Peeps at Many Lands: Panama

Peeps at Many Lands: Panama, written by Edith A. Browne and published by Adam and Charles Black, is an early-twentieth-century travel book aimed at younger readers. Written while the Panama Canal was still under construction, it opens by correcting popular misconceptions about the isthmus and guides readers on an imaginary voyage from Europe, via the Azores and the Caribbean, to the Spanish Main. Browne sketches the region’s history—from the Spanish discovery and the era of buccaneers, through the failed French attempt under de Lesseps, to the arrival of the Americans—and describes the diverse population, including West Indian laborers drawn to the Canal works.

The heart of the book focuses on the great engineering project itself. Browne explains the decision for a lock canal rather than a sea-level one, details the vast construction camps, the locks at Gatun and Pedro Miguel, the creation of Gatun Lake, and the massive Culebra Cut through the mountains. She also offers glimpses of the towns of Colon and Panama, the surrounding tropical countryside, and everyday life on the isthmus. Combining personal observation with clear explanations of geography, history, and engineering, the book presents Panama as a land of strategic importance, dramatic scenery, and transformative human achievement at a pivotal moment in its modern history.