286 EIvDORADO ' 



cupies much less time in traversing, and, upon the 

 whole, its beauties and pleasures in most cases out- 

 number the difficulties and annoyances encountered." 



We arrived at Aspenwall about lo o'clock at night. 

 The road, nearly the entire distance from Panama, 

 having been constructed through a dense tropical for- 

 est, the view was circumscribed but none the less in- 

 teresting. The immense leaves of the undergrowth 

 would at times reach even the car windows. The won- 

 derful variety of beautiful foliage, and an occasional 

 glimpse of a monkey, parrot or bird of paradise, 

 perched upon palm or cocoanut tree, or in the branches 

 of the banana, made the trip of thirty miles an exceed- 

 ingly interesting one, after a long sea voyage from a 

 northern clime. It was hoped and expected that we 

 would be able to proceed at once upon our journey, 

 but we were doomed to disappointment. Passengers 

 who had purchased tickets by the Morgan route were 

 first to be accommodated. 



The steamer lying at the wharf, about to sail for 

 New York, was unable to receive the passengers from 

 the Philadelphia, consequently we were compelled to 

 seek accommodations in the town. We had remained 

 crowded upon the narrow rickety wharf (everything 

 in that latitude was frail and rickety in those days) 

 until II or 12 o'clock, uncertain as to our fate. A rush 

 was then made to secure quarters. We were informed 

 there were one or two hotels kept by Americans. 



With my wife and baby, guided by a few flickering 

 candle lights at no great distance, we hurried in the 

 direction of one of the hotels and fortunately secured 

 a small room and board in a quite commodious l)uil(l- 

 ing known as the "Aspenwall." built .somewhat after 



