The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1897-09-09
COSTA RIGA.
The Southernmost Of the Central Amer
lean Republics. The Great Nicoya
Gulf. A Typical Southern SEAPORT

PUNTA ARENAS, COSTA RIGA, July 10.
so. From Guatemala 5 capital we jour
eyed by rail to Escuintla, the Pacific port
# that Republic, and there took one of
he little steamers of the Mexican line
which plies between Panama and the head
vi the Gulf of California, touching at all
lie ports between. At Guaymas the YES
eels connect with the Sonora railway,
hich runs to Ell Paso, about $50 miles,
md there joins our Southern Pacific sys-
-em and the Atchison, Topeka and Santa
road. The two days trip from Escu-
1Jla 10 Punta Arenas is delightful. On
ne side the long, measured swells of the
lcitic roll unbroken to the horizon: on the
rher, magnificent mountain panorama
Ae Andes stretch continuous chain from
. nth to north, throwing out many short,
agular ranges in all directions, forming
series OF lofty plateaus and deep green
lieys, The 20 volcanoes that are strung
NJ this narrow neck Of land between
4 two continents, like beads on a rosary,
all in view - some smoking, others
descent OF long since eXtinct-apparent
irawn up in line for inspection, not far
and. The narrow coast is hilly, and all
t. heights, densely covered with forests.
seend abruptly to the ocean. Costa
ga seems even greener aud more fertile
M the neighboring Republic-probably
ause So abundantly watered in every
ut by numerous rivers. The entire area
Central America is little less than
1T of our State of California, and its
-d population about the same as Chica-
Its length from Mexico to Colombia
thousand miles, while its greatest
radth-that along the northern boun-
.ty OF Nicaragua-is 800 miles, and its
It breadth, lin Costa Rica) 100 miles;
Lat standing upon many of its noun
is you may look at once upon both the
antic and the Pacific. 1t lies wholly
o tlln the tropics, though only the belt
dining the sea has torrid climates. The
tai, and all the principal cities, are
tied in the high lands of the interior.
altitude of 3, 600 to 1000 feet. in
As temperate as our Middle States.
ere the climate is cool and salubrious.
the sea-ports are veritable Gehennas,
or dirty and deadly
he breezy afternoon we rounded Cape
lto, a tip Of the peninsula of Nicoya
Il shelters the great gulf OF the same
t-. and threaded its narrow passage
veen tall mountains on either hand
line with the point of the cape is an
-l of rock, with high, bare, precipit-
sides, the top covered with verdure
.Ie glow OF sunset. reelected from a
4g sea and sky, the rock looked like
lloned and turreted fortress, all on
4. ud just beyond it the high lands OF
Il Gull closed all around MS, shut
il the last glimpse Of the Pacific
" small, wooded islands are set SO
to shore, that it is difficult to dis
-uisA Them from the cone shaped hills
ind. Several large rivers flow into this
notably La peidra navigable long
stance above it's mouth, El Tempizque,
81 lilo 5raude and the BarraDca. Costa
.a.1 SIX volcanoes are maIshaled near
Noble spectacle whose like cannot be
.aios earth Tile tallcst of this Illus
RUS company Is Iico Blaneo, white
elt nearly u, 5000 feet, and the lowest is
NavaIles ABOUT 1000. only two are
active present-Irazu and Barba,
IRE form eaching an altitude of II 600
-eet
knowing that We would not be permitted
I'd land 81 otter sunrise and the health
'tf offs Visit on the morrow, we cast
1ucl. lovely little cove, which forms
'Le ublr of Caldera, two or three miles
-.e etJ Of Punta Arenas. Directly in
4- us doomed the dark range of
mains known as Los Aguacates; on
.s land san Pubic volcano, scared from
-1 eruptions; on the other the port,
-ca Arenas, e. Sandy Point in our
-acular). At the foot of Los Aguaca-
and SO near to our deck that it seemed
We might converse with the people
.7 lie. was a long, low tile-roofed house,
- on piles, and half dozen matched
ses besides it, and a few canoes drawn
on the bank. Somebody's ranch, no
bit, but what in the world he can grow
Tie narrow strip Of sand between the
t and the mountains, is mystery.
stund the port, off to the westward are
.ensjve patches of grass-an unusual
ut in the tropics, and it called to mind
fact that the Costa Ricans have of late
ne largely into the business of cattle
i-slng. Somewhere hereabouts the Mi
ia Cuban colony is settled. 1t was
'-med some years ago, under contract
M "een the government and Don Antonio
Aaeeo, for the purpose Of promoting and
proving the cultivation of tobacco. The
TIA Ricans had never excelled in the
ttivation and preparation of the weed
market, and it was hoped that the ex-
eIenced Cubans would be able to in
,.Jct them and inaugurate a new and
llhtable industry, Senior Maceo obtain
/