UP THE CHAGRES RIVER
AFTER another night on the "sleeper" in Colon, Mr. Andrews and the boys
started on their return journey. The trip was made as far as Obispo
without special incident. Here a halt was made and the train shifted to
a side-track. Mr. Andrews was obliged to inspect the site of a proposed
dam near Alhajuela. This was about ten miles northwest of Obispo, and
the journey would have to be made by a boat and on foot.
It was too far to go that day, so Vasco suggested that they go to Palo
Grande and hunt up his uncle, Francisco Herreras. "I am sure," said the
boy, "that he will give us all a hearty welcome and be glad to provide
shelter and food for us."
"Let's go there," said Harlan to his father. "It will be lots more fun
than staying here to-night. It will give us more chance to see the
country, too."
Vasco's suggestion was favourably received by Mr. Andrews, who
proceeded at once to carry the plan into effect.
On going to the nearest river landing-place to see if he could find
a boat and men to row them up-stream, he met with unexpected good
fortune. Two natives, who had come down to Obispo with a boat-load of
bananas, were just ready to return, and were glad to earn an extra sum
by taking along three passengers.
The boat in which passage was secured was a large flat-bottomed affair,
suitable for navigation of the shallow stream. On the way up many
similar boats were seen, also rude canoes propelled by single persons.
Vasco and Harlan, full of curiosity as boys always are, were soon on
familiar terms with the boatmen, who told them that in former times
many of the canoes were hollowed out of the trunks of cottonwood-trees.
The boys learned, too, that the Panama native Indian is a natural
sportsman. Parrots, monkeys, pigeons, and small deer are his favourite
game. His life is a very simple one. Nature provides him with bread in
the shape of bananas and plantains. He makes his own pottery from the
clay beneath his feet, and in place of knives and spoons uses gourds
cut into proper shape.
He sleeps in a hammock or on a couch of bamboo with hides thrown over
it. The hammocks are woven by the women.
All the time the boat was making good progress, and about four o'clock
in the afternoon arrived at Palo Grande. On inquiry, it was learned
that Señor Herreras lived about two miles west of the river, and after
securing definite directions as to the route our friends started to
walk to the plantation.
To Vasco, as well as to Harlan, the sights along the way were of
special interest, for he knew nothing of country life. The growing
corn, tobacco, indigo, coffee, vanilla beans, and other products of the
country were a source of wonder to him. Even Mr. Andrews could well
believe, with a former visitor to Panama, that "here it would puzzle a
healthy man to die of hunger."
In less than an hour Señor Herreras's plantation was reached. It was
now Vasco's turn to serve as guide and leader of the party. Finding his
uncle at home, he introduced him to his friends, and told him of their
desire for food and lodging.
"It is with great pleasure I welcome you all to my humble home," said
the señor. "Will you kindly follow me within that you may rest after
your long walk, and I will see that food is served to you at once. It
is about our supper-hour, any way.
"And how is my sister, your mother?" Señor Herreras continued,
addressing Vasco. "It has been many a long year since I have seen her."
"She is very well indeed, uncle, and it is because she told me of you
that I am here with these friends. She said you would be sure to give
us a royal welcome."
"And glad I am you took her advice. I only wish she were with you.
Sometime I hope I may get down to the great city to see her."
Meanwhile, all had stepped within the house. The visitors were given an
opportunity to remove the travel-stains, and by the time this had been
done they were ready for the food which was set before them.
Vasco was specially glad to find that here were two cousins of about
his own age, Jago and Alfeo, and before long the four boys were very
well acquainted with each other.
The meal ended, Vasco's uncle inquired of Mr. Andrews as to his plans
for the next day.
"I intend to go on up the river to Alhajuela, where I have some
business in connection with the canal work."
"Did you expect to take the boys with you?"
"That was my plan."
"Well, why not let them stay here until you return. I will agree to
take good care of them, and my boys will show them all about this
place. I am sure they would all have a fine time--perhaps better than
if they went with you, for boys love boy company."
"You may be right," said Mr. Andrews, "and I think I will accept your
generous invitation on behalf of the boys. This is Wednesday, and I
shall probably get back here Friday."
"Very well, then, we will consider that settled," said the host.
Early the next morning Mr. Andrews resumed his journey, Vasco's uncle
providing a horse and accompanying him as far as the river.
Thus the four lads were left to their own devices.
"Let's take the boys down to the sugar-mill first," said Alfeo to his
brother.
