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, | 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 
