The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-09-15
TYPICAL COSTA nrcANs.

weather goes, 1T reminds one OF that
inscription which was carved on the
marble room in the paluce OF Delhi;
IF there is paradise on earth IT is
this 1t is this 1t is thisw
Climbing the Central American Andes.
But We can see the country better
by taking a trip from The Atlantic sea-
coast up to this highland city OF SAN
Jose. The Northern Railway. which
is leased by dhe United Fruit Company.
starts at Port Lmon and climbs right
over the mountains. il is about ninety
miles to the top of the pass and IN
that distance Wa ascend almost 5000
feet The road then goes down In the
neighborhood of 1900 feet to the cant
tai, leaving us at about three quarters
OF a mile over sea level.
There IS now another road which has
been continued down the western
side OF tho mountains to the Pacific.
That was completed only last year, ana
1t has given tho country a railroad
trunk line from ocean to ocean. The
fare on the Northern Hallway is about
cents milo and freight rates are
comparatively high. The road ia a
narrow gauge. but the roadbed is well
ballasted, and AS the locomotives and
America, the trip is quite comfortable.
Leaving Port Limon, We 30 out into
tho jungle and for some miles skirt
the Atlantic, whose silvery waves are
rolling up on the shore. on our left
are many cocoanut groves. the trees
of which are so close to the cars that
tho nuts might fail down ana craciS
tho heads Of the brakemen. After a
|, while VIC como TO the banana estates
and ride for an hour or so through "a
dense forest made up OF these wide
leafcd rustling green plants. They
reach as high as the cars and are $50
close that we can almost pull tho fruit
from the stems.
We see them cutting Tho bananas
and laying them on beds OF leaves
by tho tracks Later on they VIII be
carefully corded up ana transferred to
the cars
A. we go on the land rises We stop
ut NIadro de dos. and d little later
reach the galley of the Reventazon
River, an emerald green stream which
flows down the Wild valley which forms
the greater part OF The route TO tine
highlands. This river winds in and
out now passing through govgeS be-
tween great walls of bright green One
bend is known as the Devils Elbow,
and above this arc PERCEPTIONS green
walls u thousand feet high. The track
winds along the sides of them and ass
you look up your view IS bordered with
emerald Gins and rooted by the sky
Except FOR it's green tint the water OF
the river IS beautifully clear save
whore It rolls over the stones, foam
ing and dashing transforming its
emeralds to silver.
A Hotanical Garden.
An then the vegetation. our way
UP this mountains is through botani-
cal garden more gorgeous and more
beautiful than the famed creations or
lava. Honskong or Ceyion. The plants
change as we rise and we huve hun
drcds OF flowers and trees the names
OF which We have never heard and
which few Americans have ever soon.
Tho grst part OF the Journey s
through palm trees Further on we
ina tropical giants OF other nrhorcal
varitics with trunks as big around as
"a -four barrel and TOO or 200 feat hlsh,
Tho limbs of some arc covered with
vines ana their trunks arc wrapped
around With LONG llamus or voeetable
ropes which extend to the ground and
root themselves in the oarth. In places
these iiamas have vines connected
with them and the trunks OF the trees
seem TO be drapcd iu cloahs or man
ties with great hobble skirts OF bright