The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1849-04-21

There are some 5UO awaiting tTanSpor'
tation there, and probably 1000 here
and hundreds on the way up who have
landed at Chagres since. AT Gorgona
we took the mustang and mule line,
and reached Panama the same day.
The road was over plain, mountain and
!. hill, through gorges and defles, now
steep, and now rugged, now level, bui
every variety Of forest scence, tropical
trees and birds and flowers, here an
anaconda on limb, there panther in
| the trail, Wonder cougar sneaking into
the jungle, making every step novel,
new and interesting. The whole, what
ever its hardships and exposures, was a
pleasure trip, which is not TO be met
with more than once in life-time.--
DR.. Chamberin was the only lucky
hunter. having killed good sized cou-
gar, while walking through the woods
below Gorgona; on the 9th Col. Weller
shot an anaconda OF nine feet in length,
as it was hanging from limb, but that
fact was only common-mons!ers OF
that species are cheap.
From Gorgona here, mules and ma
tives are the only means of transporta-
ton. Mules will carry 800 lbs. and
natives as high as 200, over road that
of has been travelled since The conquest
of Cortez, but still mule path and
nothing else.
Panama is a walled city, m ost beau
tifully situated on neck jotting into
the sea, on level space, a high noun
tain in the rear, in frontthe blue Pacific,
and above and below the bay. with
several small islands, covered with
green verdure, rising abruptly from the
water to the height of 100 feet TO $50
feet. Overlooking the ocean is an old
battery, mounted with TWO large ordi.
nance, and Haunting boldly on the high
mountain in the rear is an Amer ican
Flag, which some saucy gold hunter
has there planted during his stay, pro
badly to admonlsh the lazv Spaniard
that the foot Of "Nanifest Destiny' is
on his soil. This was once much
more populous city than now. With
out and within the walls are numerous
calhedrals and churches, hoarv, crumb
ling, and ivy-grown, seeming the relics
OF an age beyond the flood, roofIess,
hoortess, the home of the swallow. and
the roest of the raven, their history un-
written, and their decline undated. -
The buildings are entirely Spanish, ma
ny OF them spacious, and al! of them
exceedingly rude and rough IN their
order of workmanship. The present
population is estimated at 5000. to
which may,sor while, be added 10000
gold hunters.
You have heard much Of the dangers
and privatIons of the Isthmus route.
Every representation has been exagge
rated. Young men, accustomed TO
Broadway, Chesnut street, and Penn
sy!vania Avenue have given their i'm
pressions, and our good people made
up their judgment on the evidence; but
the truth is, you need not 60 out of Ohio
for loads as bad. and privations as great
in travel, and dangers from sickness as
constant. The roads are bad enough
in wet time, as could readily see for
myself, but il you can recollect the road
from Lancaster to GAINESVILLE, or Colum.
bus, a few years since, you can imag
inc ,Uorse road than can now be found
in this lslhmus. With care in living,
dress, &c., such as we all have observ-
ed since landing at Chagres, there is
less risk of health here than at New
Orleans.
There are probably 1900 and up
wards Of gold hunters on the lsthmus
awaiting transportation. They are
pursuing but thin shadow, which they
cannot catch. Hundreds have been
here one, two and three months, with
no better prospect of getting away
now or in the future, than they had the
day they landed here. Many Of them
have lived out and squandered together
their last dollar, are now staying, God
knows how, as hopeless as they are
frendless. This, 10 most who have
come across, has proven itself the long.
est rather than the shortest route from
the United States to the "di9gias," and
certainly it is more expensive. A bar.
rel Of -four, for the simple transporta-
ton from Chagres here, will cost $15,
and when go. here will sell for about
transp ortalion; to take it on is impos-
sible. Most things will bring no more
here than al New Orleans-the trans.
poriation, therefore, would be but q
loss. s4a-. 3, - fi,,.s, III
In speaking Of the route, and the mis-.
representations Of i'll would not give
one word Of encouragement to any
friend now at home TO try il. If you
ha ve reader who will have confidence