JHH in mm THE GOLDEN CARIBBEAN z a < H a: < THE GOLDEN CARIBBEAN A WINTER VISIT TO THE REPUBLICS OF COLOMBIA, COSTA RICA, SPANISH HONDURAS, BELIZE AND THE SPANISH MAIN VIA BOSTON AND NEW ORLEANS WRITTEN AND ILLUSTRATED BY HENRY R. BLANEY AUTHOR OF "OLD BOSTON," "PHOTOGRAVURE," ETC. BOSTON LEE AND SHEPARD, PUBLISHERS MCM 49411 "* \kl Cunts* Ktct^tD SEP 19 1900 SECCHD COPY. Oetiwratfto 0«0t« DIVISION, SEP 24 I90U r2/7/ Copyright, 1900, by The United Fruit Company. All rights reserved. The Golden Caribbean. Color Reproductions by Osgood Art Colortype Co. New York Norwood Press J. S. Cushing & Co. — Berwick & Smith Norwood, Mass., U.S.A. CONTENTS CHAPTER I PAGE The Golden Caribbean i CHAPTER II Republic of Colombia, S.A 7 CHAPTER III Historical Notes . . . 13 CHAPTER IV Cartagena 19 CHAPTER V Colombia and the Colombians 27 CHAPTER VI BOCAS DEL TORO, REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA, S.A. . . . 33 CHAPTER VII Folk-lore of Colombia 4* CHAPTER VIII Costa Rica, C.A. . 4^ vi CONTENTS CHAPTER IX PAGE Banana Culture in Costa Rica ...... 68 CHAPTER X El Salvador 73 CHAPTER XI The Republic of Honduras 87 CHAPTER XII The Republic of Guatemala ....... 99 CHAPTER XIII British Honduras . . . 102 CHAPTER XIV From New Orleans to Port Limon, Costa Rica' . . . 113 LIST OF COLOR REPRODUCTIONS Cartagena .... Shaddock, Tangerine, Orange Market Cart. Cartagena . Cartagena Bird Seller Escape of the Buccaneers Boca Chica (Cartagena) Macaw Church of San Juan de Dios, Cartagena Hibiscus Grandiflora Main Street of Bocas • del Toro Indian Woman of Talamanca, Costa Rica Indian Woman and Children, Costa Rica In the Forest of Costa Rica Bridge in the Suburbs of Cartago . San Jose (Peon Market Cart) . The Plain of San Jose Antique Indian Costa Rican Pottery Fresh from the Plantation Ruins of Church at Orosl Costa Rica Frontispiece FACING PAGE 4 12 18 20 26 3° 34 40 44 48 54 56 58 62 66 72 76 LIST OF COLOR REPRODUCTIONS Indian Woman, Costa Rica A Plantation Laborer The Honduras Coast .... San Pedro Sula Central Park (Tegucigalpa, Honduras) Cargo Boats : Belize (Old Gate) .... Street in Belize (British Honduras) Maya Monolith (Belize) Belize (Washerwoman) Black Pine, Cherrimoyer, Avacado Pear, etc FACII IG PAGE 80 84 88 92 94 98 102 106 no 112 , ETC 1 116 THE GOLDEN CARIBBEAN CHAPTER I Tl?e Qold who made all possible resistance, losing many of his tribe A STEAMER OF THE UNITED FRUIT COMPANY. and several important chiefs, whilst he fell a prisoner, and the Spaniards seized about $100,000 gold, in possession of the tribe. An expedition was sent to the coast, guided by the Cacique Caron, to make a treaty of peace with the Cacique Dulio, the most powerful of the neighboring chiefs, and the Spaniards were so successful that they returned with i8 THE GOLDEN CARIBBEAN ),ooo gold, and accompanied by other chiefs who came to make their offers of peace. Several other excursions were made to the nearest tribes, from whom the Spaniards derived not less than a million and a half ducats of gold, amongst which was a gold por- cupine, which weighed seventy-five pounds and was wor- shipped by the Indians of Canapote. CHAPTER IV Cartage 7a MERICANS are probably familiar with the stories ^| of tne old voyagers of the conquest who followed so closely in the wake of Columbus, and know that it was Columbus himself who in September, 1502, discovered Cabo Gracias a Dios on the Colombian coast, and in October of the same year what is now Bocas del Toro. Later, he touched at other points on the coast. The small specimens of fine gold taken home by Colum- bus from this voyage were the beginning of that steady golden current which for many years filled the Spanish coffers, the getting of which gold, and the attendant cruel- ties and atrocities inflicted on the mild-mannered Indians, has been so graphically described by Kingsley in "West- ward Ho." In those clays of conquests, when freebooters and buccaneers were more plentiful than peaceful vessels on the Caribbean Sea, a safe storehouse for treasure and a rendezvous for the ships of Spain were a necessity, and the town of Cartagena was selected for this purpose and founded on the beautiful and land-locked bay of that 19 2 o THE GOLDEN CARIBBEAN name about 1533. By the subsequent closing with a line of heavy boulders of the large entrance, Boca Grande, this last body of water, practically everywhere a safe anchorage for the boats of that day, could be approached by the nar- row channel of Boca Chica only, itself soon protected by two massive stone forts. With the natural conditions so^ favorable, and