Sacramento daily record-union., 1888-11-10
FROM COSTA RIGA.
ONE OF T6E CENTRAL AMERICAN
SEA-PORTS.
A Fashionable Watering Place
Strange Products of Marvel
Gus Countrywide,

Jus Oohhtk S-Gt1e
Especial Correspondence of the EEcoRD-UYIoS.
PUESTA ARENAS, CcsTA RIGA,
Novealber /, 1888.
Most travellers who come to Costa Rica.
either for business or pleasure, are landed
first at Puenta Arenas, { small port on the
Gulf of Nicoya. close to Nicaragua's south
western border, and about three days
sailing from Panama in favorable weather.
There are two harbors on the eastern
coast of this small Republic, that # Ma
tina, afording anchorage only for vessels
of lightest draHght, while the Boca del
Zorro, which is universally conceded to be
oae of the finest in the world, is useless to
Costa Rican commerce for the reason that
neither railway nor wagon road connects it
with the interior. Indeed, the Boca no
longer belongs to this country, though
washing its shores, having been .feolishly
conceded to New Granada in the treaty
of 1856, when, by virtue of an imperfect
chart, published in Madrid mere than a
century ago, the Panamians claimed it as
a portion Of their territory. Now the noble
harbor Is comparatively lost to both coun-
tries, and might as well be mirage OF
Sahara for any practical advantage it
promises to either.
The new road to the Rio Serapiqui.
which for over twenty years has been in
process Of construction, will probably rem
der the Niearaguan port of San Juan del
Norte of future serviceto Costa Rica. For
the present, however, Puenta Arenas, on
the western coast, monopolizes most of the
commerce Of the Republic. 1t is a free
port, moreover, having been privileged as
such by special Act of Congress soon after
deadly Caldera, few miles lower down.
had been officially abandoned. All arti-
cles, except such as Government mouopo-
izes-as tobacco, brandy, gunpowder and
frearms-are exempt here from any kind Of
restriction. The nlonopolies aforesaid are
deposited in the public stores, and cannot
be sent into the country, or out of it.
without special permission from the Gov
ernment. Aside from this, the fullest lib
erty Is granted to commerce, and the ships
OF all nations may pass in and ont Of G9li
NIeoya, remaining as long Is they Ike, wi.a
neither pilotage, tonnage nor anchorage to
pay, nor any leeelling from Health Officers
or Government Inspectors.
Strangely enough, the Custom-house is
located sixty miles away in the interior, at
the Garita del Rio Grande, low down in
the slope of dark ravine. In that remote
spot the duties on all foreign goods are
levied, and from there alone can such mer-
chandise find its way into the inhabited
portions of the country. Between Puenta
Arenas and the Garlta a vast wilderness
intervenes in which several villages are
fundamentally Esparza, San Mateo and
Atenas-penetrated only by a single Wagon
road, rocky, dangerous and robber-infested
An hours brisk gallop along the beach
which connects Puenta Arenas with the
main land brings one to Chacarita, an out
post of the Custom-house where foreign
goods destined for any point between the
port and the Garita must be inspected
weighed and paid for. This outpost con.
slsts merely of banana-patch, pig-sty, a
poultry yard and a thatched hut of wild
bamboos, and within the smoky interior
of the latter one may always find the Gus
toms Inspector, swinging in his hammock
with cigarette between his teeth.
A wilder place is the Garita, at the
brink of stupenduous rayine in the heart
of the forest. Over the chasm is a stone
bridge of one bold arch, with gate and
causeway, linking the roads descending
upon either side. Across this bridge all
wayfarers must pass, and any attempt to
ford the river above or below is punished
with ten years imprisonment at hard la
bor. Beyond the bridge, shaded by q
magnificent grove of cocoa trees, is rudely
constructed wooden building, long and low
with roof of red tiles projecting six feet
beyond the front walls to a row of cedar
posts. This is the Custom-house-all there
is of it. Here barrels are tapped, bales
and boxes ripped open and trunks turned
inside out, and here the principal revenue
of Costa Rica is collected
But let US return to Puenta Arenas
Struggling up and down low bank OF
burning sand stand its white washed frame
houses with their red-tiled roofs its numer-
Gus poorer novels thatched with plantain
leaves, its churches and fagstaffs, all glow
ing in the suns rays, intensified by rehec
tion from the water. Slightly modifying
the glaring picture, but scarcely shading it
are occasional groups of feather palms and
indigo trees; while beyond the town, on
all sides except to seaward, rise the noun
tains, with forests stretching to their feet,
and fragrant gardens between.
Concerning its climate, Puenta Arenas
has one great advantage viz, that in hall
an hours time the investigating tourist can
see all there is in it. Close to the shore he
observes a quaint wooden lighthouse
cheaply built in pagoda fashion, anc
dazzlingly painted red, white and blue
not with patriotic intent, however, as an
American might suppose, nor yet to indi
cate that a tonsorial artist inhabits the in.
terror.
Trudging painfully through ankle-deer
sand, the traveller reaches the GENITAL plaza
and rests himself upon an adobe bench, to
recover breath and wipe the perspirat OF
from his brow, having first, if accustomed
to the peculiarities of this country, looked
carefully around for scorpions, centipedes
and xipers who have habit of breeding
hereabouts, and ,meandering on voyages Of
discovery up his trousers leg or down the
inside of his coat-collar.
In the middle of this treeless plain is q
white-painted wooden obelisk, of rude pro-
portions and ruder workmanship, which
commentaries the services of General
Jose Maria Canas, native of PueRta
Arenas, who fought bravely in the war
against'the flibusters.
Not far from this point, Just off the
main street and around the nearest corner,
is the market plaza, which the stranger
will find well worth visit Here, espe-
cially on Sundays, may be found busy
scene, every booth, stall.and store crowded,
and the arcaaes which shade three sides of
the buzzipg, kustling space, all packed with
eagerly voeiferating Costs Ricans. Carts
pass continually to and fro, laden with
merchandise for the interior or carrying
coffee down to the landing. 1t is not easT
to convey with the pen an accurate picture
of these clumsy structures. A pole pro-
jects from an eblong frame,eto which an
axle is bolted underneath. The ends of
the axle protrade through enormous
wheels of solid cedar, the latter being at
least four inches across the tire and five
feet in diameter. Within these :ponderous
wheels is open cane-work, which supports
az awning of untanned OK hide. Upon a
platform at the Bottom of the ,isox thus
formed, lies the load-generally coffee.
sewn up in bags of coarse white cotton.
Each cart viii carry from 500 to 1000
pounds of coffee, aad the freightage there
on averages rs cents pei 100 pounds. Over
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