The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-03-25

Their oathe and language generally their reckless
ness and remarks on the dead and dying combnsd
with the daikness, Observation-Disclosures, and flthl-
ness OF the place, made the scene uns ndurable.
There we were, however, wrapt in the murky
mantle OF night, the angel of death, like bird Of
Ill omen, f1apping his wings DER our heads.
went on deck IN spite OF all the advice had re-
ceived, TO keep out OF the. night air. My brew
was fevered, and | felt alone alone Home
thoBghts Of h0me-of those have left and love-
the dear ones OF my heart--theIr images crowded
once again. thought !, this lust for gold aad power
should be crushed forever. But no a spirit IN me
whisot red. ''be msn." These are the feelings
which teach US that we are human; that beneath
our covering OF sehshness lies soul, affections,
passions, hopes. Cherish them; but with a brave
heart, 90 out. friend approached me, and,
pointing 10 the Falcon, which rode at anchor a
few yards from us, with her fires extingulshed,
proposed that We should GET boat and 60 on
board, sleep IN our state rooms, and return Ia the
morning. The captain of the Orus assured us that
we could do so with perfect safety, as he should
NOT leave .uHtll after o'clock, A. M and should
ring bell an hour before departure With this
assurance, three of us started for the Falcon in
little boat. Upon reaching the side Of the vessel,
we found that the steps which 60 down to the wa
ter had been pulled up, and the officers on board
refused to lower them. We then called tor rope
to be thrown; but this was also refused. Upon
asking how we should get on board, we were ccoI-
ly told Il shlver when think of it'll that we M CHIT
crawl up through the wheel As this seemed our
only Resource, we agreed to adopt 1t, sooner than
return again to the Orus that night NV two
friends went up first. and, as it was dark as Hades
suddenly disappeared, leaving me in the boat.
stretched out my left hand grasped one of the pad
dies, when tht lboatmsn, presumne, suppose, that
was safe, put of, leaving me dangling over the
ocean, cllDglng only to wet board in the dark
never was SO perfectly cool III my life | thought
tor a moment that If | sheud alI, It would be INV
death warrant The hay was full of sharks. and Il
tnst were not the case, IN the darkness must
- n.
win danger came courage and self-possession
extended my right hand, grasped firmly III. second
paddle, and; ny violent effort, threw one leg over
the first. Upon reaching the third paddle. look
ed around me. The water was beneath NV feet
but at the distance OF a few feet dark object
was VISIBLE. This took to be beam A friend
lyvoice called out TO me to come on; made one
whatis called the 'baIh room" From this the
ascent to the deck was comparatively easy, al
though there was no ladder That night slept
comfortably IN my berth, and IN the morning went
on board the Orus in a boat. The captain of the
Falcon also came on board, and begged the cap
tam OF the Orus to come alongside again, and take
oil the rest OF the freight and passengers But the
captain knew very we'll the capacities OF the Orus
would not admit OF taking any more passengers
ard positively declined taking any more that trip
He had agreed, IL appears, with the committee, to
take only oDe-half at a time, and very wisely,
think. The passengers, however who had made
up their minds TO wait for the second trip in pree-
AhVC w S~ib& Not. duu WHO nSQ therefore ucRtcCt-
ed getting their baggage on board, as as they
saw the Crescent City coming In with so many
Pc sseneers, became very desIrous that the Orus
should come alongside aud take them up also.
