New-York daily tribune., 1843-08-29
Cruise of the vnndalIn. through the West
Indian Seas, the Gulf. and the Guii
Stream-Sens, Islands and Currents
Chagres-People, Trade. Sickness, &C.
e. A. I-,h,

Stream-Sens, Islands and Currents-
Chagres-People, Trade. Sickness, &c.
Correspondence OF The N-w-York Tribune
NORFOLK Va, Aug 2+th 1873
The Vanda!ia started TO leave Chagrcs on the
3lst ut., drifting around the points and corners
of the coast with an admirable taste for Its slnu-
osities, for distance OF between 300 and 4OO
miles, looking for breeze, and coming to anchor
every few hours, until by accident we found our
selves off Carthagena on the eth inst, where we
succeeded in catching the long-sought breeze and
posted off IN fine style for Cape San Antonio
Before pursuing the course of the ship. allow me
a moments DEPRESSION to advert to the delight |
experienced one morning while we were becalmed
in the Blight OF Manzanllo, by finding the ship
in the midst of field Of Por,ugueseMen-of-WaF (Me
duss Pnrp) the glorious feet There the!
were extended for miles perhaps least far the
sigh; aided by good glass woulo each their irregular
squadto moving the Eastward with their gorgeous sails
spread and filed gerng and slancirg in the bright
they were like thousand travelling raDbows The was
of CLASSY smoothness, with Just swell enough produce
degree OF harmony the Of the replendan col
urlns they several hours passing ship,
ny made prisoners of not however be treated as
such bu; become victims curiosity and martyrs OF
beauty. attribute their conCegatng such myrads 10
substance called Brit or BrtIe with which obser, ed
toe coudsd throughout Navy Bay and It's vcn-
v and which The beautiful animals evidently feed. But
surprising fact as observed was that each Medusa
surrounded by number Of very pretty lit,ie fish, from an
inch 70 four inches length apparently biting off suck
ng, the fbrous legs tails Of the Meusr. Our surgeon
positive that the FISH actually eating their pretty
neChbors but Impression ts, hey merely suck
ng the bre. all efforts catch OF these para
unsncteSsul the important question teeth
or ba-e gums left undecided.
Now for the ship On the srenrg of the third day after
catching the breeze referred made the Grand Caymans,
or least ng Of said 10 b. thereto BE-.
longing and holding for the next thi:tysiH
hours, raised the Of Cuba San An,onio-
Passing this and the Colorado the gulf
tered and seeIn. well up towards the Tortugas
able the morning OF the 18th lay through
the Florida channel. We made land off Havana on The
morning of the h passed betmeen Key West and Matan-
with the Pan In sight the same evening; left Sable
the left and the Doublheaded Shot keys the night
hand the afternoon of the l7h and passing Cape Florida
and the Bemns the afternoon and the Little Bahama dur
ing the night of the 18TH We found ourselves on the
lug Of the 10Th more on the broad bosom OF the Allan
TIC having in less than three days ,rave,ed the whole length
of the channel from the Tortugas Manatilo reef without
making light either coast, although made land
ol times. There is certainly little attention paid the
dangers of this important and channel BY both the
United States and Spanish Governments The British seam
disposed do their part along the Banks and would doubt
less cooperate with Spain aud the United States any
reasonable plan for safety Of the navgatQr The whole
channel should be lighted up ks street and
effective adopted ascertain the laws OF It's
aud eddles From Cape Canaveal TO the parallel OF 81
Augustine dong 9' 20 the current with us did not much
exceed knot, and from the latter point the parallel Of
Charleston On long 10 33 seemed have less than
that but thence from the 32d parallel OF latitude
10 Cape Hau.ras were driven in twsnty.four hours
miles beyond reckoning and one hundred
miles beyond the distance indicated by the log line thus
proving of more than four miles Per hocr Dur
ing this time standing n b n which was evident
very nearly the course OF the current Onr wind was
from the S. E. forming Gle with the set Of the
Of al least 90o The next day steering from n. E. n.
