The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-03-25

DELAY Of sometime We started on our way
across the famous Isthmus-and over the
road that Ills said might be paved from
one end Of it to the other, with the
bones Of those who peFished while build
ing it. The time Of running Is very slow,
and We had ample Opportunity TO see
everything Of interest
A part Of the country Is cultiyated, but
in some places It Is in al Its native Wild.
ness, The foliage Of plants and trees was
q bright green, and The rank grass and
ferns were also the result Of the humid
atmosphere-unlike California, where the
grass in tho dry season looks like brown
wire, and the shrubs have a parched,
shrunken look unless irrigated. Many
varieties Of palm were on our route, and
one, that We could not learn the name Of,
had large punches Of q yellowish red
fruit growing like tho banana, but the
size Of an egg-plumb. We passed native
houses, from which women and children
came outside to look at the passing train,
but the men we saw were stretched at full
length in their hammOCks, and only lifted
head for moment tOgaZe at US, Planta-
tons OF bananas grew on either side Of
US, and occasionally lime tree very
near the track, Each time the train
stopped there was wild scramble for
flowers, to be inspected ut our leisure, Us
the train moved on. One proved to be
precisely like sprig Of coral, and one OF
the ladies wore ii Us brooch for day or
two before it faded; others were like
hollyhocks in form, but OF rich, varied
hucs; while the most interesting was
the shrinking sensitive plant. Three
hours were soon over, and we were
warned Of the near approach to
Aspinwall by the general Prepara-
tons for departure, This old town
is built upon fiat, and surrounded by
marshy land on two sides, the houses
miserable, tumbled down affairs, and with
few streets, the most OF these narrow,
dirty by-ways Cocoa palms were grow
ing in the streets where We left the train,
and it was q walk OF few yards to the
wharf of the Pacific Mall Steamship
Company. The covered building here
was large and with ample storage room.
Crossing il We were soon domiclled IN
our other home to DO for ten days. And
then, after dinner, We organized party OF
exploration, each member entertaining
shopping idea too, for here things were
said to DO marvelouSly cheap. In tho
long twilight Of tho tropics We rOamed
through tho streets, first going up the
main thorOughfarc, crowded with natiyes,
Jamaica negroes unda few whites, The
stores were like open-boothS, and many
stands Of fruit were out in tho street,
tended by women, EvOry second building
seemed drinking saloon. In one
store some of us purchased some
bay rum, supposed to be like In
quality to n bOttle in the Captains pos
session, and the sample on the counter,
was really the same, delightful in odor,
but, nh, our purchase proved anything
else when opened n day after We had
sailed. Then, many boxes Of cigars
bought so cheap on this memorable even
ing, proved to DO good only In the
top layer, while the remainder could not
be smoked at all, and for days afterwards
furnished amusement by offering lib
orally and then watching the recipient
OF them puff and blow in tho vain effort
to mako them draw, and then in utter
disgust pitch the cigar into the sea, only
to be Commiscratcl by his companions
on his sea sickness, notwithstanding II
stout denial Of anything Of the kind, We
also failed to find the much Wanted
linen lawns and we're soon willing to
leave the stores, to wander on to where
a monument, or, rather, statue, Of
Columbus had been recently erected.
We could sec but little IN the dim
light and wcro content to be told
1t was Columbus Just rs We
had been in Washington to Be told that
the Equestrian statue was one OF jackson,
Lights ahead proved alluring to us silly
moths, and surprising it to be tho Com
mandanto's Headquarters we entered n
large airy room, wclllighted, with bench.
es and chairs and In tho center Of the
room table strcwn with books and pa-
pers. From tho open doorway OH the
other side we could sec the water and
hear the sound OF the waves, Couch"
screamed one Of tie Indies, "a tarnRtula.
I'm sure IL will bile me!' And such a
mounting Of tables and chairs, only to
find that 1t was n huge Cockroacli, nj.
most as formidable to us as a poisonous
insect. We left the creature in possession.
to walk back over the crowded pathway,
came very near getting into u crowd Of
fighting negroes and again reaching the
cocoon palm grove, stood for moment
resting, casting one look on the tall trees,
and bade good bye tothe tropics.