It is fair to Vasco to say that it was not his fault that he did not attend school. Under the Colombian government there had been no public schools. There had been a few private schools under the care of the priests, but their equipment was very poor, and accommodations were limited.
Under the new government there was destined to be an improvement in this respect, and the year after the Panama Republic declared its independence, there were more than three thousand children in the schools, though previous to that there had been less than five hundred.
Vasco's home was a humble one, though it does not follow that it was unhappy. The contrary was the fact.
There were two children younger than Vasco,—Inez, his eight-year-old sister, and the little baby brother Carlos. The parents loved their children as fathers and mothers do everywhere, and were willing to sacrifice much for their welfare.
Both Lieutenant Barretas and his wife boasted of their Spanish ancestry, though they were of mixed descent, and there was evidence of Jamaica negro blood in their features. Perhaps this accounted for Vasco's aversion to hard labour, though the strict truth of history does not reveal that the early Spanish discoverers were specially fond of manual toil.
Though Vasco's home could boast no luxuries, he had never seen the time when there was lack of food, and for clothing all he required was a pair of trousers and a shirt, both made of cheap linen cloth. Boy readers will realize the glorious possibilities in such a scanty attire.
Much of his time Vasco spent about the streets of the city, indulging in sports and games with boys of his own age. Often he went to the water-front and watched the loading and unloading of vessels. He specially liked to watch the fishermen as they came in with their little vessels, and brought their finny harvest ashore.
Fish are very abundant in Panama waters. The name of the city means "abounding in fish." Years ago many whales were caught off the coast, and whaling vessels were a common sight in the harbour.
A STREET IN PANAMA