with no lack of gold nor of Indian slave labor, it is small wonder that the Spaniards built of Cartagena a city almost — but, as Sir Francis Drake proved later, not quite — impregnable. The marvel and the wonder is, however, — and it throws great credit on those early Spanish conquistadores, — that consumed as they were with thirst for gold and plunder, they should have built walls and forts which stand to-day, for the most part, as firm and good as when they were finally completed 300 years ago. To better appreciate the magnitude and costliness of the work undertaken and carried out for the defence of Carta- gena, you should study a plan of the city, showing the double walls, the various bastions, and the system of moats or canals protecting the city -by surprise from land attacks. The walls were begun toward the close of the sixteenth century, and were finished just before the close of the seventeenth, and cost $59,000,000 gold. < O < ' N 1893 there was completed and opened to public ( service, under a 50-year contract with the government, a magnificent new wharf at the head of the bay, and large and commodious warehouses not excelled, and perhaps not equalled, for solidity and convenience of con- struction by any in the West Indies or on the Spanish Main. The bay of Cartagena is perfectly protected. Here ships may lie in absolute security with fires out and steam down, which cannot be said of any other port on the Atlantic coast of Colombia. The Cartagena-Magdalena Railway, after leaving Carta- gena, passes through the towns of Turbaco, Arjona, La Viuda, San Estanislao, Soplaviento, Hatoviejo, and Calamar (65 miles) to the river terminus. The town of Calamar is on the bank of the Magdalena River, 70 miles above its mouth, and is the starting-point for an interesting river voyage of from 500 to 600 miles into the interior on the rapid and comfortable boats of 27 28 THE GOLDEN CARIBBEAN the Compania Fluvial de Cartagena, a new steamboat company operating on the Magdalena River and its tribu- taries in connection with the Cartagena-Magdalena Rail- way Company. Steamers of from 50 to 200 tons burden have plied regularly since 1833 between Honda and Calamar. The Honda rapids can be surmounted by haulage, and steamers descend them in safety, though there is a fall of 20 feet in two miles. Above this point the channel is clear about halfway to the source. The country is among the most mountainous in the world. All communications are most difficult and expensive. All freight must be trans- ported by mule as soon as it leaves the rivers. Goods arrive at the head of navigation at Las Yegues, unloaded to storehouse ; then railroad to Arranca-Plumas, unloaded and carried to river bank by men ; ferry barge here across the Magdalena River, unloaded and carried up the steep river bank and again placed in the storehouse ; then by mule trains to Bogota about 80 miles ; time for freight about five to ten days. As a general rule, the country at the higher elevation is certainly of a healthy character, while the mean annual tem- perature at Bogota (8300 feet above the sea) is between 62°-63° F. Bogota has a National Library with 40,000 volumes, and a Museum of Curiosities and Antiquities. COLOMBIA AND THE COLOMBIANS 29 The journey to Bogota is partly by the steamers of the Compania Fluvial de Cartagena on the Magdalena River, partly by railroad, and the balance by mule back, about nine days in all being necessary to reach the capital. From Honda, 600 miles above Calamar, there are three ridges or mountain passes to cross on mule back, two about 3000 feet each and one of 6000 feet or more. Bogota, the capital of the republic of Colombia, was founded by Gonzalo Jimenez de Ouesada, August 6, 1536, and was constituted a city by the Emperor Charles V. of Spain. The city contains about 120,000 inhabitants, also as an Archiepiscopal See it contains ,30 edifices dedicated to the Roman Catholic faith. In 1893, the population of Colombia was variously esti- mated at from 3,000,000 to 4,000,000. Near Bogota are the noted falls of Tequendama, with a height of 600 feet. The capital also boasts of an Astronomical Observatory, a National Theatre, and the San Juan de Dios Hos- pital. The city of Bogota, the capital of the republic, is said to contain 120,000 inhabitants; while that of Medellin, the second largest in Colombia and the capital of Antioquia, is credited with 50,000. Cartagena, Panama, and Bucara- mangar, the three cities next in importance, 20,000 inhabit- 30 THE GOLDEN CARIBBEAN ants (these figures are only approximate). Among the