•9 



ELDORADO 289 



(lian ; ami the mure- chiseled features and finely ex- 

 pressive eyes of the Spaniard are all here, though 

 often so blended that it is difficult to say to which race 

 they chiefly owe their origin. In truth they are a 

 mongrel race, but generally have the most magnificent 

 large, dark, expressive eyes I have ever seen. The 

 females, some of whom have rather pretty faces and 

 particularly fine eyes were dressed out iti the most 

 tawdry finery, with divers furbelows, flounces and 

 ruffles encircling the shoulders, where the dress be- 

 gins, and terminating some where about or below the 

 knee. Some of the younger ones were entirely model 

 arfisfc. at least so far as their clothing was concerned, 

 but the forms of most were rather indifferent. Many 

 were sitting or lounging about the doors or in the 

 cabins, eating tamarinds, oranges and other fruit, sur- 

 rounded by hairless dogs, pigs, naked children, turkeys 

 and buzzards, forming together quite a congruous and 

 homogenous mixture. 



The beauty of the coimtr\- through which the 

 Chagres river Hows has been the theme of fre((uent 

 praise. Its banks are filled in with all the luxuriant 

 verdiu-e which tropical climes jjroduce. The tama- 

 rind, the date, the pomegranate, the plantain, tlie ba- 

 nana, the cocoanut, the lime, the citron, and the pine 

 ap])le are abundant. Flowers of ever\- hue send forth 

 their fragrance, rendering the air delightful to the 

 .senses. Orange groves are numerous and the fruit is 

 as plentiful as the apple of the Southern States of the 

 Union. ^fountains, hills and vallevs (liversif\' the 

 prospect, while the ear is filled with the melodious 

 notes of thousands of birds, natives to the tropics, 

 their music contrastini'- with the discordant notes of 



