The Panama Fever [pp. 553-561]

8THE PANA MA FE VER.
in a measure, the smell peculiar to all Aspinwall, and the waters of the Caribships, even to a first-class steamer. A bean Sea and the masts of the vessels
wish so easily gratified was equivalent in the bay appeared to view, they did
to an order, and Mr. P., without further begin to brighten up; and as they gaththought, plunged boldly into the bush ered up the articles that had not been
with all the ardor of a young man de- given to the baggage master-the presirous of serving his first love. Poor P. cious bundle included-they did, with
-he thought that he might run through one voice, almost say, that if they had
the grass, on the Isthmus, with as much not felt so dull and languid, so oppressimpunity as he used to at home, when a ed with the heat, the journey would not
boy; he little dreamed of what was in have appeared so long after all.'T was
store for him; and when the flowers over at last, however; the train had
were seized and brought back in the been brought to a stand-still; the cars
train, he imagined that his trouble was were disgorging their loads of human
over-that his work was fully accom- freight; the Jamaica negroes in crowds
plished. If he had known of thegara- were hanging on to the skirts of the
fiatos (wood-ticks) that were on his passengers, seeking for a "job" as porperson in that short space of time, and ters, and abusing those who did not see
that were destined to cause him many fit to patronize them. All Aspinwall
sleepless hours, by reason of the intense had turned out to see who had arrived,
itching they create, he would not have as Mr. P., family, fruit, dry goods and
felt so joyous at having given his wife parrots, descended from the car and
gratification, by complying with a wish sought the shelterof the Howard House,
so moderate as hers. There is a moral the hotel whereat first-class passengers
in this for all men who may be cross- most do congregate. The site of one
ing the Isthmus: Never, under any of these Isthmus palaces is enough to
circumstances, when passing from Pan- give one the fever almost. And so
ama to Aspinwall, rush away from the Mrs. Prudence thought, for depositing
track into the grass, or bushes, to cull her packages in a safe place, she inflowers for a lady-no matter how young sisted that Mr. P. should take her a
or attractive she may be-unless willing walk up the track, to see what was to
to submit to the torture of those little in- be seen of the town. It was about four,
sects that are there to be found in count- P.M., when this little piece of exercise
less numbers. Many, through ignorance, was taken, and still very warm, for the
have done what Mr. P. did, and have sun was nearly as powerful as at noonsuffered for days before knowing the day. Mr. P. did'nt want to go, but his
cause of their trouble, or where the wife insisted; she wanted to walk off
"confounded things" came from. the dull feeling that had bothered her
The train has passed Gatun, the last nearly all day; it would do her headstation before reaching Aspinwall, and ache good. These with other excuses
little change could be noticed in the were enough- and away they went.
situation of the Prudence party. True, About the time they started, certain
the claret punch had disappeared; many dark, heavy clouds were rolling up from
of the bananas and oranges had gone the southwest, and the mutterings of
the same way; but a cloud was there, distant thunder could be heard from
and. hardly energy enough was left to time to time. This is nothing uncomexpress pleasure at so soon being at the mon in the tropics; but as the sun was
end of one portion ofthe journey. When shining at the same time, they gave it
the prolonged sound of the whistle no attention. The north portion of the
came which announced the approach to island was reached, the new church
I 868.]
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