The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-02-27
Route Co California.

the United States:
int1tsiHg from he hthmus-For California EmigrGnts
PANAMA. n. g., January IL, 1919.
DEAR -: To an old campaigner like yourself the
troubles which we have encountered may trifng
but at the nsk OF having my verdure recognised aud
smiled at Will venture 10 give you briefly my first
Impressions OF the sthmus. II was judicous certainly,
TO place us here, or permit 10 come, In what should
have been the dry But the rain has continued
this year month longer than usual for the four months
beginning with December, according TO the Almanac,
should be dry. In January 1t has rained floods fully
half OF the time, and the ground has been literally satu-
rated
From Chagres to Cruces the journey is not pleasant,
hut can be endured II large boat be taken YOU are
four OF, five days. small one go in two. With a
friend took Of tie latter and sent our baggage by
another boat Leaving Chagres al dark, we stayed two
nights the rver and in ahead OF all party al
Gorgona, five miles below Cruces, late the third day.
The boats dug outs, and amldsbps arehed with
bent baiiboU and matched with palm. This covering
beng too low SIT under ana loo small for than
one 10 lie IN at time, took turns at the pleasures and
Inconvenience OF Tho journey. While one lay in cramp
and shelter the other sat IN greatcoat and rain Many
q car people were worse on than we-none better
The river lar as Gogona sgsneraY deep and rapid
and one hundred yards wide. Its banks beautiful IN
tropical vegetation, as dense as the lunges of India AT
long intervals found cleared patches with miserable
huis where provisions can be had. Oranges,
nuts, sugar panans, nee and corn, beg leave to
grows but receive NO ENCOURAGEMENT. Perhaps the
eight wet months OF the year serves TO damp the enter
prise of native farmers.
To show the state OF the arts connected with
agriculture, will mention that al Pena Blanca where
we sad the second night we found the proprietor and
his son thIeshng rice in very simple way. Each took
on raw hide small wad Of the unthreshed grain, and
then winding his bare feet aroind II as handIy as a
monkeys twisted and turned and rubbed till al the grain
was extracted Bless their innocent souls, how lhTeSh
ing machine would asonlsh them
The boalmen and inhabitants generally seem TO be a
cross between the Indian and negro When at work
they are scany Clad Tor their fashions date from Para
Disc or the day after the fall Anything but bread and
brandy can be safely trusted TO their charge lever TO
move the world cannot start them I'LL they aye ready,
and at Chages were bedeved whole day in getting
our four men into the two boats.
The party with were at Gorgona when we
arrived there They got of the next day for Panama
and came through in two days 1t reported to Us
that we could get on equally well from that point and
we remained two days in the hope of obtaining mu les
Finding; however, that the demand far greater than
the supply, and that the road, possible, was worse
than the others we took boat again for Cruces. This
place, wTeichel Chagres, and than 8orgoha
consists, like them, of one hundred more bamboo
huis, with matched roofs and mud floors. The lat
ter could be improved by excavation and embankment
Here we found multitude of people, with more
goods and baggage than all the mules of the sihmus
could carry forward IN month. Prices had risen IN
proportion. A mule which month ago could have been
hired for 49, now cost $40, SIP, or more, gentleman
OF our party paid $50 tor good one 10 bring him across
lnsteaf too, OF taking couple of ordinary trunks OF
hundred or more pounds each, found that mule
could take but Not wishing TO abandon my bag
gage, exerted myself for two or three days to obtain
transportaon but To purpose violent disease then
broke out among our people, and caused much aatm.
with poor Elliott during his illness OF twenty hours,
and when he died Early the next morning | left Tor
Panama native had agreed TO start my baggage in
three days from that time; and will do him the justice
to say that he kept his word
The road lies through thick ofest, and very diff
hcu hills or mountains are encountered 1t is success
sion of mud holes, IN which the mules mre upo their
Notwithstanding with ravlnes, originally cut now
into the solid rock and become the beds OF little
torrents; only wide enough for mules foot below,
and too tor the fiders Knees Above The
mules have long followed IN the footsteps OF their
predecessors and have worn these ravnes into mortar
holes OF six inches diameter, and foot deep. In &C
cvy and declivity the ravlnes and the holes occupy
every possible relative position from horizontal to perpen-
dicuar The mule jumps down them headtoremost with
the rashness of Rocky mountain sheep or in the as
cent, charges them with rush II his feet do not fly
from under him, or get damned IN the holes he Is more
fortunate than mine was wilderness OF boulder stones
forming with mud plastic concrete, gives variety 10 the
track We passed numbers of mules laid down to die,
and others flat their sides with cargo waiting TO
be up, and retaining in their eyes some speculation
to the probability of their ever seeing Panama.
The next sent by you on this route should be OF
smaller stature. ] was toe heavy for my mule and was
compelled to walk at intervals twenty times in The day
les, he should fail in the forest For the exact valne OF
my life (as understand ) might have been prevailed
on 10 sleep al cabin in my wet clothes. 1t was not
necessary Tor my beast h was borne up nl h E, py So
The vanity think himself worth in total value the sum
of IS, did not grudge the sl2 which paid for his ser
vices On that day.
Weary and worn, wet, muddy. and torn from head to
foot, Jerusalem was hailed by pilgrim with more
10Y than | felt on seeing the steeples of Panama We
reached town al IN on the 9Th and found very toer
able accommo iatons the Hotel Franeais kept by Mr.
Frque This genllemans clothes were found 10 fit me
exactly.
Our people by the Falcon and Benson now nearly
all in, but their merchandise and much personal
baggage is still behind Many exhausted on their
arrival as to be taken down Immediately, but only two,
believe have died here One or two died on the road
and were buried in the woods AT Cruces there is sl!
some sickness among our people and several OF the ma
said to have died there OF the prevailing disease
know of but ten Americans who have died. AS to the
name OF the disease, the doctors disagree SO Tar as
am able to Judge has all the characteristics OF cholera
slightly modified, perhaps. by circumstances There are
the vomngs, the cramps, the rcew water excavations
and death We have with us some medical gentlemen
who are very efficient subscription is to be got up tor
hospital do not, however anticipate danger TO those
and exposures The climate here is good, except that II
brings debility and anguori the provisions and accom-
mod atoms are very toerabe But it to be feared IN
case the steamer should be delayed much longer that we
shall breed famine in the land. Flour now selling at
$40 per barrel; and if the people continue to arrive as
good strategic position is sand that the Phllade pha
a ship Just arrived with coal for Rowland Aspn.
wall, will take passengers for California God speed
her; but | propose to wait for the steamer Between
four and FIVE hundred passengers here and we learn
that Valparaiso many more have taken passports 10
come up in the California | hear this evening that two
or three ships have Just arrived Chagres with passen
gers We hardly say the more the merrler, and IT
is thought that the authorities, in self defence, may shut
the city gates on the outsiders,
All the extravagant stories of the mines seem to be
confirmed here but the cost OF living dreadful
suffering muittudes The purser of British surveying
brig, Just arrived IRON San Francisco, has given the IN
teresting intelligence that ordinary dinner there costs
even in the highest" Think OF the situation OF nd
yduaI i'm service with nav proper of 433 33i