Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1910-04-20
HOME FROM PANAMA
Editor Describes the Return Home
From His Southern Trip.
Some of the Details of the Long
Journey Across the Caribbean
Sea and the Gulf of Mexico,
the Passing of Quar-
antine and Custom
House, Etc.

Last weeks section Of the descrip-
tion of the editors recent trip to
Panama closed with our ship moor-
ed to the dock at Almirante Bay,
where it was being loaded with a
cargo of about $4,000 punches of
bananas, during which time the edi-
torial party was being lavishly en-
tertained by the United Fruit Com
pany, and given a trip into the in
terror jungle of tropical Panama and
Costa Rica, and the thousands of
acres of bananas. 1t was a day that
We will never forget, filled with new
and thrilling scenes, with much of
information and with good nature
and hospitality.
Along toward evening there was
a lull in the moving of trains, the
calling of the niggers and the steady
stream Of bananas which had been
passing upward from the trains and
down into the great hold of the YES
sci without interruption night and
day, for over twenty-eight hours,
and the great task of loading the
ship was done. These Jamaican ne
groes could give our American mig
gers lessons on working. They take
the contract to load the ship for so
much money, within a given time.
and from the moment they begin
they work like beavers, sometimes
without scarcely stop to eat. only
moment TO catch bite, all
through the day and through the
night, until the ship is loaded, which
is the same all along the line, from
the time the bananas are picked un-
til they are marketed. Then they
literally drop in their tracks, wher-
ever they may be, some with the
railroad tracks as pillows, some on
the broad decks of the ship, some
on top of the cars, anywhere they
happen TO be. and sleep like logs
for the brief time the ship is being
made ready to leave port. Then
themselves on the forward deck, and
as the great ponderous ocean grey
hound gets under way they sing Hnd
laugh and play like children, while
the run is made from Almirante to
Bocas dep Toro. where they are TAX
en- off on launches and go to their
homes
We neglected to state that when
we arose on the morning of the
second day at Almirante Bay and
started out on our customary before
breakfast walk about the deck, we
were surprised and delighted to note
just behind us, moored to the dock,
the fine big Norwegian ship "Fru
terra" ready to be loaded with
bananas for Norway. She was fly
ing the Norwegian flag, and while
We are as loyal to Uncle Sam as we
know how to be, yet it made one
think of home to see the good flag
of frigid old Norway way down there
almost at the equator. And this
serves to show something of tho
immensity of the United Fruit Co.
It's territory is the world, and its
trade extends to every quarter of
the globe.
After a brief stop at Bocas del
Toro, we started on the long trip
home, which was to be made with
out a stop to New Orleans. We
were loath to depart although anxi-
Gus to get home again. We had all
enjoyed to the fullest extent the
privilege of visiting Panama, the
exceptionally auspicious circum-
stances under which We had made
the trip, the perfect weather, the
good health of the entire party, and
the unbounded hospitality and
courtesy which was extended to us
on every hand AS we steamed out
Of Almirante Bay, among the coral
reefs and islands, and before dark
had lost sight of land, We settled
down to several days of rest from
the arduous work of sightseeing,
which although very agreeable may
also be fatiguing, as it had grown
TO be in our case.
During the long journey home
the weather was pleasant. for the
most part, and the passengers with
stood the roughress of the sea
much better than on the down trip.
In fact, only during two days was
the sea very rough, and especially
one day, when the great swells of