The herald., 1895-11-03
An Entertaining Account of the Pleasures to Be
Experienced Travelling by the lsthmus.
Personal Experience
Side Trim to Guatemala City, Sunday Morning Seemed Like
American Fourth o JuIy-The Volcanoes Of Iaa,
Aqua andF uegoQuain! Western
Coast Mexico
BY r. r. TIMER

gOf all the routes between the east and
west coasts of the United States, none is
mure delightful to one who can ENJOY the
ocean, nor more full of interest and va
riety than the water route via the 18th
mus of Panama. For more than week
out of sight of land On the Atlantic side
with the exception of a brief glimpse OF
q few tropical lslands-and nearly
month on the Pacific coast with frequent
utops at Central American and Mexican
ports and almost continually within
short distance OF the shore it presents
variety which effectually prevents mono
tony.
Of the particular trir to be written OF
here, after pleasant sail of eight days,
during which we passed very near Castle
Island, Fortune Island San Domingo,
Cuba. and several islands of the Bahama
group, and through the beautiful blue
waters of the Caribbean sea, we arrived at
Aspin wall. near midnight. The town OF
Aspinwall presents much more attract
i've appearance when viewed from the
sea at distance than from a closer
range. 1t is composed principally Of
negroes and saloons, nearly every second
building con tanning a saloon. The town
was burned by insurgents in 1885, and
many of the ruins of the old town are to
be seen today. In the business center
the buildings are mere sheds, and there
are really but two houses of any preten-
tions IN the town-the former residences
of De Lesseps and bis son.
The smaller negro children go about
unclad, and the women are scantily at
tired. Police Office abound, most of
them but little over five feet in height.
Their uniform consists of blue coats, red
trouser and helmets. On side street the
prison is open to the public gaze, and the
prisoners may be seen behind the bars
like Gagged beasts. In spite of appeoran-
Cas- a great deal of business is done here,
the town receiving the bulk of the benefit
derived from the great traffic across the
isthmus, almost to the exclusion Of
Panama. Aspinwall received its name
from the originator of the Panama rail-
Yoad-Mr. Aspinwsll. There is very lit
lite of interest here, however, for the
sight-seer. One place worth visiting,
perhaps, is the statue of Columbus, situ-
ated on g small peninsula at the end of
palm-lIned avenue.
AT l o'clock we left Aspinwall for
Panama, fifty miles away. The cars were
similar to the common cars used in this
country and the speed of the train aver
aged twenty five miles an hour. A IL along
the route the vegetation was most luxuri-
ant, and matched huts were numerous.
The train stopped at several small viii
lagos where women and children had
quantities of fruit for sale. For consid-
cradle distance we passed along beside
the defunct Panama canal, where tbous-
ands of dollars worth of machinery lay in
the huge ditch in a state OF dissolution,
and at 3 o'clock Panama was reached.
The bay of Panama ~ very shallow along
the shore, the larger steamers being
obliged to anchor three miles from town
near the island of Perico. After leaving
the small steamer which carried us down
the hav we found that we were fortunate
in having for the remainder of the trip
the largest steamer then running on the
Pacifi, side; a steamer properly belong
ing to the Japan and China line, but
used for the Panama service at this time
because Of the coffee season then at its
height.
Next day the steamer was surround
ed by many small boats, from which
Cinnamon, Spaniards and negroes sold
birds, curios, fruit and various edibles.
On the lower deck forward we had con-
glomeration of hva stock, parrots, par
Iakeets, canaries, cattle. sheep, pigs.
poultry, ETC., etc. The Chinese servants
dlu thriving business selling and trad
ing canaries with the natives at the vari-
Gus ports.
By the courtesy of the captain l was
enabled to go ashore in his launch, which,
small as it was, could not land us at the
teps, but We were obliged to employ one