educated Colombians the traits of their Spanish ancestors are strongly reproduced, this feature being doubtless the more marked in consequence of the isolation of the prin- cipal towns of the interior, and on account of the difficulty of transport and travel. From these causes contact with foreigners is extremely limited, and Spanish customs and habits retained to a greater degree than _ generally found to be the case in South America. Probably these circumstances also explain to some extent the fact that the Spanish spoken by Colom- bians has preserved a greater purity than is usually met with among the Spanish descendants in the New World. As a rule, the people are courteous and hospitable to their own people and strangers alike — a condition no doubt ren- dered necessary by the long journeys on mule back always required to be made by travellers through the departments of the interior. Of Indian blood there is, of course, a large admixture among the inhabitants, although the older families of Bogota show less of this strain than might be expected. On the plains, the bulk of the population is copper-colored. Roads for wagons are almost unknown. Some 7000 miles of telegraph lines have been erected in different parts of the republic, and Bogota is connected by telegraph with nearly all the important cities of the Church of San Juan de Dios — Cartagena. COLOMBIA AND THE COLOMBIANS 31 various departments. In principal towns telephone systems have been established. Colombia is in touch with the rest of the world through o the cable of the Central and South American Cable Com- pany. Regular steamer communication is maintained with foreign countries by United States, British, German, Span- ish, Italian, and Chilian steamships. The mining industry of Colombia has shown little activity of recent years, and mining enterprise has been principally devoted to the extraction of gold and the search for emeralds. Silver mining has occupied public attention from time to time, but has not been an important factor in the situation during the last quarter of a century. Some idea of the natural mineral wealth of the republic may be formed from the values of the precious metals obtained dur- ing the 300 years of Spanish occupation, which were alleged to be worth a sum exceeding $300,000,000. From the department of Antioquia gold to the value of $200,000 is exported annually at the present time, and the total annua* output of all minerals has during the last few years averaged about $4,000,000. The copper industry is capable of great development if once the difficulty of transportation can be overcome. In July, 1899, an outburst of speculation occurred in the emerald market, and in the course of a few weeks gems 32 THE GOLDEN CARIBBEAN to the value of 4,000,000 pesos changed hands, often at prices greater than the quotations given in foreign markets for similar stones. The emerald, which is green, is really a form of silicon in combination with aluminium and another very rare metal. The Hebrews believed that a serpent on fixing its eyes on an emerald became blind. CHAPTER VI Boeas d- A STEAMER OF THE UNITED FRUIT CO. LOADING BANANAS CHAPTER XI TI? Atlantic and three ports on the Pacific. Her rail- ways and iron piers on the Pacific belong to Americans. The republic has no war vessels ; the ports on the Pacific are open roadsteads. Livingston, on the Caribbean side, is a small picturesque town situated at the mouth of the Rio Dulce, and exports many thousand bunches of bananas yearly. Judging from the first-class samples of coffee berry ripe on the stalk seen by the writer at the port, the future of Livingston as a coffee centre is very bright. Mr. Frank Dennis, United States Consular Agent at Livingston, is a Maine man, and an expert on the coffee plant, and he and Mr. W. L. Adams (late of Boston) will be happy to assist any traveller desirous of viewing the magnificent scenery of the Rio Dulce, the outlet to Lake Izabal. The steamer stops here only on the down trip to Puerto Cortez. About ioo miles from Belize we come to Puerto Barrios, another entrance port to the republic of Gua- Lrffc ioo THE GOLDEN CARIBBEAN temala, visited weekly by the steamers* of the United Fruit Company. It is the Atlantic terminal of the North- ern Railroad, which proceeds some 85 miles toward the capital, and ends at the station El Rancho, two days' mule-back ride from Guatemala City. There is a comfort- able hotel at El Rancho, and the ride of 48 hours to the capital is comparatively easy. The traveller to Guatemala City should provide suitable provisions