TOPOGRAPHY AND RAILROADS 1/ 



very beautiful. On the rocks In the river black cormorants 

 {Phalacrocorax vigua vigua) stood upright watching for prey. 

 A short distance northeast of Peralta the train passed 

 through a tunnel and crossed the ChlrlquI River where It 

 empties Into the boiling, surging Reventazon. As Tur- 

 rlalba station Is approached the railroad Is higher above 

 the river and farther from It, and much of the land was 

 cleared, grass-covered and used for grazing. The "Banana 

 Country" has been left far behind and with It most of the 

 negroes, for few were seen beyond Turrlalba. From now 

 on there are more and more extensive views of the country, 

 with hill and dale, mountain and valley and often magnifi- 

 cent distances. 



Turrlalba was looked forward to eagerly as the "pineapple 

 station," just as Irapuato on the Mexican Central was known 

 as the "strawberry station." The negroes, chiefly women, 

 brought to the passenger coaches both whole pineapples and 

 also slices thereof. The whole fruit cost 30 centavos, a 

 single slice 5 centavos. They were thoroughly ripe, sweet 

 and juicy and exceedingly refreshing, for the train had just 

 risen from the hot lowlands. Everyone thrust his head 

 from the car windows to devour the luscious dripping fruit, 

 presenting rather an amusing spectacle as one glanced along 

 the train. 



Near Juan Vliias station, which in our year was the break- 

 fast (almuerzo) stop at 11 A. M. for the daily train down 

 from San Jose to LImon, the tracks in several places are on a 

 shelf cut Into the side wall of the caiion of the Reventazon 

 and so close to the edge of the shelf that one can look from 

 the car window down on the river 800 feet below. Here are 

 some of the most glorious views of the whole ride, for here 

 are spread out the whole breadth and depth of the great 

 Reventazon valley, stretching east and west for many 

 miles. Between Juan Vinas and Santiago the barranca or 



