The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1872-01-27
Che Trareller.
From the Nelo York Obsapr.
A Ride Across the Isthmus of Panama
BY WILLIAM L. BLISS.


The Thermometer stood at IS deg,
clear hot morning, November 25th, 1871,
when | took the cars at Colon TO ride to
Panama; u cross, in three hours, from
tho Atlantic to the Pacific ocean, thus
doubling Cape Horn, aud making the
Northwest passage ut the same time
There is nothing TO detain you at Colon,
and only two things are there to attract
your notice ;--one, the bronze statue Of
Columbus which testifes his right to
the hame Of the port; the Other, the
large whayyes and sheds Of the railroad
aud steamboat companies, built for a
business which no longer exists.
The railroad across the isthmus is AZ
miles long, and runs, not as you would
suppose, from east to west, but from
aorth to south. As every artificial work
teuds rapidly to decay in this climate,
the rats 1e laid Gu sleepers of lignum.
vitn aud the telegraph wire is suspend.
ed from pillars ot cement, cast aud
hardened in mould. Riding away from
the Atlantic shore, we pass some patches
OF opeu land gu which cows and horses
are grazing; reminding me of north.
ern farm, But, getting further into
the interior, the eharastec ofeverything
that We see is decidedly tropical. A
dense jungle hedges each side of the
broad roadway 50 deuse that, in many
places, no man eau penetrate it, In the
edge of it, pineapPples, bananas, plan.
tains, avocates aud enormous lemons are
growing wild. Towering vines, which
appear to be a species of our morning
glory vine, cover the larger trees. There
is the marvel Of Peru, with stems us
large as your wrist, its tendrils hanging
in festoons from the lofty cottonwood
trees that rise above the level of the
forest, bearing bellshaped flowers 10
various colors. The ipomea, gay with
flowers Of solierino, creeps over the
edges Of the thickets in which eau be
seen the blossoms OF the acacia tree.
and the bright red and salmon flowers
OF the ricinus, or castor-oil bean. 1t is
impossible to exaggerate the luxuriant
appearance Of the forests rising on either
side OF the road "a mass OF brilliant
vegetation, that astonishes aud pleases
the eye. Paroquets aud monkeys are
chatteriug in the jungle.
Between the rails, aud on the clear.
ing at either side OF the track, grows
the sensitive plant; covering the ground
as dense as the early English primrose,
aud bearing piuk blossom which, in
size and shape, but more featbery, re.
sembles the primrose flower. They who
have thought it a great pleasure to look
ut pots OF the sensitive plant in north.
ern conservatories, can appreciate the
new sensation that | experienced in
walking, when the train stopped, through
a long fold of it,--pausiug to watch its
sensitive leaves shrink away upon the
stems at the approach of my foot; leav.
ing, for short time, my steps as plainly
marked upon the foliage bed, as il they
had been impressed upon the wet sand
VI the seasDore.
There are no towns nor business cen.
ters on the road but several turn outs
and watering stations for the trains.
Here cars passed us loaded with ma.
hogasy, hides, sheep skins, coffee and
rice, from the Pacific, to be shipped at
Colon. At these stations are clusters
of bamboo huis, thatched with palm
leaves, 10 which live the yellow natives
who lind employment occasionally nlong
the line. Their household gods consist
OF naked babies, pigs, puppies and
game-cocks, lying in common fraternity
about the doors. These people have
little use for dry-goods. Their clothing,
what there is OF it, is mostly "honored
in the breach" But on steamer days,
that is when the passenger trains pass,
the women have been taught 10 appear