to carry with him, as the chance of finding food on the way is exceedingly doubtful. Near Guatemala City there are many wonder- ful and beautiful antiquities to be seen in Antigua City, especially the old cathedral and examples of Spanish architecture of the last two centuries. There is an engrav- ing of Guatemala City (Antigua) in " Gage's Voyages " (Amsterdam), 1720. Antigua had grown to be the city of the most importance after Mexico City in Spanish America ; and this in spite of the many earthquakes which in succession nearly destroyed it, noticeably those of 1 75 1, 1757, 1765, and 1773. These earthquakes induced the inhabitants to remove to another locality, and thus the new capital of Guatemala was founded. The present population of Antigua is about 20,000, of Guatemala City 45,000. The area of Guatemala is 40,620 square miles, population 1,800,000 or more, mostly Indians and their descendants. THE REPUBLIC OF GUATEMALA 101 The regular army of Guatemala consists of about 5000 men. It is well known that Guatemala has a large quantity of war material, including Krupp mountain-guns, etc., but lacks trained men in her ranks and among her officers. CHAPTER XIII British jHo^duras IONDURAS was discovered in 1502 by Columbus,, and in 15 18 Grijalra landed on the island of Cozumel, and named the country New Spain. The country, what now constitutes British Honduras, was ceded to Great Britain in July, 1670. Since the invasion of 1798, when the Spaniards were repulsed, the English have held the territory by right of conquest in addition to claims of occupation. Captain Nathaniel Uring, writing in 1720 a history of his voyages and travels to the bay of Honduras and Belize River, said : " The country is all a flat, and great part of it a morass, with several large lagoons. In the dry time of the year the logwood cutters search for work, that is, where there are a good number of logwood trees, and then build a hut near them, where they live during the time they are cutting. Some of these trees grow very tall and straight, though most of them are low and crooked. The general price of the wood is ^5 per ton Jamaica money. The logwood cutters during the floods dwell some 42 miles up the river at the 'Barca- Belize — Old Gate. BRITISH HONDURAS 103 dares,' where they have built their huts upon pretty high banks, which just keep 'em out of the water in the time of the floods." British Honduras is situated on the eastern slopes of the peninsula of Yucatan, distant from England 5700 miles, 900 miles south of New Orleans, 600 miles west of Jamaica. British Honduras is a tropical country, the temperature ranging from 56 to 96 , and averaging 75° to 8o°. Toledo is a thriving colony of settlers from the United States, many having become independent. To reach British Honduras, the United Fruit Company (New Orleans branch) will give all information for intending tourists, immigrants, or settlers. Hurricanes or cyclones never reach the coast of British Honduras ; the highest velocity noted of the wind was 25 miles an hour. August to November are the rainy months ; February, March, and April the dry months. The rise and progress of the colony of British Honduras has been continually connected with the fortunes of its trade in timber and dyewoods. The chief industry of the colony is wood-cutting, which has been carried on for over 200 years; as a result,, much of the finest timber within reach of the principal rivers has been cut down ; but there are vast tracts of virgin forests in the interior, growing some of the finest timber trees to be found in any part of the world. 104 THE GOLDEN CARIBBEAN Among the woods may be mentioned mahogany, logwood, cedar, sapodilla, rosewood, fustic, ironwood, redwood, cocoa- nut palm, etc. Belize has a seacoast of about 180 miles, and extends into the interior about 68 miles, with an area of 7562 square miles, and is about twice the size of Jamaica. The highest peak in the Cockscomb Mountains is Victoria Peak, 3700 feet above the sea level, showing a beautiful and picturesque outline against the sunset. The population of British Honduras is about 30,000 (1890). The name of the capital, Belize, was probably derived from the French word baliae, a beacon. The Indian name of Belize is Mopan ; of Honduras, Zuina. The original settlement by the British cannot be traced to any date farther back than the protectorate of Cromwell. Ship- masters brought logwood to London in 1666, which first drew the attention of British capitalists to this country. Belize, the capital of British Honduras, is situated on