New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-06-07
ENTRANCE TO THE NICARAGUA CANAL

and fairly striking the gunwae of the Doat.
Swarms of low-hying birds are in the air, ana nc"
and then white-winged gull stands on the sur
face waves like the Old-time saint OF Galliee
to vindcate its title to the Scriptural name Oh
petrol
Long ago, with the wind constantly freshenlng
and with the current sweeping steadily down the
coast, the high bluff at the entrance to the blne
fields lagoon was yelled by wreaths OF gray mist
One island after another has been passed, eacn
fairy-lille glade Of verdure, with SURF peatlng
high upon white beach, and palms which nave a,
been bent and twisted by hurricanes rooted III inc
coral dust. Seen many miles away as eueraiu
specks against a bright horizon they have been
approached hour by hour until their loVellness Is
fully revealed and then they are watched with
lingering regret as they drop out of sight IN the
northern reaches of the sea. In the south Monkey
Point has been looming up during the long IRAN
quill afternoon. Our Carb pilot has been prom
Using to take us if the wind holds out into snug
harbor there at nghtfall. where we can sleep on
the shore in cabin unless we prefer the open
boat under the starlit sky. Already the DARK
lines on the face of this heavily wooded headland
have deepened into ravines two tiny islands have
been detached from its outermost edge, ana the
fringe of surf has been rounded out into curvlng,
ragged beach. Another hour passes as our boat
draws up slowly TO the rocky cape and the loud
calls of macaws and shril-voiced parrots, green
and yellow, are heard among the high pains;
Beyond the point another headland is deserted
close at hand with two Gays anchored on III be
tween the capeS there is a reach of still water
the promised anchorage reached before the sun is
down. few Carib huts concealed by the
thicket on shore-aimost the only human habta-
tons on the coast between Bluefelds ana trey
town.
1t is now time for a conference with the Carib
pilot Choice is to be made between q nights
lodging on the floor Of one of the native huts and
the bare hospitality of the boat with steamer
trunk for mattress and travelling bag Tor
pillow. Unaccustomed as these children OF the
forest are to glimpses OF Yankees, and especially
to Western professor in his war paint they may
he inclined 70 NCster how we would taste, Whether
bo no
tender, it, revertng to the customs of their ances-
tors of the age of Columbus, they were 10 r0ast
US to a turn over slow fire. 1t is not well to
stimulate aboriginal Renaissance we shaH
sleep blanketed in our overcOats in the boat, Sc
cure against scorpions and ficas But cocOanuts
we must have. Under the tropical sun the ham
sandwiches have dissolved with fervent heat the
eggs have added and the beer has lost its sweet
ness and life, and we are hungry and cannot lace
the disintegration of the uEch-hamper: we
must live like Adam and Eve, on the fruits OF
the trees. The milk in the cocoanut is essential
to our happiness. Without it we cannot sleep.
The Caribs leave us at anchor and put OUT for
watch the parrots among the treetops
of Monkey Point The tropical forest
which stretches across Nicaragua TO the cofee
tract of the west coast borders here upon the sea-
The trees are not large, for they stand too close
together TO allow one another breathing space for
growth, but their tufted tops are luXurlant IN
foliage. Underneath there is a maze OF VINE
tracery. Every trunk Is covered with parasitic
growths and hidden from view. Orchids are IN
bloom twenty feet in air, and broadleaved under
brush and tangled vines matted together in an
| impenet1ble Jungle. The forest may be rich IN
mahogany, rosewood, rubber and dye-wOOds, but
its secret recesses are known only to the screaming
macaws, the chatterlng monkeys and the stealthy
tigers Feathery palms and heavily buttreSsed
trees the high crest of the wild woodland or
Monkey Point but there is no trail by which they
can be reached and view obtained of the sombre
reaches of the inland forest. The Cards on the
shore never venture far into that broad expanse OF
untrodden woods. They find it easier to shake
IL olrt,c linn .
shore and to go fishing in their canoes than TO cut
trails with the machete in the forest one OF them
follows our Caribs as they return 70 US with boat
load Of cOcoanuts-0ur meat and drink during the
remainder Of the voyage.
The sun has gone down and the stars are setting
their sentinel lines as we raise the anchor ana heau
southwark. The glory Of tropical s'alset Is
evanescent like the beauty of Southern women.
The crimson streamers the orange and lemon Dands
of color, the purple haze and the scarlet fires cen
tring about the vanishing orb quickly fade into
gray, and night rolls down suddenly, like black
curtain dropped by sceneshlfter to the signal OF
sunset gun With the sun goes the breeze.
There is not air enough TO fill the sails, which are
tapping from side to side as the boat lurches IN
beam sea. AS the night deepens the stars enable
us to see the forest-cad shores slowly dropping
astern The current is bearing us out to sea With
out breath of wind. What matters it SO long as
the stock of Young cocoanuts holds out few
strokes of the knife will open one and then there
is bowful of tipple that satisfies both hunger and
thirst and sleeps one with somnolence. The Pro-
feSsor takes the hummOck of baggage for his bed,
and | crawl into the bottom Of the llfebOat.
Around us is the broad eXpanse of the Caribbean
heaving under the steady glow OF the tropical con-
stellatiOns The Carib pilot grasps the tiller
firmly as he ostentatiOusly braces himself for an
all-night watch Passengers and crew are at lib
erty to sleep as they may
Morning brings with il faint violet flush that
proceeds the sunrise-a faint tone that is not light
but has the promise Of il. The stars are still
agow-in the tropics they never seem to shine like
the gittering Northern stars-and we cannot tell
In what quarter the will rise. There is no land
in sight. The Carib pilot has been heading by
guessworl, more probably he has been doing the
greater part of the night and allowing the boat 10
take its own course. The Professor whips out
pocket-c0mpass and discovers that the bow is
pointing due northeast, or in the direction Of ia
maca. The pilot evidently does not know where
he is but he is too wary a veteran to be trlcked
by Yankee toy caught on a watch-chain He
declines 10 believe that he is going away
from Greytown instead of approaching it
Argument would seem 10 be superfiuous
when the sun will soon be above the horizon but
the Garth is not TO be convinced until the light
is strong enough 20 enable him 20 catch distant
glimpse OF Round Top, the only hill north OF Grey
consents 70 believe that the east is where the cont
pass Indicated that 1t was. Then the boat is
headed about, and passengers, crew and pilot unite
in loud whistle for breeze. Hour after hour
passes and the sails are not drawing The dead
calm stretches through the forenoon and the glare
Of the midday sun brings with il no change At
least half Of the cocoanuts have been tapped and
the boat only crawls by inches 90 the haven where
pxad THE ind a, Ia nj