The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1911-11-03

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y{U somewhat more than II mi
VIII q century ago by the Ic)%C ,
NTTjN the first Of the Pana- II 81 i
e....AAn&&rmw~. man Obaldias. who
created princely 4 Vi
estate from royal grant of land.
Mangote. situated about miles from
the town. is now in the hands of his
J ! ! !. ] ]
great-grandsons, whose father was
lately president OF the republic. Be- 1
fore the revolutionary days many
Chircano landowners maintained
lordly estate In peace and prosperity. S3
David Is an attractive place. clean
and orderly as Dutch burg and pic
turesque as Tyrolean hamlet Along e
the broad drab lengths of the streets
are lined modest dwellings with .
whitewashed walls, red-tiled roofs and
blue and green doors and window
shutters. The most pretentious resi- |MM, -
dences are no more than two-storied
frame structures, with 10 rooms at
most and patio in the rear. OF the III <H
5000 inhabitants perhaps so are swell 49,! z5ss1:
to do. in the conventional sense OF sSSsSsss 81
the phrase. The remainder are super
iatfvely poor, measured by the stand
ard OF dollars and cents. but passing
rich IN fact by reason Of having
everything that they need and probably all they
desire. Everyone seems to secure an easy live
nhood. but precisely how is dfficult to determine
hard worker is not to be seen, but neither Is
heggar nor vagrant, and the municipality does
not boast any such institution as an almshouse
However, the matter Is Invested Of much of its
mystery when one considers that land as prolific
as any In the world is to be had for the taking
and a mans outfit of clothing consists of three
pieces-straw hat, shirt, and cotton trousers
while woman gets along very well with one gar
ment. and children are not encountered to that
extent
Although the dry season was weil-nigh spent
3 everything booked fresh and green the morning
that galloped out upon the llano on my way to
Dvala.s My moso. long, lean fellow with
melancholy visage. followed at pace which he
never varied, but which later experience taught
me could always be depended on to bring him
up with me at the end of ride. Man never
possessed less appropriate name than his.
Pantaleon-"panth Hon"-was possibly be-
slowed upon him In spirit OF irony. He was
profoundly, seifpossessed and had the commend
able. Characteristic of combining his attention to-
his own business and just SO much of his en-
ployer's as properly concerned him.
Before us stretched Of the llanos, which
iie like grassy islands in forest sea- atsintervas
all along the Pacific slope of the Cordillera For
miles onward and on either side Of us the
ground extended in sweep as level as billiard
table and as green. With Its thick covering of
jenjebrio. the tract looked strikingly like bit
of the bluegrass country Of Kentucky. Here and
there wild hg or ceibo threw its heavy-leafed
branches WIDE affording grateful shelter for man
and beast On every side the close ranks Of the
forest trees hemmed the lIano in and away be-
yond in our front rose the jabbed teeth of the
sierra, with the smoking cone of Ell volcan pro-
jecting beyond the ruck VI
"A welworn crack indicates the shortest route
to the point where the road enters the forest
We keep It in sight for the sake of preserving
our. bearing, otherwise one might ride unrestrain
eddy the darkest night over this fiat expanse
unbroken by gullies and devoid of burrows. In
fact. have crossed It at a hand gallop in a
downpour of rain when my horses ears were not
fcffn oh hla 0xA fha rwoH HOhf ~ nou id
made lurid beacon patch in the distance.
These llanos are the commons" of the people
the poor mans grazing ground. We pass small
herds Of from 10 to 20 head, nibbling the herbage
which is ample for sustenance but not sufficiently
rich and plentiful to condition them for market
Scattered over the range are few mares. with
foals at their heels. In this country they ride
and work only the male horses, leaving the fe-
males constantly at grass This is obviously q
bad system for 1t retards hereditary transmission
and results in the development of serviceable
qualities side only. The animals are un-
dersized and the breed poor the best strain being
derived from Peruvian stations Despite his un-
promising appearance. however. the Panamanian
pony is apt to surprise You with wonderful dis
play OF stamina. have been carried fifty-odd
miles by one in twelve hours and found him At
for good days journey the next morning They
are easygoing beasts with a singlefoot gait. and
II one win be content to ride them In the manner
to which they are accustomed. quite as service
able as the average mount to be picked up in
Central or South America It is distinctly advis-
able however. to get rid Of the greasy hair bride
Of the country. even though no better substitute
than a piece Of clean rope IL available Failure
to take this precauticn once cost me sore hand
Of which was not cured for weeks,
Now and again traveller joys by. with NUT
tered "Buenos dias"-a salutation that Is never
omitted by man. woman or child The rider
wears q conical straw hat. cotton shirt dap
ping free In the wind and pair Of blue jeans