Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-02-15


One Of the finest military bands in the
two Americas plays in the Plaza Major
two evenings of every week and on Sun
day afternoons, when all the people turn
out to hear. Then there is the Boredas, a
popular drive and promenade, where ocean
breezes may be enjoyed; and the Savan-
nah, few miles out of town, where during
the dry season the nabobs affect the de-
lights of country life.
1t is the fashion among all classes to
promenade upon the ramparts near the
sunset hour, especially on that part called
the Esplanade, where the old wall has
been widened into a boulevard. Besides
the unrivaled ocean view on one side, it
overlooks on the other a level space con-
tanning the arsenal, barracks and city
prisons. And right here on the Esplanade
IS the best place TO study Panamaian life,
both high and low. Imagine the beauti-
full bay, dotted with yachts, bongors and
canoes, backed by ships and steamers at
anchor, floating the flags of all nations :;
and beyond, the islands, each a mountain
green to its summit, some covered with
cottages and sanitariums, one a vast ceme-
terry, and others used for coaling and
freight stations by the Pacific Mail Com
pany and other large corporations.
On the land side all is life. color and
gayety. There are officers in uniforms of
scarlet and gold, and soldiers in blue jack
cts and white trousers; priests IN flowing
robes and shovel hats, and bare-footed
gray-eowied friars of the stern Order of
San Francisco. There are ladies of high
H. baT forac liz Id t,,
maatiiios Of rich lace, and graceful senori-
tas, Of whom one notices nothing but their
beautiful eyes, incomparably large, black
and liquid, and half naked Indian women,
each with mahogany-hued baby slung at
her back, as a tourist carries his satchel
There are easy-going Englishmen and
Frenchmen gesticulating like lunatics
aggressive, quick-footed Americans; stolid
Germans, placidly smoking their pipes,
and plenty OF the always weIl-dressed and
courtly descendants of the conquerors.
THE HOSPITALS OF PANAMA
Deserve more than passing mention. In
Colon there are splendid hospitals for the
employees of the canal and railway compa-
MES, but no refuge for the ailing stranger,
except by an arrangement in effect be-
tween the Government and canal COM
pany, whereby the latter has set aside ten
beds for public use. In Panama, how
ever, one of the finest hospitals is that for
foreigners, open to both sexes and all
nationalities, supported mainly by vol
unlary contributions. There are several
Others, sustained by the Government and
various companies, the most elegant of
which was built by the canal people in
their flush times at 4 cost of over FIVE
million dollars. 1t stands on an eminence,
in the midst of extensive grounds, sur
rounded by a beautiful garden with shaded
walks and arbors.
And if ever hospitals were needed in
any quarter of the globe it is in Panama,
where the popular saying goes that "there
are no gray heads" meaning that there
are none sufficiently robust to withstand
the diseases, epidemic and endemic, indig
enous to the climate and brought here by
the floating population, till the sere and
yellow stage of life. | have listened to
two or three stories to-day which may help
illustrate the point. The gentleman who
now fills the position of italian Consul is
native of Colombia, because the four
who preceded him, all from Italy, followed
one another to the grave in quick success
sion.
A recent Minister to Bolivia, from the
United Safes, passed his four years safely
in the smallpox haunted capital of that
country but on his homeward journey, be-
ing compelled to wait three days in Pan
anna for a north-bound steamer, his two
bright little sons both sickened. died and
were buried here.
An Englishman told me that his especial
chum died in Panama from sun-stroke
during the early days of November. The
friends breakfasted together in good health
and before evening one was a corpse.
The same gentleman called my atten-
ton 10 a white speck on a distant hillside,
which he said was the tomb of another
friend, whom he described as ''the jolliest
fellow in the world" who landed here one
day full of life and vigor, and in an in
credibly short time was in his coffin, having
been given bed in which man had died
of yellow fever only few days before. 1t
is needless to multiply incidents, for every
body knows that Panama is no sanitarium.
Following a street that leads out of the
plaza and past the cathedral, one may
find an interesting relic of the past, known
as Ell Po8tiga de los Hoajas, "The Gate of
the Monks" an antique gateway, quantity
carved, and crowned by a watch-tower,
which leads through the moss-grewn ram
parts TO the beach Following the path of
the monks of old, we find ourselves on a
wide expanse of coral reef which, if the
tide be out, is alive with shrimps, cutie
I'll H. i III of1 dean
sea life, and strewn with kelp, marine
ferns and moses, and shells of curious
forms and colors.
Another antiquity that should by no
means be neglected is the ruined
CHURCH OF SAN DOMINGO.
1t was bHilt soon after the founding of the
city, and in its day was one of the finest
sanctuaries in the New World, possessing
an extraordinary store of ieweled vest
ments, altar service lamps and images OF
gold and silver; but more than century
ago it was nearly destroyed in one of the
numerous CONGREGATIONS. There is an in
teresting tradition concerning its bells,
which runs as follows:
The church itself was built by the
Queen of Spain and the ladies of her court,
each contributing to the pious work what
money she could afford. When the time
came for casting bells for it there was
nothing left to pay for the metal they
should contain. So the Jealous Queen in
vited, not only her court, but people of all
classes to come and witness the casting and
to contribute thereto. On the appointed
day they came in crowds, high and low,
rich and poor. When all was ready the
Queen threw handfuls of gold into the
great crucible, and the ladies and gentle.
men of her court did the same and then
the people followed with donations of sill
yer and copper, greater in quantity but
less in value. Thus the amount of metal
rapidly increased, but still there was not
enough. Then the Queen threw in the
golden ornaments which she wore; her la.
dies did the same the gallant courtiers
cut the silver buttons from their jacket: