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NATURALIST'S GUIDE TO THE AMERICAS 



especially the interior of the northern 

 half is difficult of access, owing to the 

 shortness of the navigable streams and 

 the rugged character of the land surface, 

 covered for the most part with an un- 

 broken forest. Because of this inacces- 

 sibility the biota of much of the region 

 remains comparatively little known. 



Yellow fever, formerly prevalent in 

 the Canal Zone has been controlled, 

 but malarial fever, amoebic dysentery 

 and other diseases of the region should 

 be guarded against in working on the 

 tropical lowlands. 



IV. NATURAL AREAS (j. Z.) 



The Rio Pequeni-Boqueron 

 Region, Panama 



The best time of the year to make a 

 trip into this region is during the dry 

 season, i.e., February and March, 

 with the latter the best month. There 

 are two big divides, one close to the 

 Caribbean coast, and the other South- 

 East of the Chagres River basin. As 

 a result rainfall is heavy during the 

 rainy season, and the rivers, confined 

 in places to narrow gorges, are im- 

 passable. 



There are two ways to reach the 

 region. The best is to get into touch 

 with the Manganese Mining Company, 

 Colon R. P., and get by a small boat to 

 Playa de Las Damas at Nombre de Dios. 

 From here they are building a narrow 

 gauge railroad to their two mines. On 

 both sides of this route it is wild. It is 

 possible to go up the Nombre de Dios 

 river in a small cayuca. One could go 

 to Porto Bello and from there by trail 

 to this new road, but this is not advis- 

 able on account of the need of guides. 

 It is 17 mi. from the coast to the man- 

 ganese mine No. 2, where a good camp 

 exists. Within this small distance are 

 two fair rest camps. The trip may be 

 made in one day, or in two or three, as 

 is desired. Mine number One is not 

 used at present. Between One and Two, 

 a distance of 12 mi., the trail is open 

 and could even be used by horses if 

 need be, though this is not desirable 



here. At One are good falls, and the 

 river in places along the general route 

 is narrow, with tall, vertical rock walls, 

 with rapids and other exciting features 

 in abundance. Good guides are easily 

 obtainable, and if treated right, well 

 fed and given tobacco (important!) 

 they will prove very satisfactory. A 

 half dollar a day in addition would be 

 ample pay unless the work was heavy 

 due to excessive luggage, when more 

 should be given. The first mine is at 

 Rio Peluca. All along this route one 

 meets no one unless it be a rubber 

 hunter. In a few of the clearings or 

 treeless places, small farms will be met 

 with but their owners, since they planted 

 the seed do not return until it is time 

 to gather in the crop. Nature is a 

 wonderful mother to these natives. 



From mine number One to the town of 

 Alejuela, where the Panama Canal has 

 a hydrographic station, it is nine hours 

 in a cayuca with two "palancas," and 

 these cayucas poled by the sturdy na- 

 tives are as safe as anything can be. 

 In a few places short portage is neces- 

 sary but the trip is not dangerous. 

 From Alejuela to Gamboa, where the 

 train can be taken to either Cristobal 

 on Panama City, it is a short, uninterest- 

 ing trip. 



There is practically no danger from 

 malaria in this region unless one goes 

 into the Rio Pequeni area, the branch 

 that goes eastward from where the 

 Boqueron joins the main Pequeni. In 

 this particular region it is flat and low, 

 swampy, and the water so muddy that 

 to drink it requires boiling. In the 

 region recommended, very few mos- 

 quitoes will be encountered. Instead 

 ticks will be felt, but daily reconnais- 

 sance can eliminate them. The screw 

 worm, Dermatobia cyaniventris, which 

 causes a dermal myiasis, is quite com- 

 mon, but not a serious menace if one 

 wears shoes,, leggings and clothing. 

 Even if a few larvae should start to 

 develop, the experience is so rare and 

 novel and the danger to health so slight, 

 that they are not objectionable. 

 The least possible equipment is best. 



