The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1916-07-04

to say farewell TO MS at the edge or
town. He gave us sort Of cup made
from cocoanrt husk 20 which long
cords had been attached. With these,
he explained, we could dip up water
without dismounting. We found them
most convenient.
Shortly after we had left town and
before we had really begun our jour
ney In enrnest we passed a most as
tonishing caravan going the other
way. This consisted Of sixteen mules
and donkeys under sole charge of
three men armed with antiquated and
somewhat rusty muskets. On either
side of each mule. slung in a rope ana
plain to see, hung a heavy ingot OF
gold! Fascinated, we approached and
stroked the satiny beautiful metal and
wondered that on road so crowded
with travellers of all grades so precious
n train should be freely intrusted to
the three ragged, lazy natives. SO curl
Gus did this seem that Talbot inquired
of the leader why it was allowed.
"Whlther would thief run to?
How could he carry away these heavy
iDgots?" the man propounded.
Often around subsequent camphres
we have in idle curiosity attempted to
answer these two quest ons success
fully, but have always failed. The
gold was safe.
We arrived in Panama In the after
noon, and we were all eyes, for here
otl, katy dfroOtIu from tho
pages of the Boys Own Pirate"
without the least effort of the imag-
ination we could see Morgan or Kidd
or some other old swashbuckler, cut
lass In teeth, pistols In hand, broad
Bashed, fierce and ruthless, rushing
over the walls or through the streets,
while the cathedral bells changed wild
ly and women screamed. Everything
about 1t was of the past, for somehow
the modern signs Of American inva-
sion seemed temporary and to be
blown away. The two story wooden
houses with corridor and veranda
across the face of the second story,
painted In bright colors, leaned crazily
out across the streets toward each
other. Narrow and mysterious alleys
led up between them. Ancient cathe-
drals and churches stood gray with
age before grass grown plazas. And
in the outskirts of town were massive
masonry ruins of great buildings. con
vent and colleges, some of which had
never been finished.
We stopped over one day at the
Fonda Americana and then, reQlizing
that we were probably in for a long
wait, found two rooms in house of
the main street. These we rented
from a native at fairly reasonable
rate. They were in the second story
of a massive stone ruin whose walls
had been patched up with whitewash
Outside the walls of the city was O
large encampment of tents In which
dwelt the more impecunious or more
economical of the miners. Here toe
had located n large hospital tent
There was a great deal Of sickness
due to the hardships of the journey
the bad climate, irregular living, tbt
overeating of fruit, drinking, the tota
lack of sanitation In fact, only the
situation of the city--out on an 18th
mus in the sea breeZes-I am con
vinced, saved us from pestileDce. Bv
cry American seemed to possess pat
ent medicine of some sort, with which
he dosed himself religiously in and on
of season. A good many, should
think, must have fallen victims t
these nostrums.
Each morning regularly we wen
down to harass the steamship employ
ees. Roughly speaking, some 800 o
us had bought through passage befor
leaving New York, and 1t was an
nounced that only flfty-two additiona
to those already aboard could b
squeezed Into the first steamer. Th
other 24S would have to await tn
next Naturally every man was dt
termlned that no would not be lef
for such delay in such n place at th
time of gold rush was unthinkabl'
: The officials ut that steamship otfic
had no easy time. Each man wante
first of all to know just when the shi
was to be expected, a thing no on
could guess. Then he demanded h
accommodation and had dozen re,
sons why his claim should be pr
ferred over that of the others. 1 me-
er saw n more quarrelsome. noisy dc
kennel than that steamship offic
Why no one was ever shot there
could not tell you.
In the evening the main street WI
a blaze Of light, and the byways wei
cast in darkness. The crowd was q
afoot and moved restlessly to and +
from one bar or gambling place to a
other. or the thousands or 80 of stra
gers we came in time TO recognize
sight great many. The journey hon
through the dark was perilous. v
never attempted 1t except In compan
and, as Johnny seemed fascinated wi
certain game called Mexican mont
we often had to endure long waits b
fore all our party was assembled.
One morning our daily trip to q
steamship office bore fruit. We -four
the nlaZa filed with excited men,