Azul, March 22. Except in a few places the way was only moder¬ 
ately steep, the most difficult part being at the lower levels where 
the most practicable route was along stream beds strewn with large, 
smooth, slippery boulders. Especially when wet these boulders 
afford a very insecure foothold and several of us were precipitated 
into the stream, much to the amusement of the remainder of the 
party. On the upper slopes the forest is of smaller but denser 
growth, and evidences a much more humid climate above 2,000 feet 
elevation. The summit, at 3,000 feet, and north slopes for at least 
500 feet below, are clothed with a dense growth of low trees, loaded 
with moss, orchids, and bromeliaceous plants, and similar vegetation 
is massed in places upon the ground. The Cerro Azul is the highest 
peak of a range extending north of east from Culebra, increasing 
in height toward the eastern end west of the Pacora River. Owing 
to the heavy forest no very clear view could be obtained toward the 
northwest from the summit, but in that direction a lower range evi¬ 
dently connects with the mountains along the Atlantic coast and 
separates the Chagres and Pacora watersheds. The northern and 
eastern slopes are steep and descend to the Pacora, theupper course 
of which is through rugged country, the river partially encircling the 
mountain. The air was hazy, but over low, uniformly forested 
mountains toward the northeast the Caribbean Sea could be seen; 
also small islands and what appeared to be the western shore of the 
Gulf of San Bias. The Pacific coast was much more clearly visible, 
the shore line standing out sharply from near the mouth of the 
Bayano River as far west as Panama. The dry season was at its 
height and the coastal plains or “sabanas” resembled a vast, irregu¬ 
lar checker-board, the brown areas of grass-land being separated by 
nar row, parallel belts of green forest marking the course of streams. 
The checker-board, or patched appearance, was heightened by numer¬ 
ous lines of fire, advancing over the savannas and leaving blackened 
areas in their wake. 
/ 
Exploration, mainly of the upper slopes of Cerro Azul, was con¬ 
tinued for several days and on March 27 we returned to Chepo, 
arriving opportunely to find a launch on which we were able to 
engage passage to Panama on the following day. * 
