The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-03-21

The Progress OF the Gold Emigrants -The
Vera CRUZ and Mazatian Route to Cali
fornia.
| Mr.. EDIToR:-
The following letter has been handed to me by
| Mr. james S. Bearns of this city, and he having
very kindly placed it at my disposal, I would es.
| teen II a particular favor If you would obige me
by publishing it In your widely circulated Journal.
| WM GEORGE STEWART,
| Vice-Cons for Mexico.
New York, March 20, ls49.
VERA Cruz, Feb. Is, ls49
| We. arrived here, all well, yesterday at II
o'clock, and landed at P. M. The particulars Of
our voyage will write from the city of Mexico,
10 which place we 60 by wagons, and shall be able
TO get our mules and horses on the road for about
| half the price asked here. We had no trouble at
all at the custom house, as they did not open
our trunks. They gave US permission to carry our
arms, and also license to shoot anne on the route
The weather is very warm the city is the clean
est place l have ever seen the streets We are
| told, are swept daily all the sidewalks are
| mented the city is very healthy and the water
very good; The Mexican people have received
| and treated US very well, much better than we
| ever expected. Our company consists of forty
| chosen from among the other passengers and we
style ourselves 'The Pacific Rangers | ana
| their leader and Fred is our e ident We shall
|
costs one dollar per day We are assured by the
| American residents, and also by the American
consul, that there is danger whatever to be ap-
| pretended rom robbers through the whole route,
and that parties pass through in perfect safety.
| l. am fully occupied with arrangements IN getting
the party oil, and, In my next, will give you full
account OF all that happens on the Journey.
You're, &C., IIKNYY M. BEARNs.
VERA CRUZ, Mexico, Feb. 10, lS49.
Mr.. EDlToR:-
I'm bound for California, via the cIty'of Mexico;
and supposlng that word from this quarter OF the
continent (where the American arms shone forth
in all of the brilliant lusre of brilliant success 50 and
victory might not prove undressing to your nu-
merous readers, I send you my first despatch OF
picklngs en- route.
l found Vera Cruz and the strong and impregna-
bic castle of San Juan DUloa precisely where our
gallant little army found it in March, 1917. But
| how changed The castle and its dependencies
look somewhat consumptlve, and bear the bag.
| gard countenance of RAPID decline The ramparts
are nearly Invested of the " dogs of war; The
spray OF Neptune throws it's sparkling tears against
| It's snow-l like walls, as II to weep over its falling
with the citythe Dons have plugged up the holes
| made IN their buildings by the terrible bumbas of
Los Americanos, and whitewashed their &c outer
walls" which gives the town quite beautiful and
| As soon as l had landed and gone through the
ordeal OF the custom house, ] dug my way up to
Bells Hotel, where found my old friends and
brother soldiers Capts Paul. vim Of Masssa !
| York volunteers, who We're also IN command of
parties destined for California. The gentlemen
composing their ctlve parties were all in good
health and fine spirits They left here this alter
noon, at o'clock. cannot leave for two or three
days.
Capt. Hutton's party OF one hundred and thirty,
left on the 9Th inst, and encamped at Santa Fe,
| twelve miles from Vera Cruz where one of the
party shot Mexican the cause or circumstances
could not learn. | regret that such an occurrence
| should have transpired, as It may prove exceed
ingy annoying, and even dangerous to smaller
parties travelling upon the road. There are Blk
American vessels in this port one OF which Is the
bark Eugenia, from New York. Vera Cruz Is at
present very healthy. PICKAxE.
PANAMA, New Granada, Jan 26, lSi9.
Jcn Grants Arr,cal at Chagres--Hts Troubles in
Crossing The Lsthmus--I4is Impressions AND Opin-
ions--Ihe Herald in NsU Granada, &c. &c.
thought that it woudbe interesting to some OF
your numerous readers to know the truth as re-
CARDS travelling over the Isthmus. will endeavor
to give it to you.
We arrived at Chagres after pleasant passage
Of eighteen days from New York, and landed on
the 3lst December. Chagres is most miserable
you can scarce get anything to eat, and as for
place to sleep IN, that next to lmposslbllity.
It Is a complete swamp; we only remained one
night IN It, We hired canoe for 35 dollars, to
take to Cruises, which at the head of the river
and started years day for tn at place, amidst
TIE most terrible rain you ever saw. One does
not know what rain Is till he comes here. l
thought a Croton pipe had burst. 1t seems to rain
all the time
We drank your heath, with the compliments of
the season, on the Chagres river, in good Scotch
whiskey, to begin with. We were four days on
scenery Is most beautiful all the way up; birds of
beautiful plumage are abundant, and 50 very tame
that those who had fowling pieces with them had
capital sport, shooting all the way up: How as
tonlshed the birds seemed when one OF them was
shot 1t was something new to them; had they
been commended by Queen Vic. to appear and be
shot In royal manner, they could not have obey
ed her better than when they appeared before u.s..
AT last We made Cruces; 1t Is on small hill,
with population OF about eighteen hundred, who
are very little better than those at Chagres. They
are miserable set of beings. They have very
little to eat, and no bed to repose on We reclined
on our trunks tor want OF anything better, and !
remained ten days trying to get my things across
10 Panama; but transportation ID dlfficutto be had
tor love or money; you can scarce get your things
across, there are so many going. Mules used to
be hired for So, and now 1t costs from $l5 to $50
per load, and one hundred pounds Is considered
load.
The cholera has been raging since my arrival
here, and the people are getting frightened for
there are no doctors, and whoeveris attacked with
it, lives from eight to ten hours only Thought 1t
best to move, leaving a great maAy of my things
behind. ! undertook to walk across, but it is the
worst road-if you can call 1t a road-I ever saw
or dreamed OF. You go right up very steep
mountain, with mud and water up to your knees at
every step, and often when you raise your foot
you leave your boot behind, and have to turn
round and pull il out, empty the water, and 60 on
again, as there is no stopping by the way. This
was too much tor some poor fellows, who were
obliged to lie down, and that was the last of them
Several died On the way. gave out, but WIS for
tunate enough to hire mule just IN time; could
not have gone much farther. The path is just
wide enough for mule to pass, and no more, and
the care with which they climb the mountain
would astenIsh you. On the rver, the men that
PADDLE the canoes have no clothing, and have only