The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1849-05-03
BRIG FELIX. PANAMA, }
March 18th, l849.

NSb. a. 0ANDEkS:
Dear Sir:-Agrecnbly to your request,
] with pleasure drop you a few lines, Civ.
ing you brief sketch Of my journey thus
far towards the FL Dorado, California. You
will remember left Davenport, January
29'h, taking Frink g. Walkers imposition
line Of stngcs through Illinois ior 81. Louis.
] say imposition from the faci that their
conveyances consisted Of old Stacking
wood sleds, rickety coaches and broken
down horses.
continued this route az far as Frederick
and there having to pay my own ierriagc,
although had paid my passage to Spring
field. quit the line with disgust, hired a
private conveyance, went to Meredosia,
took s,enIner and proceeded to ST. Louis,
where ] arrived Monday, Feb. 9th, making
the trip in seven days instead of four MS
was promised by The Stage Agents.
Itarried no ,imo here, but embarked a,
once on the fine steamer Uncle Sam, and
after pleasant trip Of FIVE DAYS found my.
sell in the Crescent City. Here finding
the Mary Filkins, a fore and aft square rig
ged, copper oitomed Schooner Of two hun
dred tons, ] embarked nt once for Chngrcs
on Thursday, 18th. We were ,owed down
to the bnlize, here we dropped anchor aud
prepared for sen.
Our passengers, 30 in number, consisted
Of doctors, lawyers, farmers, and mechanics
Of many kinds, representing tho States as
follows Iowa, L; Illinois, 5; Missouri, g;
Ohio, o; Indiana, 1; virginia, L; aud the
balance from Alabama and Louisiana, all
having the appearance Of deccn. and res
pectnblc men.
Friday, 10th, the wind blowing fresh
from tho north, VIC weighed anchor and
stood out for sen. In about three hours
we lost all sight Of old terra .6rma where We
had so lately trod, and being surrounded
only by The briny deep, in order to keep up
spirits, we mustered en- masse and gave ID
loud and hearty cheers, 3 for Chagres, 3
for the Captain, 3 for the Mate, , for the
Steward, and for the good Ship. This
done we NIL set down md pnriook Of hear.
~ supper, but in about two hours differ.
ent scene WINS presented. If YOU have ever
passed through a Cholera hospital. yon
may have some conception Of this scene,
although not case 81 Cholera was nmongs,
US, but Of all the poor sen-sick souls--cve-
ry man with head over the gun wales bow
ing submission and casting up his accounts
TO the mighty deep!
Had time would like to give many it,
tie incidents on the trip, but i, must suffice
to say that we had plenty Of wind, inter
mixed with squalls and gusts, driving our
little bark ahead like dart, making the
trip in eleven days, q distance Of over cigh- |
teen hundred miles.
!, seems almost incredible, but such is
the fact, TINT / hive travelled abou, three
thousand FIVE hundred miles in less than |
ono month.
This evening ! leave on the brig Felix
for Suffers Fork, 90 you zee il | make the
balance Of my time rs quick rs the first,
will be up to my knees in gold before our
overland friends get fairly started from
Davenpor.-but | am getting ahead Of
my journey.
Chagres consists Of about one hundred
houses. or rather huts, built Of bamboo with
palm, hatched roofs and clay floors. The
inhabitants IRE ignorant, INDECENT and lii-
thy; two thirds Of whom are nma!gamated
with Indians and negroes; all are as naked
as they were born, and live principally upon
the natural products ofthc country.
Chsgres river for the first twenty miles
will average nbous Is rods wide, varying
in depth from 10 TO 90 feet deep, sluggish
curren, and no snags. The steamer Orus
runs every day on this part. The balance,
abou, 80 miles, making the distance 80 10
Gongola. has very swift current, shoal
and full Of snsgs, abounding in fish OF all
kinds, snakes, lizards, and aliigators, from
ono to twenty feet in length. The shores
abound with tropical fruits Of all kinds, CO.
coa-nuts, pine apples, bananas, oranges,
lemons, lines and aboos forty other varie
ties TINT the natives eat aud Of which