Page:California Inter Pocula.djvu/188



the "  True  Half-way  House "  kept  by  Europeans  or Americans. Tea and  coffee  were  plentiful  along  the route, but  milk  was  scarce. The water  of  the  Isth- mus, for drinking  purposes,  early  acquired  a  bad  name  ; its effects  were  said  to  be  extremely  deleterious,  espe- cially on Europeans,  The  distaste,  thus  or  other- wise arising for  this  fluid,  so  fastened  itself  on  many of the  pilgrims  that  it  never  afterward  left  them  ;  for on arriving  in  California  they  seemed  to  prefer  strych- inne whiskey  even  to  the  melted  snow  of  the  Sierra. As a  matter  of  fact,  water,  and  nothing  else,  taken sparingly will  carry  one  through  fatigue  and  inhospit- able climates better  than  any  stimulant. In crossing the Isthmus  thousands  have  killed  themselves,  or planted  the  seeds  of  disease,  under  the  excuse  that water was  pernicious.

In ancient  times  there  was  a  trail  from  Panama  to Cruces,  paved  with  large  round  stones  from  six  to eighteen  inches  in  diameter. In places  it  was  three feet wide. It overlaid  all  the  softer  ground,  and  con- nected with the  rocky  defiles  and  hillside  shelves,  where it frequently  narrowed  to  a  foot  in  width. Near Pa- nama it widened  yet  more  and  was  kept  in  tolerable repair, but  the  upper  end  was  dilapidated  and  almost useless, being  washed  away  by  flood,  or  cut  under  or broken  sheer  asunder  by  torrents,  so  as  to  leave  it  in pieces  high  above  the  sunken  bottom  of  a  ravine. Over these  disordered  heaps  of  smooth  stones  mingled with soft  deep  mud,  the  poor  heavily  laden  mule  was obliged to  stumble,  and  the  wonder  was  how  he  ever got through  at  all. Though not  as  comely  as  the  beau- tiful beasts of  Europe,  these  mules,  with  their  limbs  of steel,  show  a  more  marvellous  dexterity,  risking their feet  with  confidence,  as  if  by  instinct  or  memory, in dangerous  places. There is  no  necessity  for  direct- ing the animal  you  ride ;  give  him  his  head  and  let him go,  and  when  you  get  to  Panamjl  get  off  and  give him the  bridle  ;  the  master  is  not  far  away. The Gor- gona trail  strikes  the  ancient  road  some  seven  or  eigln