Courier Democrat., 1916-09-14

| With the same OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES or
boatmcn. Some took possession and
settled themselves patiently beneath
their little roofs. Others made forays
and returned dragging protesting ma
tives by the arm. These generally
turned out to be the wrong natives,
but that was mere detail. Once in
n lucky while the full boats compile
ment would be gathered, and then the
craft would pull away up the river
to the tune OF pistol shots and vocif-
erous yells.
At the end Of the period mentioned
They We're quite amicable-indeed,
friendiy-ard laughed together as they
came. J'bc assistant" proved to be
a tremendous negro, nearly naked,
with iinc big muscles and a good ma
tured, :s:inniny face. He Wore large
brass ear c:rc]ets and bracelets of cop
per- We all pushed the canoe to the
aboard. The negro bent his mighty
shoulders. We We're afloat
Our padronc, as Talbot told us we
should call him, stood iii front clad in
a colorcd muslin shirt The broad
sluggish river was alive with boats, all
making their way against the current.
BY the time the lagoon had narrowed
however. they had pretty we'll scat
tered.
We entered Il tropical forest, and
never shall l forget the wonder of it.
The banks Were lined to the waters
edge with vegetation. so that one could
soc nothing but the jungle. There
were great palm trees, which we rec
ognized, and teak trees, which we did
not but which Talbot identified for US.
1t was a very bald sort of tree. as l
remember it. Then there were tre-
mendous sycamores in which were
ants nests as big as beeh hives, and ba-
mana trees with torn leaves. probably
the most exotic touch Of all, and beau
tiful noble mangoes like domes of a
green cathedral, and various sorts of
canes and shrubs and lilies growing
among them.
Our men padded steadily ahead
The negro hummed strange minor
songs to himself Suddenly he flashed
his teeth at us and broke into full
voice:
| Oh. Susannah, don't cry for me!
I'm off to California wild my banjo on my
| knee.
The accent was queer, but the words
ana tune We're right. Talbot question
ed him in Spanish.
He says all Americans sing it. He
has taken many UP the river"
"Too many" muttered Johnny. 81
wish We'd started three months
sooner"
1t was growing dusk when we came
in sight of village of bamboo huts
on the right bank. To this we headed.
Hardly had the boat struck the beach
when both Of our men lcapcd ashore
and raced madly toward the huts.
pausing only long enough to slide the
boat beyond the grip Of the river.
We followed. considerably mystified.
Quick as we were, we found both the
padrone and his man, together with a
dozen others. already seated at i
monte table. The padrone was acting
as banker.
We discovered the name Of this place
to be Gatun. Talbot found us native
hut in which were hummocks we could
rent for the night. The hut was a two
storied affair with Il notched pole by
which to Chamber aloft. l took one
look and decided to stay below. My
weight seemed sufficient to bring the
whole thing down about our ears.
| do not know which had the better
of it. My hammock was slung across
one corner of the single room. \ cook
ing fire blaZcd merrily five or six feet
away. Some ten or Il dozen natives
were drinking and talking until near
ly morning, and to my personal lnoWl-
| edge some ten or 4 dozen thousand
tleas were doing the same. Six dogs
were that hut's allowance. They dis
covered that my weight sagged my
hammock down to height just suit
! able for the rubbing of their backs.
In vain l smotc with boot or pistol
barrel. They kiyied and departed, but
| only for a moment. I had not even
time to fall into a doze before one Of
the others was back at it. This
amused the drinking natives. I sup
pose the poor beasts very passionately
wanted to scratch their backs. 1 could
sympathize with them. None of them
could have had as many feas as had,
for their superficial area was not as
great, but perhaps they had as many
per square inch.
In the course Of the night it began
to rain. l mean really rain, without
going into details as to drops,' as
somebody has said. Then I ceased en-
vying my friends upstairs, for from all
sounds l judged the roof was leaking.
Next morning it was still drizzling.
The town was full Of sad eyed, wea-
ried men. 1 think every one had had
about the same experience. The pa
drone was at first a little inclined to
delay, but he quickly recognized that
our mood was bad, so shortly we were
under way.
That day was not an unmitigated
| nj kIo ~