The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-03-07
ENERGY IN THE TROPICS.
It Is Not Indigenous to the Climate and
the Exotic Article Soon Withers.
"Energv doesn't grow down there;

Energy doesn't grow down tnere;
I've been in the country long enough
to discover that fact" he exclaimed as
he cut off generous piece of rare
roast beef.
The vigor with which he spoke and
the evident relish with which he mas
ticated the beef left the impression
that the speaker had never spent any
considerable time in any place where
energy was scarce. He had just landed
from a Panama steamer, having come
from San Francisco by that route, and
had made short visits to various Next
can and Central American ports.
Not only is it not indigenous to the
country, but the exotic article always
withers and almost always dies" he
said, after the keen edge of his appe-
tite had been worn off. Then he Or
dered a pot of coffee, lighted cigar
and continued:
AFTER we sailed from San Diego it
was several days before we arrived at
another port. We crossed the Gulf of
California and touched at Mazatlan, in
Mexico. | had promised myself that
should go ashore and see every town at
which we stopped in Mexico and Cen
trail America, so when the feet of ma
tive boats surrounded the ship party
of passengers hired one, and we were
soon on our way to the shore. The
ice from the place where the ship
wasSM red 70 So was about three
miles, and before the distance had been
half covered was impatient and thor
oughly Disguised with the lazy move
ments of the native oarsmen. Our
time was limited, too, and that in
creased my irritation, because | was
anxious to see all l possibly could OF
the place within the short time.
81 jumped ashore at last and hurried
up to the town, first to the post office
and then to other points of interest.
1t was in the middle of the day and the
sun beat down and reflected again from
the white houses and the streets, which
were paved with small cobblestones.
Scarcely person was on the street,
except the people from the ship The
natives lounged about in their shops or
the secluded courts with which each
house is supplied. The shop keepers
were invariably smoking cigarettes,
and it was with difficulty that | in
duced one of them to rise from his in
dolent position to supply me with some
small purchase which l wished to
make.
Walking rapidly from the post office
through the principal street to the
cathedral, and then to the markets,
and again TO the public square, | was
in perspiration before | realized it.
But my soul was filled with contempt
for the lounging, lazy natives, who, it
seemed to me, could do nothing except
smoke cigarettes, rest their heads on
their hands, and feebly say: 'Manana'
! tomorrow. | saw everything there
was to be seen and found the party at
the landing impatiently awaiting my
arrival so they could return to the
ship. While | had done the town
throughly l had to admit to myself
that | had never been so tired in my
life as / was when l reached the deck
of the City of Sidney, and stretched
myself in a steamer chair to smoke and
think over what l had seen.
My spirits revived when we got
under way again and had the benefit OF
an ocean breeze. | renewed my de-
termination to see all the towns al
which we touched-and see them thor
oughly. We dropped anchor again q
day or so later and l promptly made a
bargain with one of the natives tC
take me ashore. For some inexplicable
reason | did not feel half the irritation
at the slow movements of the oarsmen
that | had felt at the first port.
lounged back in the boat and smoked
and was almost lulled to sleep by the
movement of the boat as it rose and
fell on the long ocean swells
when | reached the shore, however
/ shook off the lethargy and started
briskly out on my sightseeing trip
When | reached the public square my
enthusiasm began to show signs o:
'petering out With difficulty l tore
myself away from tempting shady
seat and visited the few places of in
terest Then l went back to the boat
and although l reached the ship al
hour ahead of the time set for de
parture | found that all the passen
gers had returned ahead of me-
! 81 was determined to see as much O
the country as possible, however, so a
the next place l again hired native t.
row me ashore. | took an umbrell;
this time, and was weak enough to ust
it as shield from the rays of the trop
ical sun. Arriving on shore, l walked
leisurely as far as the post office anC
back to the boat. Then | sat down OF
the small pier, smoked cigarettes anC
watched the lazy motions of the native.
rowing barges Piled with bags of COTE,
out of the ship and the empty boat
back to the shore again. Very few o
the other passengers had come ashor,
at this place.
my determination to see the country
had not quite all vanished when tn,
anchor was dropped at the next port
and once more hired native to tax,
me ashore When we arrived there
simply sat down in shady spot anC
smoked cigarettes My resentment a
L. 1