Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-01-07


For there is practically no farming
done on the Isthmus. In going across
the Isthmus from Colon on the Atlantic
to Panama on the Pacific, distance OF
fifty-nine miles, one could hardly see
a place where even an attempt was
made at farming. Occasionally one
may see a patch" Of corn planted in
some Granny of a hillside and which
has been so ignorantly and thriftlessly
cultivated that nothing but a few
slender stalks. However, in the gar
dens of the natives, few watermelons,
the quality of which is so poor as to
breed fever, are raised together with
squashes and onions and the coarse,
unpalatable potatoes that are so keenly
relished by the natives. Cucumbers
flourish and some other plants that
grow in the Carolinas are found grow
ing here. Among these is that subtle
and dreaded enemy of the farmers
crab grass.
Even if the soil here was suitable for
farming, it would be impossible to cul-
tivate but very little of it-because Of
the hills and woods. Most Of the for
ests here are so dense and the under
growth Of tangled vines, scrubby trees
and tall grasses Is so rank and intri-
cate as to make them almost impene-
trable. The best as we'll as the only
way to go through them, unless one
wishes to get bruised and scratched, Is
to follow the little winding foot paths
that lead up and across the hillsides to
the thatched huts Of the natives.
In the forests here, where one very
seldom sees a tall tree, are such ami
mails as wild hogs. deer, wild cat, mon
keys, and last and chiefest, perhaps,
those old friends of Dixie-"Brer Pos
sum-" wearing on his face the old fa-
miliar grin, and "Brer Rabbit" blink
ing his beautiful, eyes or, when foe is
near, crouching low in the same old
way known to southerners Rabbits
and 'possums are numerous, but deer
and wild cat are few in number and
seldom seen. But often, II one walks
in the woods, rabbits spring up and
bound away, and now and again an
opossum leaves his den in the wilds
and goes for a peep among the haunts
of men, Not so long ago a gentleman,
on returning to his room, found as
guest of welcome an opossum which,
to say the least, he greeted quite
warmly and dealt with quite treacher-
ously. And only last week an employee
was going from his office home about
the hour Of dusk and he saw hurriedly
shambling across the street of Ancon
none other than big, fat possum-
| lust like some he had caught back in
the SOUTH
On the Isthmus are some excellent
pasture lands and herds Of long-horned
cattle. some of the scrubbiest and some
good looking. are seen feeding on the
green hillside or wading knee deep In
water and mud where the taller grasses
grow. There are no real fancy milk
COWS here, even though milk and but
ter are zealouSly sought for products.
Milk sells at a dollar per gallon, and
butter, the very cheapest. sells at forty
cents a pound But even at these
prices, which would seem exOrbitant
in the states, the demand is far great
er than the supply.
! A much sought for man in the city
of Panama is a Spanish dairyman, who
owns herd of about thirty milk COWS.
He neither has to seek for customers
or to be at any expense in advertising,
for the gallons of milk he sells at one
dollar a gallon are much fewer in num-
Der than those who seek to buy of him.
The Sabbath.
Though the work of digging the ca
nal is seldom carried on on Sundays,
and though during the day there is
heard but seldom the sound of kissing
steam or of toll down in the great
ditch. one has but to look around him
lin other places to have thrust upon him
the proof that the great mass of people
here give very little heed and no obe-
dience to the fourth commandment
The early hours of Sunday are always
peaceful, and mingled with the songs
of the birds is that Sound OF gentle
stiffness" everywhere. But as the day
grows old and one hears the stir and
'expectant hustle of those ION pleasures
lbent," he is convinced that by nine
tenths of the people it is spent more as
a day of revelry than as day of rest
Some go to the baseball games that are
carried on with much enthusiasm
Some take the morning train for thai
wicked city called Panama and gamble
at the Panama lottery, or drink the day
laway in going the rounds OF the sa-
Iloons. Others gun in hand, are off to
the hills, while still others go to glory
in the blood and excitement and bru-
ltality of the bull fights that are always
pulled off with a great deal OF betting
land no little carousing. On nearly
every Saturday during the dry season
posters with the announcement that
baseball game is to be played at GER
tain hours on Sunday are tackled up In
conspicuous places, and on Sundays II
is very usual thing to hear the cracks
Of The bats and the wild, delirious
shouts of the "rOoters" and the cheer
ing of the crowds as the game goes on
But, notwithstanding this, religious
services are held regularly on Sundays
at practically every town in the Cana
Zone. The Isthmian Canal Commission
maintains corps of chaplains whose
duties are to hold their services, t(
make daily visits to commission hospi'
: tails and to perform such other duties
connected with their calling as may bt
requested. There are at present clever
chdplains on duty; and besides these