The Republican journal., 1907-09-19
Across the IsthmuS in AS.

OF an early number of the Pine Tree
Magazine the Journal said that every
issue contained something of local in
terest to Maine people-reminiscent,
historical or descriptive-and the mag
azine continues to maintain its repu-
tation in this respect. The August is
sue contains an article entitled, ga
Maine Mans Trip Across the lsthmus
in lS45. A Personal Experience in the
Canal Zone" which aside from its his
torical value will interest the many in
this section who knew the Hon. A. G.
Jewett, his daughter, Mrs. Harris, and
her family. The author of the article
is Jane w. Harris. granddaughter
of Mr.. Jewett. After some interesting
remarks concerning the Panama canal,
now in course of construction, Miss
Harris says:
In 1915 the ''execrable sedd ore" the
cursed thirst for gold had not settled
upon our country. Four years later,
in lS49, thousands were making their
way across the Isthmus to California,
under tremendous hardships, moved by
that greatest drawing power on earth
the chance, however uncertain, of be-
coming rich; but in 1915 the Isthmus
was a practically unknown route for
American travellers.
In that year Albert Gallatin Jewett
of Bangor, Maine, lawyer standing
high in his profession at that time and
whose name is still often mentioned in
the oldest ranks of the Estate of
Maine" lawyers of to-day, was appoint.
ed charge d'affaires to Peru by Presi-
dent Polk, and his journey to South
America was made by the way of the
Isthmus.
So little had been the travel over the
1sthmus at that time by residents of
the United States, that Mr.. Jewett's
wife and little daughter, who accompa
MED him on the journey, were said to
be the first white woman and child
from the United States to cross the
Isthmus. While the absolute accuracy
of this statement could not be proved
easily, it serves we'll to show the prime
val conditions of every kind which
awaited the explorer of that untrav-
elled land. Great as has been the
advancement in conditions of travel on
the Isthmus in the last sixty-five years,
yet almost as great, in proportion, have
been the changes in our own country:
so great that strange indeed seems now
the manner of journey which repre-
sentative of the United States to a for
eign country was obliged to undergo at
that time, even while within travelled
boundaries.
Mr.. Jewett, his wife, child and their
h. Norfpllr Liroinia
by private means, set sail from there
for their almost unknown destination
in a schooner of not more than one
hundred and twenty tons-a mere prl-
yate pleasure craft which had been
bought by the United States govern
ment.
Mounted amidship was one gun.
The crew consisted of eighty men
and six officers. The title of the COM
manding officer was Lieutenant Com
manding," for each officer had his rank
and title in the United States navy,
and though there was very little vessel,
there was as much punctillio as if the
little schooner had been battleship.
After voyage of twenty five days
the vessel reached Chagres, aud on Sun
day, the first day of June, 1915, Mr..
Jewett, his wife and child disembarked
onto the low banks at the mouth of the
Chagres river. Scattered about them
were a few miserable negro huts, and
all around the unbroken tropical forest,
which extended into the very river
itself, While the great, massive, un-
checked. overlapping growth met above,
across the quiet, somewhat sluggish
stream.
On this low mud spot of desolation
Mr. nd faD cd
about six hours, we are told in letter
written by Mr.. Jewett, descriptive of
the trip: ''Then,' in the words of the
letter 'about ten O'clock at night we
started up Chagres river for Las
Cruces, village forty or fifty miles
distant, a second boat following ours
with our luggage.
Our boat was about thirty feet long
and five feet wide, dug out of single
log. and, say to George and John, re-
minded me of the old canoe which we
when boys used in rafting logs on the
Maine meadows. About twelve feet of
the middle was covered by the leaves
or branches of the cocoa tree, six or
eight courses thick and over which
were drawn skins to turn off the show
erS of rain which are bountiful and
delightful. To my family as we'll as
myself it was novel scene. a seat
across the top of the boat at the end of
the covering made the entrance very
small, and each female had to be taken
up, carried to the entrance and then
put in feet first, and this was accom-
plished while it was raining in tor
rents, but we were we'll protected with
umbrellas.
"The Onkahye then left us, as the
commander was afraid of dying him.
self if he remained longer on shore, aud
as the boats were not ready to leave we
remained there about three hours after
dark and then moved off We had four
mattresses and bedding with US and in
this manner we travelled up the river
forty-eight hours. The boat was man
aged by four natives, all of whom
spoke only Spanish-and here COM
menced my first attempts to speak the
Spanish language. | could not under
stand one word when we started, nor of
course could they understand me.
"WEen we started it was so dark that
we could not see man in the boat,
and their screams, songs and laughter,
with the ripping of the oars were the
only Interruptions of our silence-for
my family were pretty still and not
little anxious.
when daylight appeared and the
cloth at the end of the covering was
removed there stood four natives,
~