Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1901-11-28
SOUTH AMERICAN TOUR.

IL is a great undertaking to explore a
whole continent, but that IS what |
shall ask you TO do though briefly it
may be.
We will FIRST sail from the eastern
part OF our continent TO the lsthmus OF
Panama ana crossing that narrow neck
OF land 90 through the Pacific Ocean
along the west coast TO the Strait Of
Magellan and making many trips into
the interior.
Tins will be very long journey,
South America is 50 large that we must
travel much farther than the dis
lance around the world If we visit
only the important parts.
We must 90 from our shore to the
lsmus of Panama by snip. We will
pass Cuba, the land Of tropical fruits,
aud then we shall see no land until we
sight that wonderful piece OF land, the
lsthmus OF Panama, the neck of land
that connects north and South America.
We shall cross the Isthmus on railroad
in very few hours.
The first white man that crossed the
Ismus endured hardship for tW enty nine
days before he saw the great Pacific
This well known man was Balboa who
was sent in command OF Spanish par
ty on a voyage Of discovery.
Ever since Balboa discovered this
narrow neck canals have been planned
but none of thom have been completed.
One of them is the Nicaragua Canal a.
cross Central America, by way OF Lake
Nicaragua and river San Juan and the
| other is the canal which was begun by
the French from Colon to the bay Of
Panama on the Pacific
We SHALL see much of Panama. IN
al as we cross on tho railroad. Vast
! sums have been spent on it but it is
! still far from compl elton.
The depth Of the canal at this place
would be abOuU Two aud one half times
as high as Washington monument,
| There is vast amount Of machinery
| going to ruin for the work has long
! since been given up for some time.
! We will leave the Isthmus and first
republic we will visit will be Colum bia,
| The country is so vast we cannot OK
| pect to visit it all Columbia is ten
times as large as the state of New York.
| 1t is a land of mountains and plains,
| The Andes traverse it from north to
south, and in this mighty chain is con-
cealed vast amounts OF gold and silver.
| The land produces vast amounts of SUI
gar cane, coffee, cocoa, bananas and o.
ranges. We are delighted with the
people of this republic They are not
ed for hospitality, and so kind that
their country has been called The land
of the gentle yes" because the people
hate to say no TO any request.
They are composed largely OF the
mixed race of Spaniards and indians,
and they are very simple in their tastes
and their chief business is farming aud
fruit raising.
We Will now start for Ecuador. We
pass the south boundary of Columbla
and then coast for some time along
northern Ecuador As we cross the e.
guator the sun grows hotter and hotter
and we feel almost roasting as we enter
the great gulf of Guayaquil and sail u[
the Guayas river to Guyaquil, the chi9i
sea port Of Ecuador This land is nam
ed in honor of the equator which crosses
it, ECudOr is the Shape of fan the
handle of which extends almost to Bra
I'll and whose scalloped rim is fringeC
with ocean spray, Ecuador is abouj
the size of Texas.
The streets of Guayaquil are So mar
row that the mode of travel is on don
! keys. mere are no wagons or cars IL
this city, donkeys being tue beasts o
burden.
The houses are built of bamboo
lathes covered with mud though wher
finished they resemble birch or stone
houses. Quito is the capital of Ecuador
and is the highest capital city in the
world. They have no ice in Quito al
though it is more than a thousand fee
higher than Mt. ST. Bernard in Europe
Quito has $4,000 population, The pop
ulation of Ecuador is fully two thirds
Indian Spanish and Ind ans form thu
ruling class. The pure Indians are lit
tie more than slaves to the whites. 4
railroad has been planned from tn,
coast up the Andes to Quito. A part 0
it has already been built and the da!
may come when this temperate vale,
with its rich farming lands will be con
neCted with the seaport by rail No
all of the indians that we see in Quit
are civilized. Some of them wear hare
faces. They come on long journeys t.
Quito bringing furs and other thing
from the east. The next republic WI
will visit will be Peru.
10 be continued
A TRAVELLER