THE VOYAGE. 13 



In the angry parley that, ensued, I discovered 

 that a steamer had just arrived from New York, 

 en route to the new gold-diggings in British 

 Columbia, with 1,500 passengers, who, rowdy- 

 like, demanded everything. Threats of adminis- 

 tering the summary law of Judge Lynch of 

 firing their six-shooters through the door, and 

 riddling me like a rat in a hole together with 

 sundry hard names (it is better to imagine than 

 mention), were heaped profusely on my devoted 

 head. As it appeared to me quite as unsafe to 

 surrender as to remain in my fortress, I deter- 

 mined on holding out to the last. 



Fortunately, daylight soon came, and with it 

 the shrill whistle and clanging bell, announcing 

 the departure of a railway- train. Peeping cau- 

 tiously through the window, I saw, to my intense 

 delight, a long train specially put on, and the 

 rowdies just ready to start. I watched them 

 scrambling in, and as the engine with its freight 

 dashed into the tropical jungle, I emerged from 

 my room and the ' Howard House ' with all pos- 

 sible speed, completed my toilet at the barber's 

 shop, breakfasted with the Commissioner at the 

 Company's messroom, and thus ended my night 

 in Colon. 



The agency and mess establishment of the 



