Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-23
BUILDING THE CANAL
Life Among the Workmen
Down at the Isthmus.
MANYTHINGS TOLEARN
PLENTY SPORT THERE, THOUGH
NOT ALL GOOD.
What to Eat and Drink and Other In
portant Details OF
Day.
MANYTHINGS TOLEARN

Written for The Evening Star by Bassett Staines'
In a few months time, at the farthest'
hundreds, If not thousands. of Americans
will be going down to the Isthmus of Pana-
ma to complete the digging of De Lesseps
ditch Many other Americans Will 1oilo"
them to take advantage of the numerous
commercial opportunities which Will arse
through the opening OF the canal lie"
hints on the kind Of life they are likely TO
lead there, based upon considerable eN-
perience of the isthmus during the ia'er
onarations of the French Canal Company
may be of value to them.
The Americans who go down there VIII
meet with a very hearty welcome in Pana-
man society. but the etiquette OF that
society will bother them at first, uhiess
they are given a few pointers by men
who know 1t has been truly SAID that
social customs in Colombia are largely 'he
reverse of all that obtain with the Anglo
Saxon races. u a-
tia down in his home and wait for people
70 cali on him He might wait until dooins-
day, so far the Panamans were IN
cerned. His proper course Is 10 Seiiu 'iio o
his cards to the families he wishes to nave
call upon him. Within few days 1hey
will all call The obligation is apsoluteiy
binding on them. but they need not pay a
second call unless they wish to cultlVats
the mans acquaintance. VS.. :.
There is hardly any informal calnnS' IL
is considered bad taste unless you Know
the family intimately. You must notliY
people during the day that you are SoIiis
to call on them in the evening, when i
the Droper time The afternoon tea Is
unknown to the Panamans. The hostess
and her daughters will sit in rocking chairs
and rock themselves to and 1ro Vloiehty
throughout the call. Do not imagine TINS
~ &c
habit
Always Rocking.
They always sit in rocking chairs except
at meals: and they yan no more help rock
ing than quicksilver can help moving
When you get to know them. you will find
their hospitality delightful and absolutely
unbounded. The host places himself and
his house entirely at your disposition,
and he means it. If you choose to stay
month"; he would be charmed, especially
If he happened to live on lonely haci-
enda" in the country.
Rut Young unattached Americans must
be wary. If such one calls at house
where there are daughters more than twice,
people will begin to talk; If he calls often
would be fully justified by local etiquette
in asking him his Intentions
1t would be simply outrageous for him to
take a girl of good family out for walk
in the evening. If he wants to see her
at ALL he must pay the formal call already
described. The fair maid will rock. shyly.
in a corner of the room; and between her
and the young man. like a battalion of
Dragons, her mother, maiden aunts ana
elder sisters will range themselves.
After greetings have been exchanged and
everybody has settled down comfortably
to rock, there will ensue an awkward
silence. Then the young American. driven
to desperation. will venture the brilliant re-
ma rk ha
Yes" the hostess admits. TT Is hot.
Another silence. For the time of year,
she adds with the air of one who has
made a great discovery.
The Maiden Aunt.
Presently one of the maiden aunts hopes
that the senior had a good voyage from
America. Receiving an affirmative reply,
she recounts, with an astonishing AMOUNT
of lurid detail. her experiences of seasick-
ness on her solitary ocean voyage from
Carthagena to Colon.
A mulatto servant brings in cups of
chocolate and dishes of candies and pre-
served fruits. This leads to long discus
sion of the kind of candies eaten in Amer
lea When that discussion dies out at last
for lack of fuel the American finds it IS
time to go. and he has not had a chance to
exchange a single word with the girl he
really came to see.
A visit becomes more lively and enter
tanning when one grows intimate with the
family. but. as a general rule, the dragons
do not relax their severe vigilance
There is no lack of amusements, for the
Panamans are passionately fond of balls,
concerts. operas and theatrical perform
ances. Cock fights. bull fights and lotteries
are also considered by them absolutely es-
Sential to a happy life.
Exciting Sport.
The devotees of rod and gun can obtain
plenty of exciting sport on the isthmus
The shark fishing In the Bay of Panama is
as good as anywhere else in the world, and