ON THE ISTHMUS.
EARLY on the morning of the ninth day from New York we landed at
Aspinwall, New Granada, United States of Columbia. The eastern shores of
this country, which is a portion of Central America, are washed by the
Caribbean Sea. Aspinwall is composed of a score of substantial
buildings, such as we see in our own country, and a few hundred thatched
huts.
A few Americans and Europeans are engaged in business there; but it
might be suggested that the _natives_ are the chief feature in the
population.
These natives are a remarkable people—a true type of a mongrel race. We
see among them every shade of complexion, from the hue of midnight in a
coal-pit to that of wood ashes mixed with lime. Having stated that they
are a mongrel people, it is but proper to say what races they are
composed of, as nearly as I can guess, and I will do so in a tabular
manner, thus:
Caucasian 1½ per cent.
American 19½ “
Mongolian 0 “
Australian 1 “
Arctic 0 “
Malay 0 “
European 1 “
Ethiopian 77 “
Amounting to 100
They speak the Spanish tongue: how well I am unable to judge, as I am
unfamiliar with that language; but, considering the general character of
the benighted creatures, it is fair to presume that they cold-bloodedly
murder it.
They seldom address each other by name, but style each other Hombre
(pronounced almost _Umbra_, with a frightful quiver on the “r”): which
is equivalent to “Fellow.”
As I before remarked, they have all shades of color; and I will add,
that while some have straight, black, glossy hair, like that of the
aborigines, others “sport” the fearfully-“kinked” article, like that of
the pure African.
They are a mean, cowardly, pusillanimous set. They cheat, lie, swear,
get drunk, steal, murder, _etc._, with great _nonchalance_: and for the
last-named crime their law condemns the criminal to imprisonment—_for
one year_.
There is a railroad, belonging to an American company, running from
Aspinwall to Panama, a distance of forty-seven miles. Panama, it will be
remembered, is on the Pacific side of the Isthmus. In this connection, I
will remark, that persons sometimes find it difficult to remember which,
of the two cities, Aspinwall and Panama, is on the Atlantic side, and
which on the Pacific. A rule that will always enable one to remember it
is, that the initial letter of each city is the same as that of the
ocean on whose shore it stands. Aspinwall, beginning with the letter A,
is on the Atlantic side; Panama, with P, on the Pacific. No one will
forget this.
During our ride in the cars from Aspinwall to Panama, we saw hundreds of
natives—all wearing about the same appearance as those in Aspinwall. One
remarkable feature was, that their children were running about in a
state of nudity that was quite shocking to modest persons. Children
under twelve years wear no raiment from the neck down, and usually go
bare-headed. Even the adult males wear nothing but hat and breeches, and
are therefore always in trim for a pugilistic encounter. Some of the
ladies wear only a petticoat and a cigar. It is fashionable for the
ladies there to “use the weed.”
Panama is a much larger and more important place than Aspinwall. Its
population is probably ten thousand. There are many more houses of
respectable appearance there, among which are several hotels. There are
also two antiquated Catholic churches, one of which is said to be nearly
two hundred years old.
A dilapidated old wall surrounds the city, but it would prove a feeble
protection against a civilized navy.
The weather is extremely hot all the year, the temperature never falling
much below ninety degrees Fahrenheit. The heat is not so extreme,
however, during the “rainy season,” which comprises our fall, and a
portion of our summer and winter months. All kinds of tropical fruits
grow there in abundance. I saw oranges, lemons, limes, bananas,
pineapples, cocoanuts, and other fruits, on the trees.
The natives obtain these fruits by merely gathering them, and do a good
business by selling them to travelers, at prices which, though lower
than New York prices, are there considered enormous.
In justice to these natives I will say that travelers who conduct
themselves with propriety, are always civilly treated by them. But it is
not safe to injure or abuse them, where they are in such a decided
majority; for, like most cowards, they are brutal and vicious, and, if
irritated, do not hesitate to murder foreigners.
Many, no doubt, remember the terrible riot that occurred in Panama, a
dozen years ago, between foreigners and natives. It was occasioned by
one rascally drunken passenger, who managed to raise a dispute with a
fruit-vender, and concluded to settle the matter by knocking over the
fruit-stand and shooting at the owner. Thus it originated: the natives
making an assault on the offender, and his fellow-passengers attempting
to defend him. The riot soon became general; and the military of the New
Granadian Government being called out to quell the disturbance, did so
by wantonly shooting down every white man that came in their way. The
slaughter was fearful. It should be a warning to all coarse and reckless
fools, like the originator of this difficulty, who do not know how to
conduct themselves with common decency in a foreign country.