ia the early
days when there were more Jewels and
gold III Panama, than now. saw thu
fragment Of finger ring scratched up.
which contained stoae supposed to be
valuable. But my experience is that
valuable things are not to be found so
easily. The energies of these natives
are, however, well.employed 10 scratch.
ing sand, aud they ARE naturally adapt
ed to the business. Perhaps this is not
surprising, since scratching becomes a
natloual propensity in these old aud un.
washed countries, where fleas abound /;
most OF the natives whom [ saw, under
their own vines aud < trees, were earn.
estly engaged iu this pursuit.
IL was on this shore that Europeans
first saw the Pacifs ocean. That was
IN 1913, when the young Spaniard Bal.
boa, with his companions, came up the
Chagres river from the Atlantic coast,
aud marched westward in search of new
domlnions for the king of Spain. The
story says that, after toiling for many
days through tho forest, his Indian
guide assured Balboa that from the top
Of the next hill he would see an ocean.
Leaving his companions, he went up
alone, with the devoutness Of priest
aud the enthusiasm Of warrior, and
beheld the South sea stretching 10 eud.
less prospect before him. When he
reached its shore, he marched into the
water with his armor on, declaring that
he took possession Of this ocean in the
name of the king of Spain, whose right
to 1t he would defend against all enc.
mics.
His followers founded the city of
Panama; not the present city, but
another OF the same name, whose ruins
are on the shore thres miles below.
This city grew rich by traffic in slaves.
and gold and silver from the South, be-
coming one Of the most opulent cities
OF Spanish America II bad av;.,.l
io2 years, when Henry Morgan, the
English freebooter from Jamaica, having
heard OF its wealth, crossed tie isthmus
with twelve hundred men for the pur.
pose of plundering il.
AT that time the old city contained
seven thousand houses built Of native
woods, Of which, it is said, two thousand
were elegantly furnished; their walls
i 81. Il IL