The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-12-17
ON A LADINO CATTLE BOAT.
NoTEE FxrERIErCBs nv s<nIrs ON
PlNlMA Raj

TIE s.rers Hovi Lihs ce-ss Nsuheyr soc
Have sueh Geea Times as Night Msh'
All Oihsr Sailors B-vieus-Cisssss Out
br Gamblers - Distinguishes Betwssr
the First and Second Class Pnssenssrs.
Note has already been made In TEE Sun Of 4
remarkable resemblance between the people
OF Panama and those OF Chicago and othei
Western towns The people Of Panama are In.
tolerant OF criticism on their interoceaniC
canal scheme just az wild-west Americans are
intolsrant Of criticism on their peculiar To-
eallties Smooth the hair and the peorle oil
Panama and Podunk purr like kittens; do but
turn single hair to expose hidden flea and
the beasts yowl and scratch like q cornered
bay lynx. think discovered. also, a noto-
worthy resemblance between the people OF
Panama and the average fastener The
Panama man knows as little OF the States 81
vsra9uas and Chlridui as the Boston man
knows Of the valleys OF the Rio Grapde and the
Missouri. the Colorado and the snake
After two days OF dlllRent but unsuccessful
inquiry about my route. went TO the ONCE
Of the Star and Herald newspaper. and there
found men who knew something about the
region through which wished to GO Until
met them no one could tell me anything
definite about either VeraRuas or Chiridul.
though everybody know that they lay lust
west somewhere. and that Chorrera was In the
road to them. Everybody knew Chorrera, be-
cause IL IL Panama's country resort in the
right season. At the newspaper ONCE learned
that a mule trail led west from Panama
through a fiat, wooded country that lies be-
tween the Cordllleras and the lay OF Panama.
For some twenty miles the road ran on the
white sand OF the beach. where the glare is
binding and the heat deadly. Eighty or
H.. 1taNa,
had not been determined lay ARuadulce. n
town Of considerable Importance. because
IL was n port to which tho traf1le Of
about the whole State OF Veraguas came
en- route to Panama Between Panama
and Aguadulca were two or three ham
let's OF matched huts. There was neither
stage nor any other regular conveyance. be-
cause people but rarely travelled through that
country. When going to any place they took
boat to the nearest port However. the Gov
eminent sent mail carrier from Panama over
the trail. and he left the city every Saturday.
could hire or buy mules and follow him. An
ordinary mule could be bought for 5000. or
could hire one to ride for 50 day, and one for
my equipaEe for So day. and tho mail carrier
would lead them back to Panama for q consid-
GRAFTON. The mail carrier travelled as far as
Santiago. the capital OF veraguas. 1t was q
50 day for hired mules the ride would be
somewhat expensive. while the cost OF buying
two OF my own would DO $500. not to mention
saddles and the cost OF keeping them en- route.
How is the walking ?" said L
1t 10 not as good as sailing In o native
coaster TO Aguadulce and hiring mules there
to take you to Santiago" said the editor.
6 Santiago 10 only days sail from Aguadulce.
Besides you will find coaster novelty"
With Superintendent Mansfield OF the Pam
ANA Electric Light Company. who was we'll
acquainted with the boatmen. as q guide.
went down to the market beach. A boy with
dugout said vessel was Just In from Aqua
dulce and he would take US out to her half
mile away. anchored In shoal water. was a
little two masted schooner. like those which
ply between New York and various Long
Island Sound ports. Her deck forward OF
the cabin house was covered with fat
steers that we're dashed with their heads
bawling for a drink. In the hold one could
hear other steers believing for water. Abaft
the cabin were three men and two women.
the rail into a duGeut canoe In which they
were going ashore. Tho sailors were getting
saS Ssen not two dags rom
dulce Judging from appearances. neither the
passengers nor the crew had been washed dur
had not been cleaned since she left port. It
was In vile condition.
The When tod wRs
had come to the schooner
~ Dee. any one ever 20 third class on your
No, sir. We cannot afford to carry any one
third class" he replied: not noticing the dritt
aS SS ss srs.
And II my friend goes first class p
Il is o.; but he shall o haye an elegant berth
A passage Of three days on a cattle boat in
thetorrid zone would certainly be novelty.
sad The s Elegant S Was naa 'A'
On arriving by rail in Panama the hotel run
ner who put me In cab at tho station told me
80 e saa the driver go np ,te S out OF
usual route that might see the market and
e Sr TINS the hotel sho%ei Hunne S
lowed me into the sitting room and asked Tor
mean time had learned that the lawful price
OF cab was but 70 Gents. ! called the run;
he smiled graciously and said;
All, yes, but you are very rich"
bad my revenge when got ready to leave
employee to carry my luggage TO the beach.
The runner said nothing until | was wholly
the porter whom had employed in four lan-
guaRes. to the great yexation Of the porter and
the delight Of q halt dozen small boys who
u was on the evening OF SATURDAY, Feb, II.
1Sa that | climbed over tine rail OF the
schooner Mary Hall. bound for Aguadulce
on the Bay OF Panama IL was Just dark when
i arrived on board. There were two passen-
gers already there-men bound from the cap
ltal to Sonar. n small country ham! et, and
travelling second class a. | learned after
ward, They were gambling with the crew.
the whole crowd sitting In ring on black
tarpaulin on the deck under tho faint light
Of the schoonsr's anchor lamp. gentle
breeze made tho lamp sway on It's
LANYARD throwing the shadows OF the
men hither and yon across the cloth,
AMI obscuring at times tho tiny dice with
which they played. so that all were kept bob
blnR about to open passage for the light or
AZ interyals some one would graz. with whoops
and yells. the silver coins piled in the centre |
81 the ring. while tho rest RIumblsd and
FroWled and ehipDed In again The pot grew !
larger as | watched. until about 50 In small /
,oin were Ia the heap Then one OF tho trayel- |
eEs nudged the other. VINO changed the dice |
when his turn TO throw came. and so won, and |
he game ended by the crow leaving the tar |
Daulln In q body The two travellers had |
cleaned out the sailors
Then the elder OF the two passengers, man |
ni perhaps 20 yeare, got acquainted with me. |
Finding by questions that understood little |
1panlsh, ne wanted mo to teach him the Eng |
lis ~ number OF expressions which he re- |
peAtsd 10 me. saying he had urgent need OF |
earning that much English. His expressions |
Fnia