one of the mouths of the Old River, near Fort George. The population in 1881 was 27,452, of which 375 were white and 27,077 colored or black. The town presents a most pleasing aspect from the harbor. The houses are nearly all built of wood. The chief buildings are the Court House (1880), in the centre of the town, the St. John's Episcopal Cathedral (18 12), Government House (1814), and the Roman Catholic Convent. BRITISH HONDURAS 105 The town is built on the banks of the river for half a mile, and extends along the shore for over two miles. A wooden bridge crosses the river mouth ; it was opened in 1859. Many of the houses are surrounded with gardens planted with oleanders, cocoanut trees, crotons, and other bright-colored shrubs and trees. It is a very healthful town (though surrounded by swamps) ; this is due to the sea breezes and sandy subsoil. Some places Lave been filled with mahogany chips, but they have been buried deeply in sand. From New Orleans, Louisiana, the United Fruit Company send a fast line of Royal Mail steamers to Belize, sailing every Thursday at 9 a.m. It is delightful to get away from frosty lands and breathe the intoxicating air of the "Golden 106 THE GOLDEN CARIBBEAN Caribbean," finding the deep blue of the waters of the Gulf of Mexico a great contrast to the muddy yellow ochre color of the Mississippi River. The swift steamers, the Break- water and the Stillwater., are models of safety and neatness, and the efficient pursers of the steamers see to the comfort of all their passengers. The steamer arrives at Belize (at 7 p.m.) in less than four days, and anchors two miles from the shore, as the harbor is shallow. We go ashore in the small local sail-boats, with an exciting race between the different skippers (as to which will reach the Custom House wharf first) to add to the interest of our first approach to tropic shores. The water of the harbor is smooth and glassy, and sometimes one may see the triangular fin of the shark cutting the surface. Nicaragua Nicaragua, among the Central American republics, holds an important position between the two great oceans. It con- tains about 40,000 square miles. The population of Nica- ragua is, according to the census of 1890, 360,000. The boundary between Nicaragua and Costa Rica was long in dispute, but was defined by a treaty between the two repub- lics which was concluded on April 15, 1858. The Caribbean coast of Nicaragua measures about 300 miles from north to south. The ports of entry on the Atlantic side are San Street in Belize — British Honduras. BRITISH HONDURAS 107 Juan del Norte, or Greytown, Cabo de Gracias a Dios, and Bluefields. In consequence of the great development of the trade in bananas and other tropical fruits, and the establishment of regular lines of steamers from the United States, Bluefields is assuming a position of importance as a port. The Bluefields River, or the Mico, has its source in the mountains ; its general course is from west to east. It is a beautiful river, and for a distance of 65 miles, from Bluefields to the Boca de Rama, large steamers running to New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, and Boston ascend without difficulty. The banana exportation from the coast of Nicaragua is very large, principally transported weekly from Bluefields and Rama to New Orleans by the United Fruit Company. The distance from New Orleans to Bluefields is 1210 miles, and the steamers of the United Fruit Company take five days to make the trip. The service is semi-weekly, the steamers carrying passengers, freight, and mail from New Orleans, returning loaded with bananas, gold, rubber, cocoanuts, and other freight, as well as passengers for the States. Previous to the war between the United States and Spain the cocoanut trade of Big and Little Corn Islands, off the coast of Nicaragua, was controlled by small American trad- ing vessels. They came with a miscellaneous cargo and traded it for cocoanuts, at the rate of one cent each, other- 108 THE GOLDEN CARIBBEAN wise they paid $10 gold a thousand for them. Now the cocoanuts are sent to New Orleans on the fruit steamers. During 1898, 688,711 cocoanuts, valued at $10,196 gold were shipped from these islands. American capital is interested in improvements along the coast from Bluefields to Cape Gracias. Lighthouses are to be erected at suitable points along the coast ; a line of steamers will be provided to run between Greytown and Cape Gracias, calling at intermediate ports. In order to bring the banana plantations in closer communication with the shore, the plan is