Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-01-18
SAILING IN SUNNY SEAS.
Incidents of Voyage to the South
ern Continent.
From Barthoidi's Statue to Aspinwall-
Bright Description of Life on a Pa
cific Mail Stcamer-From Winter to
Summer.
rom TIP STARS Travelling Commissioner.

MIDOCEAN, November. 1889.
A visitor to the southern continent-and there
are more OF them in these days than could once
be counted in half a century-if coming from
the United States. may make his choice among
several routes II bound for the eastern coast
OF South America he would better sail from
New York by one of The Brazilian mail steamers
to Rio Janeiro, and at the latter port (ciIief
city of tie newest republic under the sum, en-
barking IN some other floating palace for Mon
tevideo and BUcnos Ayres. and thence, If he
desires. through the Straits Of Magellan and up
the western side
II wishing TO visit first the western coast. the
best plan is to go via Pacific mail steamer to
Aspinwali and thence by rail across the isthmus,
connecting at Panama with some English or
CHILEAN vessel for up south, as they say near
the equator.
Or starting from any point by rail he may
travel in Pullman ear away down through
Mexico u Vera Cruz, and sail from that fever
haunted old town across the gulf and into the
Caribbean sea. or from san Francisco by ocean
and the aid OF the Panama railway he may as
easily reach any port of South America. In
vulgar phrase. ''hc pays his money and he takes
his choice according TO the amount of lucre
and length OF leisure ne may have at command.
THE RAINY SEASON.
It must be remembered, however, that in
South America the seasons are the reverse of
ours and that the rainy time. for whose sudden
jump from country to country no man can ac-
count, should be carefully avoided. In point
of health. climate and convenience in travel
ing. the western side of the lower continent Is
greatly TO be preferred during the season of
our northern winter and the eastern coast dur
ing our summer months. For example. though
Panama may be visited with comparative i'm
punIty as early as October, many of the Vene-
zuelan ports only little farther to the east
ward. are totally inaccessible on account of yell
low fever far into December. The rainy sea-
son along the lsthmus Is now nearly over; but
down In the United States of Colombia-to
which republic that hyphen connecting the
continents properly belOngs-the floods are
still descending and the roads practically i'm
passable.
In Ecuador the division next below Colom-
bia. the rainy season has Just now fairly begun,
making it unwise for the traveller to venture
far into the interior lest he compelled to
remain there for months to come. As is well
known. not a drop of rain ever falls along the
greater portion OF the coast of Peru, while in the
southwestern interior of that republic the win
dows OF heaven are opened near the middle of
December. Il Bolivia the rains begin about
the lst of January and in Chill some time
later. By posting himself well beforehand on
the vagarIes OF the weather. which in different
localities vary scarcely day from year to
year. he may have sunshine during all his stay
IN South America and avoid ala extremes of
heat or cold. dust or dampness.
Therefore. If leaving the United States in
autumn. the very best way is to sail from New
York VIA the Pacific mail line, purchasing a
ticket TO Panama only.
To SAN FRANCISCO RY WATER.
By the way. are You aware that one may
journey from New York to san Francisco by
this same Pacific Mail. down enc ocean and up
the other. much cheaper and in more COM
Portable fashion than by rail? To be sure the
wide detOur occupies a whole month. but il is
thlrty-twO days OF delight. including the rail-
way ride across tine Isthmus and many stops on
the western coasts OF Central America and
Mexico. And. strange to say. whlie passen-
gers II Panama pay @I0J for iirst-cass ticket,
Journey OF nine days from New York, those
ali the way around 10 san Francisco pay only
SeO-fOOd and ali expenses lnclrded. OF course
the moving cause for this great discrepancy in
price Is competition with the railroads. and it
could not be Kept up were IL not tor the
freight and mail service without enormous loss
to tine company.
What DeSIer escape from the rigors of a
northern winter or more Testfui vacation for
summer time can be imagined than the sixty
tour days AT SEA ON this round trip! And the
gnElTscs OF tropical scenes and strange cities.
sh@dOwy mountain chains and distant voica-
noes, ana the grandeur OF two mighty oceans,
are things long To be remembered.
The DEPARTURE.
On bright but chilly November Friday yo6r
correspondent found herself floating slowly
away IRON pier ia sort Of female Columbus
seeking an unknown world. Have you ex-
perIenccd that angular feeling which possesses
one when first on board a ship about to star:
on a long. long voyage! \ on are like the man
without . country belonging 10 longer to
your native land. although YOU have not vet
left It. You stand between the future and the
past without a present; ana a. the home shores
fade awaS the NEST hardened traveller wonders
II he will see them again.
Ours was the uSua! experience. WIKI en-
glnes at half speed We pad dutlful respect to
the tall brown goddess III the harbor passed
the narrOws and entered the lower bav. and
when the outer bar was safely crossed the
pilot. with pockets cramned full of letters and
memory charged with nnumcTa5le last mes
sag=s. c!anIbered down into his skif and was
rowed away to Sandy Hook. And then. at last
She steamer. setting Her nose TO seaward and
dashiHS the salt spray. like tears, from her
prov. began her work III earnest.
Our I!ttle moving world, isolated from the
rest OF the human family III a gray waste of
waters. Il a. pOlySlot = collection Is that which
accompaaled Noah on his early expeditions.
The majority cltIZrEs of the United States
bound Tor tr.sco- Engllshnen come next in
numerical strength; then Germans Jews
frenchlIen. Italians and Spanish-Americans.
the E'tter mostly engaged III business on the
lsthmus: but not = halt dozen, outside our own
party. WHO are On route 10 the southern con-
tneni- As our small clique includes newly
nedged American minister Ito Bolivia an ex-
IRA nag hOdts from the main mast, and
by and BY. when We ind ourselves IN
der the protection Of foreign flags. on
another ocean. the stars and stripes
still flung to the breeze. signaling the fact that
a representative OF Gods country is on
board Will be answered by a general hosting
Of flags on shore. So much for the dignity OF
Uncle samuel Though he has no trade to
boast OF south of his own domain nor much of
the love and confidence OF his South American
cousins the latter yet cherish wholesome re-
sPect foE his proTess on land and sea.
NAUTICAL CRANKs
Those midocean cTanks, with whose idiosvn-
cracIes ell sea-goers are familiar. are with US
ever one. And what lot of them there are.
10 be sure. and how :heir hobbies crop out and
flourish on the brIny deep. Though most of
them are old acquaintance to those who fire.
quent!y so down to the sea III ships they are
not 10 be recognized the first day or two ont
10: uil nerves grow unsteady and stomachs re-
belllOus and the closely crowded community
begins 10 assume somewhat OF a family charac-
ter Among the cOmmOner sort of cranks are
those OF both sexes who are never more sicL
at sea. though this Is their fourteenth or some
other teenthl trip; who have been caught IN
the storullest storms and experienced the most
thrilling escapes In the most phenomenal vow
ages on record or OFF.
The nautical cranks are generally calIov
youths who have never smelled salt water be-
fore, but have derived a fund OF valuable
information from Ten Years Before the MAST
and similar literature. and who talk gliblv of