Vasco, Our Little Panama Cousin

  Produced by Emmy, Beth Baran and the Online DistributedProofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file wasproduced from images generously made available by TheInternet Archive)

  [Transcriber's Note: Bold text is surrounded by =equal signs= anditalic 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 BARRETAS]

  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 Statesis doing on the narrow strip of land connecting North and SouthAmerica,--digging the Panama Canal, a highway for the nations. Thecountry is small, but the work is a great one, and that little spot onthe map is of vastly greater interest to-day than many a land of largerarea.

  The history of the country is a romantic one. The names of Balboa,Pizarro, and other famous Spanish discoverers are closely linked toPanama, and readers of history as well as lovers of adventure are notlikely to forget the part the notorious Morgan and his men played onthe Isthmus.

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

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