La Junta tribune., 1917-02-03
DOWN IN PANAMA
Panama Well Adapted for Luxurious
living-Sights Along the West
Coast Of South America

Mrs. Esther McCune Brinkman
continues the story OF her journey
from New York to Tirapata. Peru,
which includes observations In Pan
ANA and description OF the sights
and incidents OF the journey down
the west coast OF South America.
Panama has a most interesting
( history. but space forbids my going
into IT, II has been the scene OF
much gorgeous living, and the way
I the governors and high officials
lived in Panama during the early
part of the eighteenth century is to
gasp with the wonder of 1t. for II Is
country that is particularly well
adapted for luxury. There were pre-
cious metals in abundance, wonder
full vegetation. and a people that are
docile and who became good slaves.
There are evidences OF the life SO
lived now in old Panama. and also
the ruins OF their fortifications. We
went around Panama the next day,
and bought some hair pins. belt,
and went to buy these things so that
We could see the stores. which never
have any plate glass windows. In
the morning, the siore-keeper takes
down the front OF his store and at
night he puts II up again. Single.
but effective. Panama is clean. too.
though IL is not In United States ter
ritory. Balboa is a model city, and 10
very pretty. The houses are all CO...
crete. and they all have window boz
es, and outside living rooms and
look comfy, but here. too. II In damp
and was so hot when We were there.
| We took ride In an omnibus that
made a tour Of the town. and In the
course OF our drive went to the
! Tivoli Hotel. II Is just as nice ~
Hotel Washington in Colon, and has
been built longer. Here. however.
we saw the aristrocrats. Nowhere
else In the canal zone had we seen
/ people dressed AS they were at Tivoii.
All the people were dressed nice
enough of course. but at the hotel
they looked lots nicer. The men
had on nice white linens. white shoes
! too. of course. and the women had
on all kinds OF pretty evening clothes
1 and they looked so very nice. We had
\ to get back to the boat. for 1t was
/ to sail as soon AZ the cargo was
loaded and they didn't give any def
mite time.
The next day. I don't remember
what time II was. but ! do know that
II was daylight (because We saw two
American submarines and an Amer
/ lean cruiser as we came out) We left
the harbor In Balboa and were soon
out upon the high seas again. ON
the way out we saw the submar-
ines. and we wished that we had seen
them before SO that we could have
gone over and looked at them.
They looked like grey-hounds and so
very small to be the ferocious things
they say they are. The American
crusier was announced In the bay,
War ships OF any kind never go to
the docks. OF course there is no need
for them to. This boat was the
Charleston" and she surely looked
good TO us. Her guns were cuddled
against her sides and made us think
/ OF y cat with her claws hidden, but
NIL ready to scratch. She dipped her
colors to US ~ We passed. And
little further out we could see on the
high cliffs Of the shore. fortifica-
tions that have been put there by
the United States. Most Of the guns
and their paraphernalia are hidden
among the rocks and vegetation. but
now and then we could see u gun
outlined against the sky. And that Is
the last we have seen OF American
soil and property.
The next morning when we asokc
we had passed out OF sight OF the
tropical canal zone and the west
coast OF Columbia and then Ecua-
dor met our gaze. and OF all the bar
rem sights that expanse Of coast Is
the very drearicst to be found any
where. There is not the least bit
OF vegetation. because there Ia no
rain. and then there is the coldest.
most penetrating wind blowing all
the time. Captain Morgan assured us
that II was from the Humboldt cur
rent: whatever II was II kept us
all frozen, for there In never by any
chance any heating apparatus In
these countries. and OF course not In
the boats. The coast range all tho
way down rises stark and forbidding.
almost from tho sea. and we were
not out Of sight OF land for more