ARRIVING in Colon, as they did about midday, the boys had littledesire to go sightseeing immediately. The weather was too hot anduncomfortable. They ate dinner at a hotel with Mr. Andrews, but it wasdecided to sleep on board their car every night. It was as comfortableas any place they were likely to find.
As the car was side-tracked upon the railway dock, they had the fullbenefit of the sea breezes, and during the remainder of that day Vascostayed upon the car with Harlan, watching the waves roll in from thebroad Atlantic.
Colon is situated on the extreme point of land between Limon andManzanillo Bays. There is really little harbour, and in case of severestorm little protection for shipping.
"Sometimes there are terrible storms here," said Harlan, "when thewaves come in with tremendous force."
"I can see along the shore," said Vasco, "where much damage has beendone."
"That is not the worst, either," continued Harlan. "During these stormsmany lives have been lost. It was only a little while ago that one ofthe most severe of these 'northers' attacked this coast. Father wastelling me about it, as he happened to be in Colon at the time.
"Three steamships put to sea for safety and remained away three days.The gunboat _Dixie_ also ran out as quickly as it could to escape thedanger. Not a vessel of any kind remained in the harbour except twoschooners in the slips close by this station. They were tied by anumber of cables at a sufficient distance from the piers to preventdamage from the pitching and rolling. They couldn't get away, and rodeout the gale.
"Great waves rolled directly into the harbour, breaking over thewater-front, and even the streets were filled with water. From a numberof houses the people had to get out."
"It doesn't look now as if the sea ever could do such harm, does it?"said Vasco.
"Indeed it does not. It is very calm and gentle this afternoon. Fathertold me that one of the plans in connection with digging the canal isthe building of a big breakwater here."
"If that is done the harbour will be much safer, won't it?" asked Vasco.
"Yes, and the entrance to the canal will be less likely to sufferdamage in a storm," said Harlan.
"It looks as if a number of old wrecks were strewn along the shorenow," said Vasco, indicating at the time numerous hulks that appearedjust above the surface of the water along the shore.
"Those are relics of the French effort to dig a canal here. Scores ofscows were built by the De Lesseps company, and when work was given upthey were left to decay and sink."
"Why didn't some one take care of them?" asked Vasco. "They must havecost a lot of money."
"That's one of the questions no one can answer, any more than one cantell why so many costly engines and steam-shovels and dredges were leftto rust and grow useless by exposure."
"I remember we saw some of them near the railway. A good many were morethan half-buried in the sand, too," said Vasco.
Thus the boys whiled away the afternoon, and at night, with Mr.Andrews, turned into their berths in the "sleeper."
In the morning, after an early breakfast, the boys started to explorethe town. They found that most of the buildings were mere woodenshanties.
"This city makes me think of some of the beach resorts in my country,"said Harlan. "The houses are just such flimsy affairs."
There were no cellars, and the houses were set up on stakes. Thestreets hardly deserved the name, and were littered with all kinds ofdirt and filth.
Even Vasco, who could not be accused of being particular, said that hemuch preferred to live in his own city of Panama.
After dinner, during the hottest part of the day, the boys indulged ina _siesta_, and later took a walk to Coconut Point, where the Frenchhad built a number of fine houses, and cleared and drained the land tomake healthful surroundings for the officers of the canal company.
One specially elegant house was built for the sole use of DeLesseps--and he occupied it less than one hour. The whole situation andsurroundings were ideal and a splendid reminder of the extravagance ofthe French canal company.
At night, when the boys returned to their car, Mr. Andrews told themthat he had completed his business in Colon, and that they would starton the return trip in the morning.