e accident. It is quite
remarkable, however, that there has not been a single accident where a
life was lost since the construction was completed years ago. This line
is two hundred and fifty miles in length and every mile cost a snug
fortune. It takes a train almost ten hours to reach the summit and the
average rise the entire distance is twenty-seven feet per minute.

Near Callao are some islands which are very interesting to tillers of
the soil especially. In passing them I noticed millions and millions of
birds. For many centuries these islands have been the nesting places for
these sea fowl. Not only have these birds lived and died here but
multiplied thousands of seal have come here to breed. The droppings of
these millions of birds and animals and the accumulating bodies of the
dead have decayed and made a kind of grayish powder. This substance is
called guano and it is hundreds of feet thick.

Hundreds of years ago it was discovered that this substance is the best
fertilizer known. In the early days the Incas took every precaution to
distribute this guano to agriculturists in the country. Districts of
this deposit were allotted to certain territories and the boundaries of
each district were clearly defined and all encroachments upon the rights
of others were severely punished. No one was allowed to go about these
islands during the breeding season under pain of death and the same
penalty was meted out to any man who killed either birds or animals
here.

Of late years millions of dollars worth of this guano have been shipped
to all parts of the world. While the islands are closed to shipping
during the breeding season and it is thought that many of the birds
especially have been frightened away, yet they come in such numbers at
times that it is said that the sky is darkened as they fly over.

CHAPTER XXVI

THE WORLD'S GREAT CROSSROAD--PANAMA CANAL

Perhaps the greatest achievement of history, both in length of time of
construction and in service to humanity, stands to the credit of the
United States. The Panama Canal was dug in less time than it took to
build the causeway in Egypt to get the stone from the quarries to where
it was wanted for the big pyramid. This canal, too, is wholly an
American achievement. It was planned by American brains, constructed by
American engineers and with American machinery, and paid for with
American gold, and every American has great reason to be proud of it.

We p