Page:California Inter Pocula.djvu/195



and vest,  a  loose  coat  of  the  thinnest  material,  and  a broad  brmimed  jipijapa  hat  of  fine  texture;  while  the African, breeched  or  unbreeched,  broiled  in  simplicity unconstrained. The nationality  of  foreigners  disap- peared under the  hizarrcne  of  their  accoutrements; the gentleman  gold-hunter  found  a  woollen  shirt, cotton pantaloons,  and  straw  hat  very  comfortable. Jipijapa hats,  commonly  called  Panamd,  hats,  are  not made in  Panama,  but  in  Peru  and  elsewhere. They might be  had  for  two  or  three  dollars,  and  up  to  fifty, and even  more. The Spanish  Creole  gentleman,  who is usually  slight  but  wiry,  in  complexion  sallow,  with black hair  and  eyes,  and  always  a  moustache,  if  his purse permitted  would  wear  white  pants,  and  appear to the  best  advantage. There was  no  lack  of  beauty shining from  the  half  veiled  faces  of  the  sciioritas, with their  white  dresses,  in  red  and  yellow  ribbon trimmings, and  bright  colored  slippers  often  covering stockingless feet. The dress  of  the  better  class  was at this  time  becoming  European,  black  being  the  pre- vailing color.

The population  of  the  Isthmus  consisted  mostly  of natives. Some parts  of  the  country  had  not  been conquered, and  several  of  those  conquered  had  been abandoned by  the  conquerors,  who  found  it  beyond their power  to  occupy  them  and  subdue  nature,  even if unmolested  or  assisted  by  the  Indians. Besides Indian and  African,  and  Indian  and  Spanish  inter- mixtures, Spanish was  infinitely  crossed  with  African, of which  Carib  blood  Avas  then  most  prominent. These remarks refer  especially  to  the  coast  region. In the interior departments,  like  that  of  Chiriqui,  a  purer white element  predominated  then  as  now. The most dano^erous characters  were  the  vao-abonds  from  the shores of  the  Antilles,  who  had  been  drawn  to  the Isthmus since  the  Californian  passenger  traffic  com- menced. The government,  not  having  the  means  to support  a  sufficiently  large  police  force,  such  as  the existing circumstances  demanded,  authorized  the  rail-