Sacramento daily record-union., 1888-12-08

or chocolate and little loaves of sweetened
bread, and his BILL Small as is the sum
total, the landlord has not failed to cheat
you according to his own valuation of
things; and the score, though not exorbi-
tant, is very long one. The food and
grain seem absurdly cheap to North
erner, but you are required to paw for
much more than has been consumed; and
if you have been SO unreasonable
as to insist upon chair, table, desk or any
other article of common necessity, you are
charged for its use nearly its nominal
value; and the candle which dimly lighted
YOU to bed, cost nearly as much as your
supper.
When you depart from the meson the
proprietor, who seemed 50 inhospitabie the
evening before now considers himself your
affectionate friend, and insists ON shaking
hands with you at parting, calling after
you with fervor. 44dios, amigo querido,
udya con Dios y {" Farewell, my dear
friend, and may God go with you "l.
High as is the stage-road that climbs the
nights between San Jose and Esparza, the
shadow of the Aguacute volcano follows
us all the way. and still the frowning
giant persists in interposing his great body
between Esparza and the sea. BY noon of
the second day We discern a silver cord
stretching along the horizon-Nicoya Gulf
and suddenly white-winged ships come
into view, looking like so many sea-birds
perched upon it. Now, nearing the coast
and the hour of departure, indulging in
backward glances over the country we
have learned to love, our minds revert to
the words of another no less faithful lover
of Costa Rica-a famous author, who, on
leaving this sunny land, wrote as follows:
" Looking back toward the mountains
among which we had spent these pleasant
holidays, | saw the volcano of the White
Tower high in the heavens, burning in the
gray light of the dawn-in another world,
1t seemed to me, so remote and isolated it
looked. That it is unknown, as if, in
reality it belonged TO another world mill
ions of miles away, and that they who live
nearest to it are those who most fear to
tempt the solitude which invests its un-
violated granduer, | cannot help feeling
sad and abashed to think. But when my
Thoughts revert to the country of which the
flag above is the glowing type, and when
the exploits of her explorers recur to me,
and her pioneers and fleets crowd upon my
mental vision, the conviction arises within
me that the day will come when the lost
gold of the Estrella shall return to light,
and the secrets of the mysterious valley
of the Frio shall be made known, and even
the White Tower shall be scaled In
that pillar of smoke by day and flame by
night | read the sublime prophesy of con-
firmed liberty to this land-wealth and
power instead Of comparative insignif-
canoe and humble fortunes, the wilderness
a garden-and for the people purer hap
piness, a statelier attitude and a brighter
aspect"
To behold this vision and boldly to dis
close it, requires no prophetic gift nor
hazardous philosophy. Presenting, as it
does, a prominent barrier to the encroach-
ments of the two great seas, and gradually
rising from their level in series of ample
terraces, each exhibiting its peculiar soil
| and climate and distinct forms of animal
| and vegetable life, and each its adapta-
bility to some especial physical condition
| Central America furnishes to the scientist,
the agriculturist, the merchant, the lover
| OF nature, the miner, the herdsman, to the
| industrious and adventurous of every class
field of Incompatible novelty and ex-
haustless wealth. Especially is this true
| OF Costa Rica, whose piateaus vary from
three to six thousand feet in height, di-
vided by chains of mountains, crowned
with volcanic fortresses and pouring down
waters that never fail. In short, it con-
stitutes within inself-with its forests, riv-
ers, mines and valleys, all teeming with
their choicest treasures of nature-a new
VIC nf al Ill.
The Gulf of Nicoya abounds in oysters
of delicious flavor, also, with shrimps,
CLANS, Holsters, and an infinite variety of
fish. The pearl oysters of these waters are
famous for their size and beauty and far
ther down the coast, where pearl-fshing is
extensively carried on, gems of considera-
BILE value have been brought up by the
divers, including a few pink, brown and
black pearls.
Puenta Arenas is noted for its excellent
water, which bubbles up, cool and sweet,
from wells only a few feet deep. 1t is a
singular fact, anywhere along these south
ern shores, that if hole is dug in the hot
sand, close to the salty sea, it will fill up
in few minutes with pure, fresh water,
evolved somehow by one of natures secret
processes.
Notwithstanding that the heat is sell
dom less than 900 in the shade, the atmos-
phere is not unwholesome, except during
August, September and October. One
soon becomes accustomed to the suns fer
vor, and rather enjoys tiff wise enough
to conform to the ways of the natives, eat
ing little, working less, and lying around
most of the time in hammocks letting the
busy world wag as it will elsewhere.
FANNIE B. WARD.