New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1849-04-11
THE DARK SIDE.
Testimony Of Returned GoId-Huntcr.

The following graphic statement has been iur
nished us for publication in The I'ri6nne:
Since the arrival of the Crescent City from the
shmus several statements have appeared In the public
prints contrary to the truth and to my recent
experience, that deem 1t duty incumbent on me to
publish to the world faithful account
In the early part of this year. party Of sixteen stout
hearty and intelligent young men of Worcester, Mass
organized themselves into company for the purpose
Of mining and trading In California We arrived 10
NewYork in February, purchased our outfits, nipple
ments. &c at an expense of several thousand dollars
and sent goods around the Horn to the value Of
thousand dollars more.
On LIST March, after having been strongly advised tC
take the s.hmus route aud informed that there were
no passengers waiting at Panama we le NewYork In
the Northerner for Cbsgres We had pleasant passage
Of l2 days The Northerner anchored some ten miles
from Chagres, at an anchorage known as Navy Bay
Here transferred to the Orus and taken up 10
Chsgres, and thence up the river as far as the oru'
could go-ssy ten or twelve miles. Next day 10Th
March) transferred from the Orus 10 canoes.
and after two days padding were landed at Gorgons
Whole expense Of passage from Navy Bay TO Gorgona
sl2 per Five feet OF baggage allowed to each per
son. Every foot extra 60 cents.
Ii was the 18th Of March when We arrived at Gorgona
Pitched tents and got ready TO turn In about mid
night Next day Visited ihe town and found that con
many were dying Of feven atPansms
On the 10Th March at sunrise, Mr. Bottomly amemoer
Of Company. and myself started on horseback for
Panama at which place We arrived about o'clock the
same day Distance 30 miles-road very bad.
Al Panama We found large a number of Americans
say l200-awaitins a chance for conveyance to Cali
forna They appeared to be in great distress and went
around asking ore another what was to be DONE some
had exhausted all their meaus others were weakened
and escated By sickness and exposure to the fatal ell
mate Of the isthmus and numbers were actually dying
They bad found their some TO their .uin that
the representations made 10 them in New.York by In
teested parties about the facilities for getting from Pa
usms 10 California ell false and that they had been
most grossly deceived by Individuals 10 Sewfork, OF
whom they had expected better things and who kne
they were uttering untruths when they stated that
means Of getting to California from Panama were
abundant No vessels OF any consequence stay at Pana
ma IL Is many hundred miles out OF vessels course
As for British going from Panama TO san ran
cisco IL 10 a humbug. They don't go to San Francisco
At all Their route lies exclusively between Lima, Val
psrsiso and Panama
We waited at Panama several dsys-qute long
enough ascertain that there was no chance at all Of
passage TO San Frsncsco. We had the beneht OF the
experience of hundreds of fellow Americans, many
Of whom had been awaiting passage FOR weeks and
months in vain The California, due on The 18th March,
nsd not arrived on the sd. The rainy season was
about comms ncing, and. taking all things oto consid
Grafton we deemed IL beet 10 put about and return
home Accordingly, we returned to Gorgons to adj
wise comrades, hli found that they had already
baggage In time for tho Crescent City returned 70
New York 10 that The rest viii return By the
irst opportunity.
This 10 plain unvarnshed and disinterested state
mont Ia thus putting forth have other purpose
than TO my country men against the ISM
route. My company was composed vi athletic and
courageous young men, able TO endure any hardship
and willing face any danger But with no chance oil
passage from Panama TO san Francisco they were
ayee TO remansg with other prospect before them
5ui hops deferred until death should cp, them down
number of msrcenzry lester-wIirers, under good
paw reside al the ls,hmus aud discourse sweety on
the beauties of Gorgona and Panama But OF all places
IN this vide worlt-and have been around and seen
the elephant in divers partssave me and my friends
aud God save you. coed reader. from the lsthmus-.
During the day pours down bis heat In the most
iusurerabe manner. | never knew anything about
hes, until got there. Al night had TO sleep In the
company of lizards ants. salinippers, scorplona &c
SC But could have stood all this very we'll Whsf
ve complain of 10 being swinded BY interested parties
40 Nsw-York, whose cole aim 10 10 make money, TO
ysrdtess of human life and human suffering.
While On the is,hmus made particular inquiry and
alton as % the number there awaiting psssAse
m San Francisco and with safety say that Pana
,hera were al leas, 200 at Gorgons 800 and sbou!
900 on their way across the lsihmua
g. DOWNES, of Worcester, Mace
rox,o,. Hotel Ss~ Yoa, April 2, lsts-.