But they had elected to remain and 1t was too late
to repent then. At about o'clock, on Thursday
morning, Feb 10, the Orus started for Chagres,
which place we reached In about an hour. After
breakfast went on shore. Chagres (the Gu Is
pronounced as In charot) lies at the mouth Of the
river OF that name, and consists Of thirty or forty
huts, built OF boards rudely POINTED, and with
matched roofs The inhabitants are black--and
copper coiored, being mixture of the negro, In
dian and Spanish races They are mostly clean,
strong, activeand honest At the mouth of the river,
on the lett bank is hill which there s remark.
ably strong tort. built some two centuries ago. by the
old Spanlards, for the purpose OF protection from
the buccaneers, &c. At this point the famous
galleOns congregated, and here PIzZarO and his
brave men refreshed themselves, previous to their
marches across the 1sthmus. Over the road from
Panama To Cruces, ard down this same Chagres
rver, the wealth OF Peru was transported, and this
will accoun, particularly to any one who know VS.
the Spanish character the why the roads
OF this country are so very wretched. Spain was
at war with the world. The wealth of Peru had
not only to be collected, but safely placed on board
her ships. The Spaniard, with that cunning which
belongs to HIM, made II a rule to let all natural
obstacles remain, to proec CT him from the invader.
Thus he never improved the channel at the mouth
OF the river, or the road, except SO far as was ne
cessary tor his own benefit.
Although we arrived al Chagres at eight O'Clock
A NJ, we did not leave there until after two p M.
The OIus, we here ascertalned, could only 20
about fifteen miles up the rlver, and the captain
had neglected engaging canoes to transport his
passengers and their baggage from the terminus TO
GoTgona, until morning. The Crescent City pas
seRgers, IN the meantime, had been on shore. and
chartered almost all the canoes. However about
TWO O'Clock, we started with fifteen canoes, which
we towed up have not time TO describe to you
the exceeding beauty OF the scenery, or the river.
2 "A L.
much IT IN Europe you Witnessed any thing 80 wild,
luAuriant, and romantic At SIX O'Clock on Thurs.
day, the 10Th OF February, we dropped anchor
within four miles OF the terminus OF steamboat
naveatlo' Here the greatest scramble and con-
fusion ensued. Nest OF the passengers were de-
slrons OF getting through, and there were net
hall canoes enough to carry them. What was to
be done With Trend CATER some cOnsdera-
hon.) ! succeeded In getting a small boat, by pay
ing $l6; and having our baggage placed in 1t, we
started 8t dark, up the river our boat eng pro.
PEELED ny two copper-eoIored boys, who seemed to
have strong dislike 10 clothing as they wore
hoih'pg but palm leaf hat After gong two or
three miles, our canoe stopped Upon ENQUIRY,
found that the b0stmeD had determined TO wait for
the Luna, nno neither threats, persasIeDs or offers
otmoney, could tempt the young rascals 70 proceed
80 we were obliged 10 pass the night in the canoe,
which is nothing but the trunk of tree followed
out, with q covering of leaves over the stern.
Here myself and " companero" tried hard to sleep
but In vain. The bpllfrogs, allgatOrs, and mil
hons OF screech owls, OF all sorts and sizes, yelled
until thought their throsts would become sore,
and my loor head sri,t with The deaienlng noise.
=: itnetn the moon rose, and |, after bestowing
nearly pint OF brandy on my "peons," they con-
cluded 10 start. That day (Fnday) we spent IN
the caroe, under burning Gun, living upon crack
ers, Bologna sausages and brandy and water; and
at o'clock stnisht reached Gorgona. Here slept
in hammock AT the Hotel Francais. high sounding
name Tor so poor q shsny-and the next morning
Saturday., at IL o'clock, mounted dlminutve
animal knewn IS a "mustang," and proceeded
towards Panama. found, however, that my bag
gage would be very unsafe if lett ut GorgOna,
particularly as the Crescent City passe myers and
those OF the bark Marietta were coming up the
river with theirs; and go, after deal OF chafering,
succeeded In getting It carried over to Panama
on the backs 0f three "peOns," by paying SIS, the
arrangement being that 1t should arrive at the time
did The road from Gorgona ito Panama ia
uIqut stlOnably The worst In the world. 1t is
about one foot wide in most places, and Is up
and down hill all the way. How got over,
really don't know. My animal was good one,
end, aide d by pair of Mexican spurs and whip,
managed TO get along. At dusk we fortunately