Chapter I: Front Matter

[Transcriber's Note: Bold text is surrounded by =equal signs= and italic text is surrounded by _underscores_.]

VASCO

Our Little Panama Cousin

THE

Little Cousin Series

(TRADE MARK)

Each volume illustrated with six or more full-page plates in
tint. Cloth, 12mo, with decorative cover,
per volume, 60 cents

LIST OF TITLES

BY MARY HAZELTON WADE

(unless otherwise indicated)

=Our Little African Cousin=
=Our Little Alaskan Cousin=
By Mary F. Nixon-Roulet
=Our Little Arabian Cousin=
By Blanche McManus
=Our Little Armenian Cousin=
=Our Little Australian Cousin=
By Mary F. Nixon-Roulet
=Our Little Brazilian Cousin=
By Mary F. Nixon-Roulet
=Our Little Brown Cousin=
=Our Little Canadian Cousin=
By Elizabeth R. MacDonald
=Our Little Chinese Cousin=
By Isaac Taylor Headland
=Our Little Cuban Cousin=
=Our Little Dutch Cousin=
By Blanche McManus
=Our Little Egyptian Cousin=
By Blanche McManus
=Our Little English Cousin=
By Blanche McManus
=Our Little Eskimo Cousin=
=Our Little French Cousin=
By Blanche McManus
=Our Little German Cousin=
=Our Little Greek Cousin=
By Mary F. Nixon-Roulet
=Our Little Hawaiian Cousin=
=Our Little Hindu Cousin=
By Blanche McManus
=Our Little Hungarian Cousin=
By Mary F. Nixon-Roulet
=Our Little Indian Cousin=
=Our Little Irish Cousin=
=Our Little Italian Cousin=
=Our Little Japanese Cousin=
=Our Little Jewish Cousin=
=Our Little Korean Cousin=
By H. Lee M. Pike
=Our Little Mexican Cousin=
By Edward C. Butler
=Our Little Norwegian Cousin=
=Our Little Panama Cousin=
By H. Lee M. Pike
=Our Little Persian Cousin=
By E. C. Shedd
=Our Little Philippine Cousin=
=Our Little Porto Rican Cousin=
=Our Little Russian Cousin=
=Our Little Scotch Cousin=
By Blanche McManus
=Our Little Siamese Cousin=
=Our Little Spanish Cousin=
By Mary F. Nixon-Roulet
=Our Little Swedish Cousin=
By Claire M. Coburn
=Our Little Swiss Cousin=
=Our Little Turkish Cousin=

L. C. PAGE & COMPANY
New England Building, Boston, Mass.

VASCO

Our Little Panama Cousin

By H. Lee M. Pike

_Author of "Our Little Korean Cousin," etc._

_Illustrated by_
L. J. Bridgman

Boston
L. C. Page & Company
Publishers

_Copyright, 1906_
BY L. C. PAGE & COMPANY
(INCORPORATED)

_All rights reserved_

Fourth Impression, June, 1909
Fifth Impression, June, 1910

To My Mother

Preface

BOTH old and young are interested in the work that the United States is doing on the narrow strip of land connecting North and South America,--digging the Panama Canal, a highway for the nations. The country is small, but the work is a great one, and that little spot on the map is of vastly greater interest to-day than many a land of larger area.

The history of the country is a romantic one. The names of Balboa, Pizarro, and other famous Spanish discoverers are closely linked to Panama, and readers of history as well as lovers of adventure are not likely to forget the part the notorious Morgan and his men played on the Isthmus.

There has been much of bloodshed, cruelty, and oppression in Panama's history, but let us hope that is all over. The example of industry and persistent perseverance set by Americans, as they cut away mountains and turn great rivers into new channels, ought to be a source of inspiration to the leisure-loving native. And such seems to be the fact to-day. Not only a canal, but a nation, is being built. New schools, new docks, new water-works, new streets, new sanitary measures, give evidence of a better era for Panama.

This all means new possibilities for our little Panama cousin. As his young American and English friends read about him, they may well believe that in the days to come they may all stand shoulder to shoulder in the onward march of civilization and progress.

Contents

CHAPTER PAGE
I. HAPPY DAYS 1
II. ABOUT THE CITY 19
III. A TRIP TO OLD PANAMA 26
IV. STORY OF THE BUCCANEERS 36
V. AN EARTHQUAKE 60
VI. A JOURNEY 71
VII. CULEBRA 81
VIII. BALBOA 90
IX. COLON 96
X. UP THE CHAGRES RIVER 102
XI. NEW AMBITION 115

List of Illustrations

PAGE
VASCO BARRETAS _Frontispiece_
LIEUTENANT AMADEO BARRETAS 4
A STREET IN PANAMA 22
THE TOWER OF THE OLD CATHEDRAL 55
"'THAT SCOOP WILL DIG OUT OF THE MOUNTAIN A TON
OF EARTH AT A TIME'" 80
A NATIVE VILLAGE 110

VASCO

Our Little Panama Cousin