The record-union., 1892-11-15

ings oil, wading through the mud over
her shoe-tops. She was going to Cali
fornia, of course. 1t rained and cleared
oil by turns all day, and the mud was
knee-deep to our animals, the trail in
many places being almost impossible.
Our animals were poor and weak and got
through with difficulty.
THE LADY AND THE BURRo.
There was lady named Davis in our
company, who was coming to California
to join her husband (most of the ladies
We're coming for the same purpose), and
when we had ridden within a few miles
OF Panama Mrs. Davis mule plunged
head-tirst into big mud-hole, carrying
the rider with him. The lady lay there
IN the mud shaking. We. thinking her
seriously injured, fastened to her assist
ance, but when we had rescued her we
found her in convulsion of laughter
at her own indelicate predicament. We
Jailed TO eXtrlcate the mule, however, as
there were men following after for the
purpose. We assisted Mrs. Davis upon
the back OF an animal, behind a gentle
man who was well mounted, and in this
manner she made the balance of the trip
to the city.
WE ARRIVED AT PANAMA
About P. NJ, and put up at an American
hotel with comfortable quarters, and re-
mained there two or three days, waiting
for our baggage and the other passengers
to arrive. Since some friends have COM
planned that in former account of a trip
over this route l neglected stating how
our baggage was conveyed across the
isthmus, before the railroad was built,
will now endeavor to do so.
Before the construction of any railway
on the lsthmus of Panama, all passen-
gers and freight in transit for California
by way Of the isthmus were landed at the
mouth Of the Chagres River and taken
| thence up that stream in small flat-bot-
toned boats to the point nearest Panama,
which was Chagres. There was also a
trail from Cruises, but that required some
miles more of land travel. These trails
met at point some distance from Pan
anna. The baggage of passengers was but
a small fraction of the freight shipped
over that route at that time. There were
long pack trains loaded with merchandise
OF many kinds constantly travelling back
and forth. This trail passed through mar
row
GoRGES OF ROCKS AND CANYONS
For mile or two, which, in a number of
places, We're only wide enough to allow
the passage of but one animal, and in
these narrow places the trail passed over
solid rock bottom, which was worn full
of holes by the hoofs of the animals for
about one foot in depth and large enough
to admit common water-bucket, giving
1t the appearance of having been travelled
many years. The animals were obliged
to place their feet in these holes as they
passed along, thus continually wearing
them deeper and broader. Upon entering
these narrow places the muleteers would
sound long, shrill note of alarm, which
would echo through the hills and could
be heard miles away, for the purpose of
warning any similar train that might be
approaching from the front to stop at the
frvgsf tF1r 4
train had passed, thus giving the train
which first enters the mouth of the can
yOn the right of way.
When | crossed the isthmus, as already
stated, there were twenty miles of the
present railroad completed from point
on the bay (Aspinwall) some distance
from the mouth of the river. apparently
at right angles with that stream. at which
al! vessels with passengers or freight for
this coast then stopped, thus leaving
some miles Of the lower Chagres River
IN disuse for traffic purposes.
NATIVES AS FREIeHT-PACKERs.
The mules and donkeys mentioned
above did not do all the packing across
the mountains between Panama, Cor
gona and Cruises by any means. There
were the natives themselves-scores of
them, with their broad, muscular backs
and powerful, sinewy limbs, which would
cause the eyes OF pugilist to grow green
with envy TO look upon them. They al
ways stood ready to pack almost any
load. With bale or box Of merchandise,
which looked as though it might require
two good men to lift it from the ground
strapped upon their backs, one end often
reaching far above their heads, and clad
only in a coarse shirt or a breech-cloth
about their loinS, with sandals on their
feet, they thought little of starting for a
journey OF twenty-five or thirty miles.
These men did not have their turning
out places, like the animals, but they had
their resting places all the same, which
were at convenient distances along the
route. They were made from sapIings
cut from the woods near by, and were
constructed somewhat after the fashion
of stepladder, only wider, with one end
resting upon the ground and the other
against large rock, or the branches of
tree. When the men felt weary they
would back their loads up against one of
these contrivanceS and allow the lower
end TO rest upon a cross bar and without
removing it from their backs stand to get
their wind Tor they could remove it if
they wish, and when they felt rested
take up their burden and START for the
next station, and 50 on to the end OF their
journey.
THE TROPICAL FORESTS.
While on this part of my subject will
state that the portion of the isthmus
which saw was mostly overgrown with
heavy jungle of tropical plants and
vines, so dense that it looked as though
it might Ee difficult for a rabbit to pass
through. There were also numerous
beautifully plumed birds of many kinds
twittering amid the vines and branches
Of the trees. The water which trickled
down the sides Of the mountain, or ran in
little rlvuIets across our trail, was unlike
any mountain water | have ever SEEN in
that in was warm and of a milky white
ness, and altogether unpalatable, unre-
freshing and unhealthful.
We were detained in Panama three or
four days waiting the arrival of our bag
gage and fellow passengers. The steam
ship Cortez had arrived in port a few
days before and was waiting to carry us
to san Francisco. We were taken on board
in the morning, and all was made ready
as soon as possible. Steam was up. the
anchor hoisted, the great wheels began to
revolve and we were Off for the Golden
Gate.
AWFUL SCENES ON sHIPBoARD.
1t was said that morning that about
twenty of our passengers had died
while crossing the isthmus. On the
second day the cholera and Panama
fever broke out on board. Burials
became the order OF the day. On the
third day l took a look through the
steerage. The sick lay in their hunks,
and the dying and dead We're everywhere,
while others sought relief in drink, think
ing thereby to drown their fears or re-
lieve the pangs of the disease.
one dead body lay on the floor, just in
front of the bar, while the living stood
over the dead clamoring 10 be served; and
just 10 the right, near the forward gang
way, some sailors were engaged prepar-
ing the dead body OF a colored man
Tor burial. When they had the blanket
tt1Il Y c+i
corpse, with the ballast placed at the feet
and We're about sliding il OF the nlank TO