"To California 
dear. We’ll sell you a dozen of these fine maps 
for two dollars each and you can easily sell them 
in California for ten dollars apiece.” I foolishly 
allowed myself to be persuaded. The maps 
made a very large, awkward bundle, but for- 
tunately it was the only baggage I had except 
my little plant press and a small bag. I laid 
them in my berth in the steerage, for they were 
too large to be stolen and concealed. 
There was a savage contrast between life in 
the steerage and my fine home on the little ship 
fruiter. Never before had I seen such a barbar- 
ous mob, especially at meals. Arrived at Aspin- 
wall-Colon, we had half a day to ramble about 
before starting across the Isthmus. Never shall 
I forget the glorious flora, especially for the 
first fifteen or twenty miles along the Chagres 
River. The riotous exuberance of great forest 
trees, glowing in purple, red, and yellow flow- 
ers, far surpassed anything I had ever seen, 
especially of flowering trees, either in Florida 
or Cuba. I gazed from the car-platform en- 
chanted. I fairly cried for joy and hoped that 
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