ELDORADO 2.S7 



the manner of a California ranch house, where a hirgc 

 number of men arc employed. 



As we entered I noticed a bar, card tables, and bill- 

 iard room. On reaching our room I discovered our 

 satchel was missing, which contained several thousand 

 dollars in gold coin and drafts. Returning to the 

 wharf, in some trepidation, I groped in the darkness 

 until I found it. It was in the place where we had 

 been sitting, having l)een forgotten in the excitement 

 incident to being left and anxiety to secure a lodging- 

 place. Its fortunate recovery was a great relief to all 

 concerned. 



Aspenwall was a new "railroad town," of perhai)s 

 two or three hundred inhabitants, mostly negroes from 

 the Island of Jamaica, or Spanish half-breed's, the ex- 

 ceptions being the railroad employes and a few other 

 whites. It was on a level with the ocean and numer- 

 ous natural \vells of salt water existed ten or fifteen 

 feet deep, at the bottom of which beautiful coral 

 formations could be seen, and numerous specimens 

 were obtained by employing the nude colored boys to 

 dive for them. 



Cocoanut and other tropical fruit-bearing trees were 

 scattered through the town. In the rear was a dense 

 forest, lying between the Chagres river and the Pa- 

 cific Coast, the home of wild beasts, serpents, monkeys, 

 and a great variety of strange birds. At the time of 

 which 1 wTite all that region constituted a part of New 

 Granada, S. A., but since then the name has lieen 

 changed to Colombia. 



A short distance from Aspenwall was the ancient 

 town of Chagres from whence, after the rush to Cali- 

 fornia began, both steam and sailing vessels were con- 



