to in about twenty four hours and I was never so glad to get any
place before. The town turned out to greet us and some Englishmen ran
to ask from what boat we had been ship wrecked. They would not believe
we had taken the trip for any other reason. They helped us very kindly
and would not let us drink all the iced water we wanted and sent us in
to bathe in a place surrounded by piles to keep out the sharks and by a
roof to shelter one from the sun. Corinto proved to be all that
Amapala was not; clean, cool with very excellent food and broad beds of
matting. I liked it better than any place at which we have been, we
came on here the next day to see the President and found the city hot,
dusty and of no interest. There is an excellent hotel however and we
had a talk with the President who was a much better chap than Bonilla
being older and more civilized. Of course there is absolutely no
reason or excuse for us if we do not get control of this canal. If
only that it would allow our ships of war to pass from Ocean to Ocean
instead of going around the horn. The women are really beautiful but
that has nothing to do with the canal. Tomorrow morning we return to
Corinto as Somers and I like it best. Griscom would like to go on
across by the route of the canal which would be a good thing were we
certain of meeting a steamer at Simon or Greytown, but the Minister who
went last month that way had to wait there sixteen days. So, we will
probably leave Corinto on the 17th or 20th, there are two steamers, one
that stops at ports and one that does not. They both arrive together.
I do not know which we will take but--this letter will go with me. Up
to date I think the trip will make a good story but it will have to be
a personal one about the three of us for the country as it stands is
uninteresting to the general reader for the reason that it DUPLICATES
itself in everything. But with our photographs and a humorous story,
it ought to be worth reading and I have picked enough curious things to
make it of some value.

February 15,--Corinto.

We are back here now and rid of that dusty, dirty city. You would be
amused if you saw this place and tried to understand why we prefer it
to any place we have seen. There is surf bathing at a half mile
distant and a good hotel with a great bar where a Frenchman gives us
ice and the sea captains and agents for mines and plantations in the
interior gather to play billiards. Outsid