The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1872-01-27
Chr Trartller.
From the Nep York Observer.
A Ride Across the Isthmus of Panama


The thermometer stood at IS deg,
clear hot morning, November 25th, 1871,
when | took the cars at Colon to ride to
Panama To cross, in three hours, from
the Atlantic to the Pacific ocean, thus
doubling Cape Horn, aud making the
Northwest passage at 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 testiiies his right to
the hame Of the port the other, the
large whayves 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
north to south. As every artificial work
tends rapidly to decay iu this climate,
the rats We laid Gu sleepers of lignum.
vitae aud the telegraph wire is suspend.
ed from pillars Of cement, cast aud
hardened in mould Riding away from
the Atlantic shore, we pass some patches
OF open land on which cows and horses
are grazing; reminding me of a north.
ern farm. But, getting further into
the Interior, the character OF everything
that we see is decidedly tropical. A
dense jungle hedges each side Of the
broad roadway; so dense that, 10 many
places, no mau can penetrate it. In the
edge of il, pineappples, Dauanas, plan.
tains, ayocates aud enormous lemons are
growing wild. Towering vines, which
appear to be species OF our morning
glory vine, cover the larger trees. There
is the marvel of Peru, with stems as
large as your wrist, its tepdrils hanging
in festoons from the lofty cotton.w wood
trees that rise above the level of the
forest, bearing bell shaped flowers 10
various colors, The ipomea, gay with
flowers Of solierino, creeps over the
edges Of the thickets 10 which eau be
seen the blossoms OF the acacia tree,
and the bright red and salmon flowers
Of the riciuus, or castor.oil bean. Il is
impossible to exaggerate the luxuriant
appearance ofthe forests rising on either
side Of the road, "a mass Of brilliant
vegetation, that astonishes aad pleases
the eye. Paroquots 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,
and bearing pink blossom which, in
size and shape, but more feathery, re-
sembles the primrose flower. They who
have thought it great pleasure to look
at pots of the sensitive plant in north.
ern conseryatories, can appreciate the
new sensation that l experienced in
walking, when the train stopped, through
long field Of it,-pausing to watch its
sensitive leaves shrink away upon the
stems at the approach Of my foot; leay-
ing, for a short time, my steps as plainly
marked upon the foliage bed, as if they
had been impressed upon the wet sand
Of the seashore.
There are no towns nor business CEN
tiers on the road but several turn outs
and watering stations for the trains.
Here cars passed US loaded with ma.
hogany, hides, sheep skins, coffee aud
rice, from the Pacific, to be shipped at
Colon. At these stations are clusters
Of bamboo huts, matched with palm
leaves, 10 which live the yellow natives
who fud employment occasionally along
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 ii, is mostly ''honored
ia the breach" But on steamer days,
that is when the passenger trains pass,
the women have been Taught 10 appear