Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Victor was very ill, and had to be interned in the hospital, and I was fully aware that it was
out of the question to take him with me, for the next lap of the ride promised to be a very
arduous and difficult one. The unhealthy climate of the regions towards Costa Rica would be
altogether too dangerous for the boy who would leave the hospital in a much weakened con-
dition.
We arrived in Colon towards the end of November, and the rainy season was still in full
swing. Although the dry season is supposed to commence early in December, it was still
raining towards the end of that month. Heavy rains had fallen every day excepting the 14th
of December, and according to the Hydrographic Office the total rainfall of the year, un-
til December 18th, was 147.38 inches, which was only surpassed in 1915, when there were
152.77 inches. All along my route I had encountered exceptionally heavy rains and adverse
weather conditions which were put down to the fact that the Humboldt current had changed
itscourseconsiderably,bringingthetemperatureofthePacificOceanalongthecoastofSouth
America down 5 degrees below normal on the year's average.
Now I was waiting for the dry season, which only lasts three months, to set in, and even
thentherewasnohurry,foritwouldbejustaswelltowaitalittletoallowthenumerousrivers
to go down and to let the jungles dry up a little before attempting the crossing to Costa Rica.
The horses were in good hands and were enjoying themselves, so I had an opportunity to do
likewise.
WhenIarrivedintheCanalZoneIlookedmorelikeaRobinsonCrusoethananythingelse,
but as the sun of fellow-ship stands at its meridian even in Panama nobody took much notice
of this.
I shall never forget the occasion on which I walked into a beautiful building in Cristobal
where a dance was being held at the time. I had only just arrived and needed information. I
was wearing a rain-soaked poncho and a large weather-beaten sombrero; my boots had seen
better days and so had my complexion, if a man has such a thing. The well-dressed and fair-
skinned American ladies andgirls whocame topeepatmemade mefeel self-conscious inthe
extreme, for I looked so rough and dirty that I dared not do more than give a casual glance
in their direction every now and again. For the first time I realised how much I had changed;
I felt out of place and walked as if I were moving on ice, and as soon as I had finished my
business I felt like running away and into the wilds.
AftertheluxuryofahotbathIlaydowninasoft,cleanbed,andthenIbegantothinkover
matters. I put myself in the place of the people at the dance and looked at myself as I thought
they must have done. I wondered if I had degenerated, what degeneration was; but after some
mental debating I came to the conclusion that I had only become rough, yes, very rough.
InthemorningIboughtmyselfcleanclothes,andwhenthebarberhadfinishedmakingthe
bestofabadjob,'dollingmeup',Ifeltlikeanewman.Howlighttheshoesfelt,howthinand
clean the new suit, and how ridiculously small the newly purchased hat! When I saw myself
in a mirror I felt like an impostor, but I was happy, my vacations had begun. I did not worry