to build a railroad from the Rama River to Monkey Point, and then provide suitable harbor facilities for shipping the fruit on ocean-going steamships to the United States. The Nicaragua Canal The question of interoceanic communication across the American isthmus has been continually presented to the attention of the civilized world with more or less persist- ency since the days of Columbus. Von Humboldt, in his writings, uses the Nicaraguan route as the standard of his comparisons of the different routes under discussion. Though more recent and more exact information has not fully corroborated all of his opin- BRITISH HONDURAS 109 ions, it has fully confirmed all that he said or implied con- cerning the Nicaraguan route. San Juan del Norte, or Greytown, and Brito, on the Pacific, are the termini of the canal. Its length from port to port is 169^ miles, of which 26| will be excavated chan- nel, and 142I miles lakes, rivers, and basins. The summit level is necessarily' that of Lake Nicaragua, no feet above the sea. This magnificent body of water, in the centre of the country, is the key of the technical problem ; and as navigation is possible for some distance down its outlet, the San Juan, there are in reality two canals to be constructed, one to join the lake with the Pacific, and the other to extend the navigable water of the San Juan to the Caribbean Sea. There will be three locks near either end. For 9^ miles from the inner harbor at San Juan del Norte, the canal extends southwesterly across the lowlands of the coast to the foot-hills of the Cordillera, known as the eastern divide, where is located the first of the eastern locks. The locks follow in close succession : No. 1, at 9^- miles, with a lift of 31 feet ; No. 2, 1^ miles farther on, with a lift of 30 feet ; and No. 3, about 2\ miles beyond, with a lift of 45 feet. Here commences the summit level of the canal at an no THE GOLDEN CARIBBEAN elevation of 106 feet above the sea, which allows four feet of fall from the lake for flowage. Dredging in Lake Nicaragua to an average depth of 10 feet in soft mud bottom, width 150 feet, for 14 miles from the shore, will secure a navigable channel of 30 feet to deep water. From this point the course of the canal is across the lake to the mouth of the Rio Lajas, across the western divide, which is 43 feet above the canal level, to the valley of the Rio Grande and the Tola basin ; for 9 miles from the lake there will be required considerable earth and rock excavation. About 5^ miles farther on, near La Flor, are located locks Nos. 4 and 5 and a large dam which impounds the waters of the Tola basin. These locks terminate the summit level of the canal. Lock No. 6 is the last of the western series, and will lower the canal to the level of the Pacific, with a lift of 21 to 29 feet, varying according to tidal conditions. The work of construction has progressed slowly, but systematically, from the year 1889. The breakwater, erected at the entrance of the old harbor of San Juan, is constantly being improved and lengthened, and when the breakwater had reached the length of 800 feet, it caused the channel to deepen to 15 feet or more, which will be increased by dredges to over 30 feet. Maya Monolith — Belize. BRITISH HONDURAS m The country through which the course of the canal is laid, for the first 10 miles from the coast, is a flat, alluvial formation, with occasional lagoons and swamps covered with a dense, primeval forest. Above the San Carlos and at Machuca the forests which clothe the banks of the river are tropical in luxu- riance. The lofty trees are draped with vines, which creep and twine among their branches and droop to the water's edge in massive walls of verdure. Above Machuca there are occasional clearings, where the lands are cultivated, through which the distant hills appear. At other places the hills themselves rise with steep and almost precipitous slopes directly from the river. At Castillo is an old Spanish fort, garrisoned by the Nicaraguan government. It was considered impregnable by its builders, but was captured by a British force in 1780. The commercial problem which the opening of a canal across Nicaragua would solve is the same to-day as that which stimulated Columbus and his contemporaries to their arduous efforts; the only difference is in the in- creased magnitude of its advantages. It is still the dis- covery of a direct east and west route for the commerce of the world. Of all the lines of ocean-sailing steamers ii2 THE GOLDEN CARIBBEAN which focus their routes at Greytown at the present time, the