"That's a good idea," was Jago's reply, and Vasco and Harlan readily
fell in with the suggestion.
Vasco's uncle raised much sugar-cane on his plantation, and in this
mill he also did grinding for neighbours who were less fortunate and
were unable to possess mills of their own.
Harlan found that the "mill" was not at all like what he imagined,
and he regarded it as rather a small affair, but Vasco was immensely
impressed with the wonderful work it performed.
It consisted of three upright cylinders of very hard wood, two of them
about five feet long and one in the centre two feet higher. They were
set close to each other, and a crude cog-wheel made the three revolve
together.
An arm from the top of the central cylinder extended outward about
fifteen feet. To this oxen were attached. Round and round in a circle
the animals walked, and as they did so the machinery revolved. The
stalks of cane were fed between the cylinders, and the heavy pressure
squeezed out the juice, which fell into a large tub below.
Near by the boys saw the juice boiled. A great iron kettle was set in
rough stone masonry, and dried cane was used for fuel. The boiling
process was watched by an old woman, who was constantly dipping up the
syrup with a long-handled gourd dipper.
[Illustration: A NATIVE VILLAGE]
Vasco and Harlan were each given a drink of the partially boiled
cane-juice, which they found very pleasant to the taste.
"After the boiling is completed," the old woman told them, "the sugar
is run into wooden moulds and then wrapped in plantain leaves, when it
is ready for the market."
Harlan and Vasco were next taken to visit an aged woman who in years
gone by had been a cook in Señor Herreras's father's household. This
woman was said to be nearly a century old, and could tell the boys much
of the ancient customs and habits of Panama.
The house in which she lived was like many of the native huts. It was
very simply built. Four trees about six inches in diameter had been cut
down, the branches lopped off, and a Y-shaped fork left at the tops.
These four trees were set deep into the earth as corner posts. Side
pieces were lashed on top with withes. The roof was made of small
saplings thatched with native grasses, bunches of which overlapped each
other like shingles.
In this particular hut there were two rooms, and an attic overhead,
though many houses have no upper room. The sides of the hut were made
of plaited split bamboo, and the chinks were filled with mud.
The old woman always welcomed the visits of Jago and Alfeo, and she was
also glad to see the two young strangers. They found it easy to enter
into conversation with her. She told how the Indians in her youthful
days used to adorn their bodies with figures of birds, beasts, and
trees. The women did the painting and took great delight in it. The men
also wore a crescent-shaped metal plate over the lip, attached to the
nose, and the women wore a ring in the same manner.
"What were the rings made of?" asked Vasco.
"Sometimes of gold, but more often of silver or of some cheaper metal,"
replied the woman. "Chains of animals' teeth and shell were also common.
"You would have laughed to see how the men used to smoke tobacco,"
continued the old woman. "Instead of a cigar, or even a pipe, long
strips of tobacco leaf were wound into a roll two or three feet long
and as large as your wrist.
"A boy would light one end of the roll and burn it to a coal, wetting
the leaf next the fire to keep it from wasting too fast. The lighted
end he put in his mouth and blew smoke through the roll into the face
of each man in the company, no matter how many of them. Then they,
sitting down as usual, with their hands made a kind of funnel around
their mouths and noses. Into this they received the smoke as it was
blown upon them, snuffing it greedily and strongly as long as they
could hold their breath. It seemed to give them great pleasure."
"I don't think I should have liked the boy's task," said Vasco.
"Did the boys go hunting when you were young?" asked Alfeo.
"Oh, yes. They did not have guns for weapons, but used bows and arrows.
They could shoot very straight with them, too. Just wait a moment and I
will prove that to you."
The old woman hobbled to a chest in the corner of the room and took
therefrom an old bamboo cane.
"Do you see the cleft in the end of that cane?" she asked.
"Yes, I do," answered Alfeo.
"Well, that was split by an arrow shot at twenty paces by my oldest
brother when he was only eight years old."
The boys now took leave of the old woman, and the rest of the day
they spent visiting various points of interest in the vicinity of the
plantation. They also fished and went in swimming in a small stream
which flowed near by and emptied into the Chagres.
At nightfall, four tired but happy boys were glad to get an early
supper and seek the rest which a day of unusual activity demanded.
The next day, according to his plan, Mr. Andrews returned and remained
overnight with Vasco's hospitable uncle.
Early Saturday morning, amid profuse expressions of regret at their
departure and with invitations to come again, the travellers took up
their journey homeward. This was made without special incident and was
completed in safety.