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[[start page]] group of islands, discovered by the Spaniard, Juan Bermudez in the sixteenth century, offers an ideal climate the whole year; excellent golf courses, hotels and beaches; quaint scenes, with vari-colored houses and beautiful flowers and foliage. There are few automobiles on the island, making a peaceful, leisurely existence. St. George, its first capital, and Hamilton, the present capital, are the principal towns. PANAMA, crossroads of the world, is the link between the continents of the Western Hemisphere, and, through the Panama Canal, joins the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Panama City, at the Pacific end of the canal, is one of the most cosmopolitan cities of the world. Here the traveler finds people from all over the world and the shops reflect in their wares this diversity of population. Panama City is of interest in its beauty and its history. One of the ports of Spain's great silver fleet, and center of trade for the empire, it was taken and sacked by Sir Henry Morgan in one of the most spectacular feats of the era of the buccaneers. Today it is a port of call for all ships passing through the canal, and is the capital of the Republic of Panama. SOUTH AMERICA At the eastern end of the Isthmus of Panama begins the continent of South America. Its northern part lies athwart the equator, its jungles drained by the mighty Amazon River; its southern tip is cold, bleak and stormy. The continent contains ten independent countries and the Guianas, British, French, and Dutch. ARGENTINA is a great cattle raising and agricultural country. Its gauchos are the picturesque cowboys of the pampas, where yerba mate is the favored drink. Buenos Aires, a modern up-to-date city, is its capital. Wide avenues, beautiful churches and other buildings make it one of the outstanding cities of the world. BRAZIL, land of coffee, rubber, diamonds and orchids, is the largest of the South American countries. Its beautiful capital, 20 [[end page]] [[start page]] Rio de Janeiro, is unique among the cities of the world. Situated on one of the world's finest harbors, lively and gay, this city is the former seat of a branch of the royal family of Portugal. It combines a charming air of tradition with modern living. Its mosaic paved streets; its beautiful beaches, parks, buildings and avenues, make it an unforgettable experience for the traveler. Sao Paulo, the large city of the south of Brazil, is a great industrial center and the coffee capital. It has, besides the coffee, another claim to distinction: here at the Butantan Snake Farm are developed life-saving serums for snake bites and tropical diseases. PARAGUAY AND URUGUAY, the two smallest countries of the continent, are not small in their attractions for the tourist. Asuncion, capital of Paraguay, charms with its old world, leisurely air, and its colorful markets. Montevideo, capital of Uruguay, offers smart, sophisticated entertainment in one of the world's lovelier cities. CHILE is a long, narrow country on the Pacific Coast, separated from Argentina and Brazil, with whom it makes up the ABC powers, by the high peaks of the Andes. Its capital, Santiago, smart, cosmopolitan and Spanish in flavor, with all facilities for exciting sports, is especially appealing to those in search of sunshine and fun. BOLIVIA AND PERU are the Andean countries with large Indian populations. Here in Bolivia is Lake Titicaca, literally a lake in the clouds and the highest navigable body of water in the world. La Paz is its capital, a city of steep streets, picturesque houses, interesting markets. Peru is the center of one of the most fascinating Indian civilizations of the past. The Incas, noted for their remarkable buildings; their great, well-organized empire; their beautiful artistry in gold, textiles, ceramics, and feathers, are a never-ending source of interest. Cuzco, at one time the headquarters of the Incas, had the famous Temple of the Sun, with its great disc of solid gold. From this city you may travel by autocarril to Machu Picchu, believed to be the city from which this remarkable Inca civilization came, and to which 21 [[end page]]
