W. F. Lyons
Published: 2013-09
Total Pages: 66
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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1886 edition. Excerpt: ... EXTRACTS FROM HOLIDAYS IN COSTA RICA. BY THOMAS FRANCIS MEAGHER. [From Harper's Magazine.] ENTRANCE TO COSTA RICA. The principal entrance at present into Costa Rica is from the Pacific, at Punta Arenas, in the Gulf of Nicoya. The Columbus, a deliberate old barque through which a screw has been thrust, brought us, early in March, 1858, from Panama to Punta Arenas in less than three days. The trip was delightful. The coast-range of Veragua, the northernmost province of New Granada, was within sight--often within stone's-throw--the whole of the way. There were the mountains of the promontory of Azuero, glowing through the blue haze all day long. There were the rocks of Los Frailes-- gray rocks belted with sparkling breakers, in and out, and wide over the spray of which thousands of sea-birds sported--flashing in the sunset. There were the stars when the sun was gone--the white beach gleaming beyond the line of purpled waters--and here and there the fire of some lone hut in the forest high above the coast. At all times the sea was smooth-- smooth as a lake in summer in the midst of warm wooded hills--and at noon it was wondrously beautiful and luminous; so luminous that, looking down into its depths, one might have been wooed to fancy it had a floor of diamonds, and that the pink and yellow seaflowers, loosened and floating upwards from it, bubbling as they rose, were made of the finest gold. As for the company on board, ever so many nationalities, professions, phases of life and destinies, were comprehended in it. St. George had his champion in Mr. Perry--an affable, intelligent, high-spirited young Englishman, who had just been gazetted to the British ViceConsulate at Realejo, Nicaragua, and was on his way to Guatemala to receive his...