grew up a motley race given to revolt, revolution, and corruption.
Even when the provinces became free, they weren't able to unite
and form a strong nation. The Isthmus of Panama became a pest-hole
where the scum of the Four Seas settled. The people became mean
and unhealthy in mind and body and morals, preserving nothing
except the cruelty of their forefathers. Here and there, to be
sure, one comes across the old Castilian breed, like a silver
thread running through a rotting altar-cloth, but only here and
there, and most of those silver threads have become tarnished from
contact with the fabric."

"It must be a nice place," Kirk observed with gentle sarcasm.

"It affords one a great chance to moralize, at any rate. Take the
building of this canal, for instance. First, the French came, led
by a dreamer, and poured in the wealth of an empire in order that
they might exact toll from the world. You see, they were all lured
by the love of gain--the Spaniards, who pillaged the natives to
begin with, and the French, who set out to squeeze profit from all
the other nations. But it seems as if the spot were infected. The
French lost an army in their project; corruption gnawed through,
and the thing ended in disgrace and disaster. Spain and France
have come and gone, and at last we Yankees have arrived. It seems
to be the will of God that the youngest, lustiest people on the
earth should finally be sent to clean this Augean stable."

"By Jove! I never thought of it that way."

"It is a big task, Mr. Anthony, and the mere digging of the ditch
is the smallest part. There is a great deal more to be done. You