Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-03-21
IsTHMUS OF PANAMA.
MATTERS OF INTEREST TO TRAY
ELERS AT THE TROPICS.
Strange Mixture of People-Their
Customs-Great Mortahty-A
Whirlpool of Crime.


Panama we found to be place of much in
terest. So wonderful did everything seem
that, at the risk of being called "green."
we asked many questions and did much
staring. The great cocoa-nut palms, with
leaves full twenty feet long; the little
banana trees, goaning under great clus-
tiers of fruit, and proudly displaying grace
ful leaves foot wide and ten feet long,
were enough of themselves to inspire one
with wonder. But when We add variety
of feathered songsters Of great brilliancy
and beauty, such as are never seen IN our
northern homes immense lizards three
and four feet long; boa snakes that could
kill and crush a man as easily as man
could kill peewit; chattering monkeys;
immense alligators; wild cats, tigers and
hyenas that are to be met within five miles
OF the line of civilization-when we con-
slider these, the interest deepens.
TIE INHABITANTS.
But more intensely interesting than the
trees, the birds and the wild animals were
the people. Such people! In Aspinwall
we had this for passing incident; Down
the principal street walked woman who
was proud of her clothes. Her buff silk
dress was Of latest style; her satin shoes
displayed anice foot; her bonnet, neat and
new, boosted a nice plume; her gloves and
neck gear were faultless, and she twisted
and flirted her body from side to side, as
much as to say, Law, how nicely ! am
dressed Who would have dreamed it !"
At her side, chatting merrily with her,
walked another woman, swaying and swing
ing her body as proudly as her companion,
and seeming to say as plainly as actions
could say it, {" Lool; at me, too See how
nicely my butternut skin shines See my
bare feet and notice how clean they arei
See my bare arms, bare neck and naked
BODY, and notice how nice and graceful
they are, See my nice white petticoat
(the only garment she had ON, and notice
in particular the lace and plating around
the bottom, and how nicely it is starehed
and ironed!"
DRESSED AND UNDRESSED.
On a back street were groups of children
of ali ages, some entirely and others partly
naked. Those who were naked manifested
10 shame, and seemed 20 not be conscious
that they were different from those who
were decently dressed and so far as could
Judge, those who were dressed seemed I'M
conscious of any existing differences be-
tween themselves and those who were
naked. There were negroes, and mulattoes,
and Spaniards, and mestizoes, and Indians,
and Cinnamon, and crosses from all these,
intermingled like one great happy fam
ily," but the largest portion were negroes.
Little haif5Spanish, half-Indian soldiers,
With large eyes, large mouths, and diminu-
tive feet, in shoes size too small marched
up and down the streets as guardians ofthe
peace. They were as much below our
American soldiers, in appearance and in.
tellect, as dung Chill chicken is below a
cochin-china fowl.
THE CIYILIzING PROCESS.
After we got through staring, we made
inquiry for the Protestant minister-a
good missionary sent out three years be-
fore by Bishop William Taylor, on the
plan of self-support.
Vas sa'," said the old negro, in answer
to our question; q knows him, 'Spect.
Mighty fine man he are, too, shows yer
bawn Been hyer nigh bout gwine on ter
three year, preacher an preachen-a
wearen hisself ont body an soul. He
preacher hyer in de mawnen every Sun
day, at prezactly eight o'clock; den he's off
through de bilen sun, a walllin' away up
ter Monkey Hill, whar he preacher agen
at eleben: den he walk back, an preacher
hyer agen in de ebening, an den
he holden de prayer meetin', he meets
de committee peoples he preacher
three times durin' de week to de people
along de kenal. An if dat man doan't git
cum up standen Wild de fever, twill be
mighty case Of special providences-dats
what say, shoor Lar, yes sartin sure,
[ almost forgot dat! lie live right up oar,
sir; right up dar We sees dat ole house.
as tumbled wild de earthquake, on de corr
ner? Ye goes by dat; an den We goes
down TO De le7, and keep on till We cum
whar de man keep a tame tiger. Den We
stops. an goes on de udder way till We cum
to de new house, an if de minister haint
gone TO do ebemng preachen yes most
like to cotch him at home"
BY making other inquiry, we found the
I" parsonage" and accompanied the minis
ter to church. A sea OF upturned faces,
showing African descent, were in waiting
and when the hymn was pronounced and
the singing commenced, we were fairly
carried away. Never before had we heard
such music 1t was not trained choir of
a few, grinding ont the music with hand
organ precision, but choruso of three hun
dred African voices, where everyone sang
with the spirit of understanding" And
how eager those faces were, They fairly
inspired the speaker, and his words were
turning with eloquent simplicity.
TERRIBLE MORTALITY.
But If the good minister was wearin'
hisself out body and soul " there seemed to
BE need of such extreme. Five or six
thousand people in Aspinwall, 5000 in
Panama. 10000 connected with the canal,
and hut one minister And the deaths =
O. the deaths Three months ago Panama
opened new cemetery; in seventy days
1000 new mounds were added. As we
passed down the streets OF Aspinwall
after church, we were compelled to leave
the sidewalks; for on them, huddled to-
eether like swine, were men and women
sleeping occupying all space. They had
no other homes. The prospect of good
wages had brought them there by hun
dreds, from jamaica, from Mexico, Central
America. Peru and Ecuador They were,
in large part, the scum of creation. Too
INDECENT, too ignorant TO prosper, they
were better contented with straw shed
than they would have been with man
sion, or even an ordinary, decent dwelling.
Each morning the authorities went along
the sidewalk and gathered up the dead.
Three or four we're the usual number, but
sometimes there were dozen. They were
thrown into a car, carried to Monkey Hill
and dumped into shallow graves, without
collins or ceremony. Some, as we wit
messed, would fall on their faces, some
limp and doubled up. ii a protruding
foot or an arm appeared, it got a psnch
from a spade to make it lie down.
TIE INCoNsEQUENCE OF LIFE.
Nobody cares for death ON the lsthmus
of Panama. 1t is too common 70 attract
attention.
''Where is Jones ?n inquired decent