CHAPTER XII 



JUAN VINAS THE REVENTAZON VALLEY BELOW THE LAGUNA 



The little Rio Naranjo, arising on the southern slope of 

 the ridge connecting the volcanoes Irazu and Turrialba, 

 made its way to the northwest side of the crater rim of Juan 

 Vifias, descended to the laguna, left it at its southeast side 

 passing under a short, low railroad bridge, and plunged down 

 200 to 300 feet in a series of falls and cataracts; finally in 

 a bed of gradually decreasing steepness it reached the flood 

 plain of the Reventazon and glided gently into that river. 

 The government road from the railroad station to the Reven- 

 tazon left the laguna only a few yards west of the Naranjo 

 cataract, but soon bent sharply westward in the first of a 

 series of zigzags by which alone a cartroad can descend such 

 a steep slope or "cuesta." The upper zigzags afforded mag- 

 nificent views of the canon and also enabled one to look into 

 the tops of very tall trees whose bases were many feet below. 

 Before this cartroad was constructed an old Indian trail or 

 path led more directly down this slope. Much of it was still 

 distinct and in spite of its steepness often used by pedes- 

 trians because, cutting across the zigzags of the road, it 

 shortened the distance very greatly; it was also in deep 

 shade. Much forest remained on the caiion sides, so that 

 one plunged from the hot sunny cartroad into the grateful 

 protection of tall trees loaded with beautiful epiphytes, 

 and climbed among palms, ferns, arums and many plants 

 allied to bananas and marantas whose gaily colored bracts 

 lit up the green depths with brilliant red or orange flames. 

 The lowest of the zigzags descended from west to east, and 



