The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1849-05-17

II is.aslonishng TO the number Of old chrrche.
| mere. should think there were nearly twenty, anC
all Of them large several having additional buildings
used In old tines probably, for inconsistencies or com.
nodous residences for the clergy. All these edfces
are In a state Of decay, and the most of them are
completely In ruins should Judge that more than
one third Of the territory OF the city was taken up by
their premises.
Sunday nigh, Is the great time for fnndang0s as
they are caled-a rough and tumble, mixed up kind
Of dance. There Is no such Thing rs carriage in
Panama, nor carriage read In The vicinity. The
only things on wheels have been introduced BY
Americans, and consist Of one hand. cart brought
from the United States, cart with solid wheels
and wheelbarrow, thu Two latter made here within
few weeks. The horses and mules are so small
that even ], heavy specimen of man, was afraid Of
being too heavy load for their weak looking backs
As have observed before, the city is built upon a
peninsula, and on the occasion Of a storm or very
high tide the ditch might be filled with water from
the bay, which would render the city complete is
land but for the paved entrance by the main gate -
There is good sen bathing at various points on the
beach. The walls Of The city are washed by The
waves at high tide. Inside they present the uniform
height OF about fonr leei but outside their height va
RES from twenty 10 fifty feet being highest al the
battery. lt
Vessels Of ordinary tonnage cannot come nearer TO
the city than one or Two miles, and the largest gem
orally anchor nearly three miles out on account of
The bench being so shallow; at low tide II Is bare,
about half mile out. The tide sets very strong,
rising and falling about twenty feet. A pr for the
steamers would have 10 be at least mile and half
long. There is no such thing as wharf here. Ev-
erything Is landed by canoes or boats.
Immediately 10 The south the bay is full OF islands
OF different Sizes mostly small One Of these, called
Teboga ia esorted 10 for It's excellent ruits good
wnte cool breezes, DC. The ships all take In water
there. IL is eight ten miles from the city Directly
west Of the city, at distance Of about two miles Is
hill which rises nbrubily several hundred feet--I
think from nine to twelve hundred. The sun sinks
behind II about fifteen minutes OF more before the
regular honr Of sunset Stretching far 10 the east
and south OF west from us, Gun see the high peaks
OF the chain of mountains that connect with the
Andes of the South, and the Cordilleras of Mexico
and Rocky Mountains Of the North. Although the
shn Is now vertical, being exactly overhead at noon,
80 that mans body makes no shadow, vel the heat
s not near so oppressive us you often feel IL In June
July, August and September In Baltimore
There are few walls OF brackish water in town.
and the most convenient way they have OF drawing
up the water is to let down the bucket with rope
by hand Most of the streets ARE iolerably well
paved-a are very narrow. The walls of the city
are every where crumbling into decay, and In some
places the washing Of the tide has caused great
breaches. The atmosphere throughout the city in
tainted with dsagreeable smells, MS every refuse
thing whatsoever Is thrown Unfortunately upon
the ground somewhere in the open air.
Those who are still waiting for the steamer have
manifested most cornmendable patience, and very
coolly say that they have given up expecting her..
My tickets are of so early date that Capt. Stout
assures MS OF a passage on his steamer the Spa
naina," which left New York the I7th of February
and Is expected to arrive here from the 9th 10 the
10Th OF May: so that we are very calmly biding our
time.