The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1849-01-30
From the New York Herald.
PANAMA, Jan. Z, 1919

PANAMA, Jan. 7, l649
EDIToR OF THE HERALD;
Dear Sir-Perhnps some OF our fellow passengers
have written you by the Crescent City, and given
you snch information al should be laid before the
ppblic with regard to the route TO California But
lest II should have been ne elected propose TO say
few words on the subject, hoping that the truth
may save some lives, and induce good people at
home to mind their business. Every body knows
what sea voyage IS and though not pleasant 1t can
be endured. That is the height Of felicity compared
with the journey from Chagres to Cruces by boat
and the land travel from Cruces TO Panama, ifsur-
yyad Is not likely TO be endured second timc by
death should bring on this route for female
IL Is utterly of the question. 1t has taken most
OF our passengers eight days 10 get from Chagres TO
Ibis city and many Of those By the John Benson and
ges TO Cruces cost SIS for each person, and Sl2 for
mule bringing single trunk from the latter place.
have been paid by many. In fact, there are not half
mules enough in the whole isthmus to supply the de-
mand.
Permit me 10 go little into detail
Chagres Ii collection of 100 negro huts with
walls when they have any and roofs matched with
palm. few turkey buzzards ornament each roof
and when II 10 rain they hold themselves out
In humble Imitation OF spread eagle TO dry. Low
and swampy II looks the abode Of pestience, US II
Is. Now In the dry season, 1t rains ten times day.
and The earth il filled to satuuen. In the eight
wet months Of the year, II must be decidedly moist
We left the place with all convenient speed-some in
large boats which could make but little progress
against the strong current |; others In small ones
which could hold but two persons besides the two
boatmen, which made good progress up the stream.
All had TO sleep one night between Chagres and CRU
cesi the greater number were two nights on the
way-some were three or four The naked boat
men generally Efficient tolerably honest and civil
The sleeping places are the same as the Chaeres
huts with mud floors, and nothing to eat. II
hen be found, The price Ia dollar, and seyenty-fye
cents for cooking No bread, no sugar, no tea, no
| milk, no meat. Even these huts are few and far
between, though the river banks IRE beautiful in
their tropical vegetation, and seem capable Of prodn
cling every thing which the heart can desire. But
the curse Of floods Is The land and 1t Is difficult
| 10 Imagine that good can ever come out Of IT,
Cruces Is nearly as low, and quite as disagreeabe,
as Chagrcs. We were compelled TO remain there
some days in consequence Of the impossibity OF
10 Panama, II Il impossible 10 give an idea. The
liyeiest imagination cannot picture IL, Mud holes,
/ In which The mules mire up to their bellies carloads
Of boulder stones, which, in the time of the Spanish
galeons, may have formed a pavement; ravnes worn
deep IN the solid rock, and only wide enough for
mules foot below, and for the rders legs above with
every possible ACTIVITY and declivity, from foryfve
degrees TO perpendicular all combine to make up the
most mpassable road now in actual use on the face
the globe. The mules stepping in the same foot
prints, have worn mortar holes deep in the rock of
The deep and steep rayines; and saw boulder
Stone, eighteen inches in diameter, with such hole
drilled half way through 1t. How the ladies' Of the
party ever got across am yet unable to decide
This much is certain, that most Of them practically
| assumed tNe panIuOOnS, ana fOQB 9UidNuy like the
cavaliers around them.
But the saddest part Of our story remains to be
told. At Cruces, several cases Of virulenl cholera
m9rbus, some think Il cholera, appeared among us.
| Mr.. Luckett from New Orleans, was the fret vic
tim; then Capt Elliott Of the quarlarmasters depart.
ment and afterwards Mr.. Birch of New Orleans, and
Mr. George w. Taylor Of Providence. The disease
was Of great violence and terminated In less than
twenty hours. 1t IL believed that all these gentlemen
had been imprudent Poor Elliott, who was below
ed and admired had certainly been so. He had
pitched his tent in low and wet place; he had eaten
iruit had taken violent exercise, and then removed
| his flannel He lies In consecrated ground, at
| Cruces.
At Panama We think ourselves safe, since the eli
mate, the provisions, and accommodations are all
The California has not arrived, and we are waiting
for her with great Impotence.
One word to our friends In the Unitsd States who
are feyerish to go 10 California. Ess,
LIST. Stay at home.
Cd. II you go there take any route but this.
Sd. If you insist Oh crossing the 1sthmus, bring
but one trunk, weighing nst more than l25 lbs You
should also bring tea and sugar hard bread and ham
| enough TO last YOU from Chagres to Panama brandy
TO be used in moderation, do.
18th. Ten cent pieces as many you can get trans
portation ior-eight of them make dollar.
The following translation will we think, be calcu-
lated TO deter some Of the Argonattsn the 18TH
menios have dubbed our adventures, from trying
that route -
OUR cHAoREs CORRESPONDENCE.
Editor Of the Ne,p York Herald:
| SIn-To avoid disagrecable consequences, Il will
be well to inform those Argona,as who intend cross.
ing our sthmus, that the introduction OF tobacco,
even y transit Is entirely prohibited the introduce
ton OF coffee and sugar. for consumption Is likewise
prohibited, though they may be entered for transit,
on paying duty of three cents per pound For these
facts see the transit laws.
Now comes the gist of the letter which, though
iaconic enough, speaks volumes Ed. HEnALD.
We have hosts Of Yankees stuck here amidst our
swamps and mud, awaiting canoes to escape from
our delightful climate. American gold, which has
appeared with such profuson in these days, has
ated complete revolution; and surely many of these
Yankees must have forgotten the old proyerb, that
"a bird in the hand is worth two in the BUSH"
Alas poor Yankees take my advice and do not
expose yourselves TO the fatal Influences Of our c
mate which can be whstood by natives alone.
,---.---. UN NEoRITo [srmE,io