 Up until the 1870s, most of Costa Rica east of the capital, San Jose, was completely undeveloped, just miles and miles of nearly impenetrable rainforest. The Spanish had made few inroads there. They'd killed and resettled some indigenous communities, but they didn't actually manage to build much. Now, Miner Keith would attempt it. And I have to say, when you're actually there, you realize how far-fetched this must have seemed.