Panama and the Canal in Picture and ProseAbbot, Willis J. (Willis John)
History
Panama and the Canal in Picture and Prose
Abbot, Willis J. (Willis John)
Panama Canal (Panama) -- History
At present sightseers tarry briefly at Colon, taking the first train for
the show places along the Canal line, or for the more picturesque town
of Panama. This will probably continue to be the case when the liners
begin passing through the Canal to the Pacific. Many travelers will
doubtless leave their ships at the Atlantic side, make a hasty drive
about Colon--it really can be seen in an hour--and then go by rail to
Panama, anticipating the arrival of their ship there by seven hours and
getting some idea of the country en route. Visitors with more time to
spare will find one of the short drives that is worth while a trip to
the cemetery of Mount Hope where from the very beginning of the town
those who fell in the long battle with nature have been laid to rest.
The little white headstones multiplied fast in the gay and reckless
French days before sanitation was thought of, and when riot and
dissipation were the rule and scarcely discouraged. “Monkey Hill” was
the original name of the place, owing to the multitude of monkeys
gamboling and chattering in the foliage, but as the graves multiplied
and the monkeys vanished the rude unfitness of the name became apparent
and it gave place to “Mount Hope.” It is pitiful enough in any case; but
if you will study the dates on the headstones you will find the years
after 1905 show a rapid lessening in the number of tenants.
[Illustration: HOW THE JUNGLE WORKS
Silently but persistently the advance of nature enshrouds man’s work in
living green]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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