United Fruit Company possess the greatest advantage of being well equipped with over 50 steamers, and stand ready for the advance in trade and rush of competition which will ensue upon the opening of the Nicaraguan Canal. The United Fruit Company are even now (1900) pre- paring their schedule and placing their steamers on new routes up and down the Central American coast ; the new steamer Sunrise, recently placed in commission by the company under contract with the government of Costa Rica, will carry the mails and passengers from Port Limon, Costa Rica, to Bocas del Toro and Colon and return, and from Port Limon to Greytown and Bluefields. and return. UJ CD CHAPTER XIV pro/T) |tf Rica, after a five days' run from New Orleans. In a terrific burst and downpour of rain we left New Orleans in the month of February, chilled to the marrow of our bones by the dampness and the raw wind blowing down the Mississippi River. TJie city was left behind, lost in mist - and smoke, as the steamer followed the winding banks of the river. We met occasionally (the sight of all sights to a North- ern man) a stern-wheel steamer loaded to the gunwales with bales of cotton, laboriously puffing its way to the city. The banks of the river swiftly glided by ; at times we could almost throw a potato ashore, at other times the pilot curved to the middle of the stream, steering from point to point. Toward sunset the steamer passed out on to the Gulf, and to some this was a signal to retire to their staterooms and seek the aid of the experienced stewards ; others were held captive by the attractions of the cosey "3 ii 4 THE GOLDEN CARIBBEAN smoking room ; but after a few hours even the hardi- est of the travellers sought the seclusion and warmth of their comfortable staterooms. The ensuing days were marked by calm seas and dazzling sunshine, the steamer lazily rising and falling as she pursued her course over a summer sea. The familiar (to some) flying-fish now put in their appearance, and the days of frost and rain are forgotten for the time being, in the study of the beauties of nature in her most entrancing effects. The sunsets are glorious, luscious in their dreamy beauty, reminding one that soon the blazing tropics are to come with their stronger colors and contrasts. After three days' voyage, the temperature increases ; no more can we bask in the sun — rather must we shun it, and seek the shady side of the deck. The heat is humid and tends to loung- ing and deliberation, salt sea baths drawn direct from the sea are now popular, and one seeks to keep down the heat of the blood. We soon pass down the coast of Nicaragua ; the long white beach can be seen extending dimly for miles, no mountains or hills to break the low-lying shore ; and over a glassy sea, reflecting the rays of a torrid sun, the steamer moves with a stealthy gliding motion, suggesting caution, for we are approaching Costa Rica with its dan- gerous coral reefs. FROM NEW ORLEANS TO PORT LIMON 115 In the far distance, miles yet away, rises a cloud which darkens and increases in importance until low down, near the line of the silver streak, appears a little island over- topped with a white lighthouse. " It's Port Limon, sure enough," said the first officer, as he passed by leisurely, proceeding to the bridge; "you PORT LIMON don't need any passport for that republic," was his last consoling remark. The steamer gradually draws near to the pier, and now one can see plainly the portly person of Captain Softcote, the English manager of the wharf, and other representa- tive citizens, all dressed in white duck suits. The pas- sengers (mostly planters and business men returning to Costa Rica) hurried to the rail of the ship, and comments and sallies of wit were passed from shore to ship, and back again, as each known face was discovered: — "How many manzanas have you cleaned up lately?" "This is a dry day, William." n6 THE GOLDEN CARIBBEAN "How are the boys on the Old Line?'" "Where's the Count? I don't see him." " Hullo, Norton, what is exchange to-day ? " were the questions and remarks (quite unintelligible to the stranger) fired at the appreciative audience, as the steamer bumped against the wharf. We now find ourselves renewing our acquaintance with Port Limon, and realize that under a tropical sun we have circumnavigated (in the steamers of the United Fruit, Company) the • sea made notable in song and story as "The Golden Caribbean." o f- < tu Ou O Q < U < > < Qi u z u -J CQ V <\W LIBRARY OF CONGRESS llOIlllllllllll 015 807 188 5 11 fiiiir \0cm WW mm ■L iiiii mm TBBP m boSk