W. We had one knot current
Surely there feeling Of regret ship leav
ing Chares: Hackuyts Head the Zaharas could be
less inviting to reasoning feovng morals than this
gateway Of the worlds. Poverty and disease here in
odious forms, although they much mitiga,ed by
duluess natural feeling and nvincibe ndoance They
lazy sutter--hose who have arrived maturity
but the children have acquired this happy insensiby
There to be politics in Chagresno aristocracy
apparent relation OF superior and inferior All mix oget
erWhtes aud Blacks Indians and Creolrs Mestzos and
Mua,oes-ndiscf but saw degree Of system
their mode Of choosing the blacklist choosing
the whilest women and the white invariably selecting
the darkest kind Of ladies for their wives Collateral with
with this fact noticed Others which could mention with
less proprety but will observe that the offspring Of this
ntermxtue often handsome having generally, however
dpropoiton amounting frequently 20 defomity
IL perhaps benevolent disposition Of Nature which
prevents the increase of Chagres in the presumed natural
proportions; and am told that of every ten children born
die before the OF ten years. after that those who
escape the eproy do comparatively well but the appearance
Of health in rnaa or white woman is rarity. Young
seSses thrive better and indeed suenty perfect
pictures el shaded) Of health aud OF beauty tooChagre
brauty. There is coffin in Chages, public
kept the poor old thached church In this coffin all the
poor-and Chagres all except poore1Pect
and very reasonably too TO be buried or ought 10 say TO
grave Hundreds have used that old brown
coffin, ard presume hundreds more will use IL Children
staCger about the covered with eposy lis most
oathomc FORM only half hidden By Panain leaves pas-
their protrudng joints their little brons forms
destitute Of clothing holding their poor suppura-
ting hands for The aims of the pas,erby What sckenng
sights these are Poor little desoate destitute and hopeless
wrctches they make the heart achv-and II would ache
their appearance less provocative OF nausea
Our vessels trading there find matters bad enough. Com
Peled long time for their cagoes passengers,
their die and hands ale not 10 BE procured The
death OF the however. generally rather crime than
4 misfortune; and indeed facts are such morally not,
legally 10 justify aud sustain the charge of murder against
parties b. found within very circle of under
writers and captains concerned III the trade this
wreched place They may perhaps divide the crime among
Them but ,he arocity diminished by any division of
responsibility the allud the fact affirmed BY
different captains reply my e1pOsuaons that
chor their vessels outside of the bar would be ritiation Of
Asr insurance aud they bring them inside and lay them
along mud bank in cloud Of masma-not common tainted
air but sensible rSble ngbie poison Every particle
oi tins deatseed and II fixes In every
Gle OF the lungs of the poor sailor He may reach home but
he ouy gets there 10 die The captains do comparatively
we'll enough for they live sheIe.
Notwithstanding the rSalubrty and disadvantages OF the
place Of sickness originating any respect with
the climate, occurred board this ship although lay
there month time The that our
ship anchored outside OF the bar where all vessels that
trade there ought anchor safe from the influence OF the
terrible malaria and that sensible pcticed in
eating the aits of the country For this happy result
arr Indebted 10 the precautions Of onF excellent commando
We left a, Chagres The American schooner Samuel L.
Southsrd awaiting her cargo Only boat loads Of hides
had come down aud there probability of completing
her ading for weeks. One of her diel the
25h July, and three four very IL! when left,
The schooner Eclipse, Of Bath, awaiting freight
and passengers from Panama and expected sail days
Tor New York via CarthaSena which place passen
gers would Join her We learned nothing authentic OF the
movements Of Com. Jones or Of the Pacific Squadron
SANGuIN,RY DUEL.-Hon. Abel Labranche,
new Loco Foco Member of Congress from the
Id District OF Louisiana, recently insulted Mr..