re, nationalities, colors, and noises, and across a dark,
bottomless gully from the high street we had reached lights flashed
amid a very ocean of uproar. "The Rowdy," as if to make the campaign as
real as possible, led us racing down into the black abyss, whence we
charged up the further slope and came sweating and breathless into the
rampant rough and tumble of pay-day night in New Gatun, the time and
place that is the vortex of trouble on the Isthmus. Merely a short
street of one of the half-dozen Zone towns in which liquor licenses are
granted, lined with a few saloons and pool-rooms; but such a singing,
howling, swarming multitude as is rivaled almost nowhere else, except
it be on Broadway at the passing of the old year. But this mob,
moreover, was fully seventy percent black, and rather largely
French--and when black and French and strong drink mix, trouble sprouts
like jungle seeds. Now and then Policeman G---- drifted by through the
uproar, holding his "sap" loosely as for ready use and often half
consciously hitching the heavy No. 38 "Colt" under his khaki jacket a
bit nearer the grasp of his right hand. I little knew how familiar
every corner of this scene would one day be to me.

A Chinese grocer sold us bread and cheese. Down on the further corner
of the hubbub we entered a Spanish saloon and spread ourselves over the
"white" bar, adding beer to our humble collation. Beyond the
lattice-work that is the "color line" in Zone dispensaries, West
Indians were dancing wild, crowded "hoe-downs" and "shuffles" amid much
howling and more liquidation; on our side a few Spanish laborers
quietly sipped their liquor. The Marines of course were "busted." The
rest of us scraped up a few odd "Spigoty" dimes. The Spanish
bar-tender--who is never the "tough" his American counterpart strives
to show himself--but merely a cheery good-fellow--drifted into our
conversation, and when we found I had slept in his native village he
would have it that we accept a round of Valdepenas. Which must have
been potent, for it moved "Scotty" to unbutton an inner pocket and set
up an entire bottle of amontillado. So midnight was no great space off
when we turned out again into the howling night and, having helped
Renson to reach a sleeping-place, scattered to the bachelor quarters
that had been found for us and lay down for the few hours that remained
before the 5:51 should carry us back to Empire.

At last I had crossed all the Isthmus and h