Baltimore commercial journal, and Lyford's price-current. [volume] (Baltimore, Md) 1840-1849, 1849-06-30

Passage in The .N'tomi from Baltimore TO Chagres
-ChngreS-C hdgTeS TtCer ind beautiful scene
Ty-ErpehSeS Of trarlsportatioH-Gre physical
pOlocrS and honesty Of the caIrierS-GOrS0na,
and road thence to Panama Description Of The
city during ttoO aCeekS detention, its heattyitL
ness, number Of uttabtantS, &c. ind a,rtUal Of
the steamers Oregon from San FrarCiSc0 ant
T0Ianla from .Nct1 York.
We published in last extract Of a letter from
our townsman, CHARLES GILMAN, Esq, to the Edi-
tor OF the Commercial journal, dated at Panama,
May 18th and 18th, (ult) and promised to refer to
it again, not having leisure or room then to give
place to some items which deemed interesting to
those who might Mtat of taking that route to Cali
fornia when they made up their minds to start
"PANAsIA, May 10, 1919.
" As YOU will remember, | left Baltimore on the
18th April in nutshell of schooner called
the Naomi, which by the way is a capital little
boat and behaved remarkably well in a very heavy
blow which came out from the S. w. after
crossed the Gulf Stream. Most Of us (there were
10 passengcrs) took the advantage OF sea-sickness
for the JeneH Of OH health, prior to our advent to
the valley Of the Sacramento. After a voyage of
49, days. we anchored in the harbor of Chages, and
the next day (May 1sD landed on the shore opposite
the town. | Immediately made efforts to effect an
arrangement for our passage up the river. Secured
two for nine persons, and our luggage at sou
each person, to Gorgona, about % miles distant
81 Chagres is the most miserable place that have
ever before seen 1t is said there 1910 inhabitants
in it. consisting of Spaniards, Indians, and negroes
| all seemingly upon terms OF perfect equalty-some
clothed and others starlS-nalied; the walls OF the
dwellings, and indeed all the other houses are con-
structcd Of cane, the reeds placed vertically and
fined at top and bottom by timbers which enter
into corner posts, the better to enable the whole to
support matched roof of leaves of trees thickly
matted togeher and these roofs, when in good con-
don, appear to shed water equal to any other; the
houses that saw consisted of only room but the
roof extended over a much larger space serving
probably for shelter to others besides bipeds The
| bed is nothing than skin spread upon the
! ground, which constitutes the floor. hammock
would be luxury. The fire place is constructed in
one corner of the room by three or four stones and
the smoke has no difficulty in escaping through the
apertures of the walls. Several of the Streets how
| ever, (and all are very narow0 | perceived were
| paved bv no unskilful hands-and this feature, as
we'll as the style of, and materials for, building, will
serve description for all houses between Chagres
and Panama. Those of Gorgona being larger and in
much better condition than those OF Chagres the
latter being generally in dilapidated and ruinous
condition
| g Our chief boatman assured me we should reach
| Gorgona in two and half days; and this we should
have accomplished but for great Hood III the river,
| which met us some seven or eight miles below that
place and arrested our progress until the following
day.
E'To attempt to give you an idea of the beauty
| and grandeur of the scenery bordering the Chagres
river, would be vain. The lover Of the romantic
NAV here indulge his imagination to sureit. Not
tree plant, nor blade of grass, such as had ever
before seen, except in green houses or in pleasure
grounds for ornament Mountains, hills, valleys and
plains bedeccd in sufficient variety constantly to
| excite admiration The underground and foliage
were more dense than in thickes forests and on
some elevated plains extending far inland, one sees
what is sufficient for extensive plantation; border
ed as indeed is much of the other land, with banana
of most uxuriant growth; and back of these you see
trees of immense size, sometimes equl-dlstant and
interspersed with Others of inferior grade and with
Towering shrubbery and vines, apparently traled by
man, in all sorts of beautiful and fantastic shapes,
that you have no little difficulty in undeceiving
yourself that you passing some wealthy gentle
mans pleasure grounds that, on some account, have
been permitted to go somewhat to waste.
We saw no wild animals, but several crocodiles,
among which one huge monster, that rifle
shot turned up which nearly fourteen feet long
| Lizards in abundance from inch and an half to
foot and an half in length, to be SEEM and par
rots and parroquets without count; and among the
million of other birds carrollng and rejoicing that
another day has come, above them all is cheery and
swectly heard the well known note of the robin, as
in the spring he wakes the New England morn
How he carried me back to the days of other years,
and recalled the memory of the past and of the loved
and lost! But no more of this.
| {" We reached Gorgona at last, and stopped one
night at the hotel Francais-which is house with
a frame and boards, and tiled roof-nature's floor
| ing unadorned-food and lodging to match, 81 pei
day; and extra charge for more than two meals. On
the 5th we procured horses for IS EACH contracted
for the transportation of our luggage to Panama al
&c 80 per cwt and set off. After a ride of about
nine hours entered the gates of this city, over a
road (bridle path certainly not good; and although
| somewhat fatigued, in perfect safety"
Here follows extract which we published If
our last paper.l
"The country is less beautiful after leaving Cor
gona 1t is a most wild and romantic country every
where; and of all places, thought the road from
| Gorgona to Panama the last | would from choice
select over which to transport treasures without
sufficient guard. And yet, let all americans leave
the lsthmus, and suppose no road on earth more
safe. The natives gentle in character, mld, ane
| as | verify believe, honest. With regard to industry
| think they cannot be excelled. | have read much
Of their idleness, and of the difficulty Of getting OF
with them up the river, Sc; but in my observation
through life have never before seen sustain Sc
much fatigue without complaint. In our route they
would strain every nerve for at least fourteen hour
out of the twenty four and ten Of those hours proba
bly, under broiling vertical sun, with 2OOlbs. OF
the back of one man. and that man walking up anc
down mountains, and through mud half leg deep
| If this be Incidence, what is labor : And have
been assured that a man, not long since, carried
| 15bs from Gorgona to Panama at one load in two
DAYS, which is about % miles. common load for {
mule is about 2501bs."
WELL now | have got you to the strange ole
| city of Panama | will take you about and show
YOU some few things wherewth 1 have made my.
self somewhat familiar during the ten days have
been here.
From the Gorgona road the city is entered BY
the West gate. The town is situate peninsu
la extending Eastward into the harbor, surrounded
on all sides by wall in very good preservation
with the gates still kept in repair; and without the
wall, upon the West or land side, is broad deeI
moat of good masonry, and apparently in good condi
ton. 1t is dry, of course, and filling up witt
all manner of foul and filthy stuff The town wei
laid out, except that the Streets which at right
anmes extending from each cardinal noint are very