Page 245 - Confronting Race Women and Indians on the Frontier, 1815 - 1915

F R ON I E R P L A C E : C O L ONIALISM TRIUMPHANT
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Other f e male travelers reported that native tempestuousness was aggra­
vated by their tendency to drink, gamble, and fight.
This unfavorable picture of Panamanians was unrelieved by approv­
ing remarks. Unlike their sister migrants on overland routes, white
women who crossed the isthmus were oblivious to any expression of
personality, creativity, or energy by the natives they encountered. During
the relatively short time that it took to traverse Panama, women had
neither opportunity nor motivation to revise images of themselves or
their conceptions of Panamanians.
Additionally, many women f o und their prejudices aggravated by
outbreaks of violence between migrants and natives. Since most entered
Panama expecting brutish treatment, they probably acted in belligerent
or arrogant ways that produced the results they anticipated. Considering
the boredom, heat, and tension of the situation, travelers' attitudes and
actions could have created tragedy between themselves and
Panamanians, which would have confirmed their view that such conflict
was inevitable. 148
Like women on other trails, these women commented on native
uprisings, massacres, and attacks. In 1852, f o r example, Sarah Brooks was
involved in an altercation with "an ugly set" of boatmen. Due to the
heat, one of the men shed his breechcloth and ignored orders to put it
back on. The women sheltered themselves with umbrellas, whereas the
other boatmen retired to nearby trees f o r a nap. Rather than letting the
situation calm down, white male migrants drew knives and pistols on
the natives, who sullenly returned to work. 149
As a result of such petty squabbles, the Panamanians gained a
reputation as bold, insolent, and dangerous people. Crossing Panama in
1854, Mallie Stafford was surprised that in spite of "hordes of merciless
savages," huge numbers of gold-seekers chose the route. Along the way,
rumors and alarmism beset her at every step. She recalled that the "bare
recital" of atrocities and massacres was enough to make "the stoutest
f e male heart quail with apprehension." Stafford did not have an easy
crossing. She witnessed a male migrant draw a pistol on a native mule
driver who had told him to "go to hell." And she was terrified when a
native man pulled her mule off the main trail. She flailed at him with
her riding whip, but was rescued by a runner sent out f r om the

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