The Newark journal., 1908-01-31

We landed at Cristobol, the Ameri- can section of Colon, at o'clock D.. m., but it was two hours later before I we went ashore, and the custom in- spectors had finished and our baggage checked to Gorgona. A special train was waiting to carry the passengers to their destinations. We passed several pretty towns before reaching Gorgona. The tropical vegetation was very in- teresting to me, as there were so many strange and beautiful plants and trees, and all so green.
 Panama is very pretty country, rough, hilly and mountainous. Most of the larger timber along the rail- road has been removed, but there re- mains great deal of smaller brush and jungle, and there are very few cleared fields. There are no public roads through this section: only trails. Everything in the interior is transport ed on the backs of the native men and women, or by small pack horses or donkeys. There are no vehicles of any kind, or blows, in use. Corn is planted by digging holes and dropping it in. It receives little or no cultiva- tion thereafter.
 The natives subsist principally upon fruits and few vegetab ables. Oranges, lemons, lines, pineapples, bananas, l planta1n, vans, sweet potatoes, etc. There are a great many kinds of fruit 1 never saw or heard of before. Near ly every tree that grows, bears fruit of some kind, and it is nearly all edible. The soil is very fertile and everthing planted in it seems to thrive This is the ideal lazy mans country. The natives of the interior are mostly Indians, very similar to the American Indians in the States. The natives along the Canal Zone are general mixture, and 1 suppose nearly every nation is represented. The Americans | predominate in every line of skilled labor, an6 we hear very little language except English.
 The climate is the most delightful I have ever experienced. The temper ature very seldom goes above 80 in the shade, and is very even. The trade winds blow almost continually The dry season begun few days after we landed, and we only have an oc- casion shower.
 On Christmas day quite number of us attended a picnic on Toboga Island, which is Is miles from Panama City, in the bay of Panama. It is said to be the prettiest natural tropical island in the world. I have never seen prettier place. The old town of Tobo- go is quaint old place, and the old houses, covered with tiling, and it's i location on the hills, give it a pictur- esque appearance. We visited and went inside the old Catholic church, probably the oldest church except one in the Rebublic of Panama. It is near 400 years old, so We were informed. We also visited the old cemetery. The doors had fallen away from some of the vaults, leaving many of the skele- tons exposed to view.
 The United States government sani tarium is located here, on beautiful hill overlooking the Pacific. The view from the sanitarium is very pretty. Many high, but small islands can be seen in the bay.
 The native passtime is 'cockfight- ing,n and one was in progress near where we ate dinner. Pineapples are the principal product of the island, and they are of excellent quality. All convalescent fever cases are sent here for ten or twelve days, after they leave the hospital. It is very healthy llplace.
 We crossed the canal at several points going to and from Panama City, but as it was holiday no work was in progress. "A great deal of
 work is being and has been done on the canal but there remains the greater ] part to be done yet. One is impressed with the very large amount of old machinery and cars, scattered all
 along, just where it was left by the
 French. Where active work is in pro- gross, it has been thrown aside by the l Americans and in it place modern machinery and equipments are used. Some of this old machinery and cars , are but mere toys compared with the l present machinery.
 l, Our health is good, and so far as