These
swamps and brakes continued all the way to a point where the trace of
an ancient paved road was picked up. It was said that this road led
into Panama, but as only vestiges of it were left, and as ridge
succeeded rolling ridge without seeming change, the first spurt of hope
soon subsided. The gold-seekers pushed on doggedly. If a man felt the
cholera coming on him, he turned away from the road and lay down in the
thickets to die.
When the Indian guide paused to wash his face and put on his trousers, it meant that the end of the journey was near.
