The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-12-31
AGUADULCE DE vERAGUAS.
FIRST VIEWS OF TEE INTERIOR OF
PhN<mA IsTHMUs.

s-s-whs. tse stse-er sstis-A Horse
-an who May Have Learned sorsethi-,
IN Chic.Go-Ths Bright Signals Asov,
the Towus-Iron That Z. Repiseips Tiles
Among the curious facts that will impress,
themselves upon the mind Of any traveller
bound on journey through the Isthmus oil
Panama Is this. that he can examine alone tc
his hearts content the country lying west Of
the Panama Railroad. but II he would go to tn d
east for any distance he must take a company
Of well-armed men with him to protect him
from the savage natives OF the woods. II was
In September OF the year 1913. $50 years ago.
that that splendid saiorman Balbao waded
out waist deep into the lovely waters
OF Panama Bay and flashing his sword
IN the air proclaimed the mighty ocean he had
discovered to be the property OF his King.
From that day to this Panama Bay and its
shores has been ne j,rs under the dominion
| OF the Spaniards or their mixed breed descend
ante. the Badinos De Jncto. however. one
Morgan and sundry other freebooters have
dictated the manner of doings there for brief
intervals while there has never been day
that the Indians In the forests east OF Panama
have not had actual control OF their own terri
| tory. And yet that territory contains placer
gold which these same implacsble Indians
bring dozen times year to Panama city to
barter for iron.
In connection with this curious condition OF
affairs on the isthmus is another fact that i'm
presses the mind OF the traveller who knows
the history OF the states. When the Spaniards
had been in possession Of Panama Bay and the
city they founded there Just 100 years-that Is
to say. until November. 1813-one Capt. Ar
gall sailing homo to Acadia from voyage to
Virginia. landed at Mnnhatas Isle. in Hud-
sons River" whore he found -four houses
huit and N nratandad nufoh GovarparD
On Sept 8, 1904. when old Gov. Stuyvesant
'led his soldiers down the Beaver lane to the
water side. whence they embark ed for Holland"
and an English corporars guard took possess
sion Of the fort the business OF the city OF
Panama was such that bars OF silver and
ingots OF gold were piled in tho streets. with
out fear or anxiety for their safety" while
trade was booming that tho rent OF
floor In some OF the houses cost the prodigious
sum of 81. 900 per month"
1t 10 worth while remem bering these facts
when going on journey through the settled
parts OF the isthmus 1t will enable one to APP
preciate better the conditions he will find
there. II he does not forget that the civiliza-
ton OF the region. such as IL 10. was estab-
lished about 100 years before the first white
settlement in Now York. and that rents in
Panama 23o years ago were about what they
are now In some parts Of Broadway.
After my second nights sleep on the deck Of
the little cattle boat as has been told In THE |
Sun. awoko to begin new studies In life In
Ladino land. Perhaps one Of the most re-
markable OF these life studies was in en-
tomology. among the MOSQUITOES. for instance |
The water whore the schooner lay was much |
like that OF the Jersey meadows, salt from |
the sea mixed somewhat with fresh from the |
stream. Every one who reads has heard OF
the mosquitoes Of New Jersey. and nearly all
readers have heard OF the mosquitoes OF the
tropics that with bagpipe-like music come to
destroy the peace OF the traveller. I do not
doubt these stories Of travellers In the tropics,
and Ihope they won't doubt mine: but saw
hut one mosquito while on the schooner. and
l heard only two more. The air was like that
Of a sultry night in June in New jersey, Iust
can offer no OK planstl on for their absence I'M
Hibernate in winter Nor did the mosau ftS
though the rainy season overlook me in Qua
temala, whore In the swamps about San Jose
day Tho mosquitoes must Dc there. because
everybody says so, but did not see them. did
grease carried as Protection. 'no'aui'o
, OF human life on the banks Of the Aguadulce
| got my first glimpse at about 8 o'clock. The
schooner. In addition to the sick beast brought
back, was freig hted with an assortment Of
merchandlse dry goods for the most part.
psared in the trail! that led away across the
savannah. and after him came, three or four
down to the vessel. bringing a lot OF boon com.
panons with them. They went about dis
made picnic OF It, T6sy AID nU arW Work I aey
aster than longshoreman in south street
Meantime the regular steam coaster was
% Panama, and the notes OF her whistle drew
great throng OF people down from the
he Cheerful wSre q sn0 disShar ninc the
schooner may be called one. Everybody was
olored clothing. some few came In Carriages
,ut many were on horseback. while OK carts
"a. Everybody laughed and chartered at once
teemer as eventually went away In her. The
lad but short time Sobs and tears and {
lamentations rose and fell The grief OF the Z
$ well as the women, and II the reader could {
ave seen some ofthe women some of the men {
or. It is better to speculate on the welcome 8
w San, those men on their return, I
s some o. the sehooners cargo Was discharged
shore after the steamer left Among the m rest
Is !, s. my baggage. It was piled on a cart drawn
heir horns. The baggage was delivered in 9
own free OF charge.
tarted np the trail alone. declined the use
! 2 horse at So for tho two miles to town. A
9th the captain aud the owner OF the horse o
1l6 ne mat all the gentlemen ride to town"
Whlch they meant that IL had any STYLE Z
bout me would consent to he swindled so b
asked them II they werO going to Chicago o
ne morse owner said he was. s
food said |. You think you know how b
charge great prices, but wait till YOU are in Z
lie looked puzzled. Perhaps my pronuncIa- d
on OF the Custt ian language had som thinR o
IohR about II, but it's dollars to cigArettes | b
lat MS quandRry then was nothing 10 what a
was when he came to settle his bills In Chi n
40. AZ was great consolation to me when | II
louha myself overchArged among those pso- Il
70 70 learn that 50 many OF them intended |
sting the Columbian Exposition a
ne IIAli 10 AguRdulce reminded me Of the | 81
ans OF the Indian Territory. Ii WAS a very | W
,ad mat Is paved with good resolutions. | Ct
wing across level plain the team sters sim | II
selected new track when an old one be- | Il
Ime TOO deep with dust. There were pretty a
owes OF trees. some OF which were In | 81
Dom. on every side. At one place q wide 81
act Was devoted to salt making, OF which al
'methlng will be related at another time ii
lIther on II passed through a strip OF woods
~ lheh rose on mesa. for all the world like al
ose seen from the cars between Denver and In
lloIalo Springs. The similarity was the bI
ihag -.