The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-01-28
A r r w Al
OF THE
STEAMSHIP CRESCENT CITY.
NINE DAYS LATER FROM CHAGRES.
The Perils Of a Trip Across the Isthmus
Sickness and Death among the
California DEnigrants.
INTELLIGENCE FROM CUBA AND JAMAICA.
Nothing from California,
&c. &c. sc.

arrived yesterday afternoon from Chagres, with
advces to the 9th Kingston, Jamaica, with
intelligence to the 18th and Havana, with ac-
counts to the I'D inst. but nothing at all, from
California.
One of eur contemporaries, the Sun, issued an
extra last evening, purporting to convey the I'M
preston that important intelligence had been re-
ceived from California, and that half million of
gold was on its way to the Atlantic coast, every
word Of which was purely hypothetical, II not in
vented for the occasion. Such a gross imposition
on the public must destroy all confidence in the es-
tablishment that would issue an extra of such a
nature.
The Crescent City has had an excellent voyage
Annexed is an abstract of her leg. book
ABsTaAOr or VovAcr OF STEAMER CRESCENT CRY,
CnARLEs SToDDARD, COMMANDER, FROM New YoRK
TO CHAGREs, Dec 184S
Left pier 4 N. R., At 20, P. NJ. Dee 2s, 1913. At
MosDAr, 2sth,, (Christmss) Experienced . strong
washed overheard of forward guard-stopped engine,
lowered boat and picked him up about three
FRI,Av, goth Passed through the Caicos passage.
SATURDAY, 30th.- east end Of Cuba at day
light
M to eastward Of Chagres and anchored in the road
stead at O'Clock. M. making the run from New
York. against aeveTse winds two thirds Of the way In
nine and half days
At Chsgres an agent Of the ship was despatched ok
press to Panama to facilitate II possible, the transit OF
Of the condition of the road and the state Of
at Panama. in reference to the thousands represe
% there waiting conveyance to San Francisco. The
agent arrived in Panama in fourteen days from New
York. and found but 200 to $50 waiting there; and
when the Crescent CITY lsf. Gh.gre' there wore not
O'Clock Pm, and we're of Kingston the 18th, ct 6
u I'LL Aatn AAnRa n Aayls .kt Oh.
in and anchored ahead tho city at IL A VI met
the Isthmus Baker. for Chsgres going out The Orus
Tucker, had left 1t for the same port Jan. llth ell
we'll
Loft Kingston at s P M, discharged pilot at7PM
and anchored In the hsrbor Of Havana at OK O'Clock
Left Havana Jan. 20 (Menday) at s O'Clock PM.
1t appears that the emigrants to California suffer
very much on the route from Chagres to Panama,
and at both Of those places before they get to the
gold region.
The latest news from Panama is Of the 9Th inst.
The steamer California had not reached that port
from New York. According to the verbal &C.
counts there was plenty to eat at that place; that
hotels on the "Yankee plan" were starting into ex-
istencc and that there were three vessels cup
for California, two of which were schooners.
There were three vessels at Chagres on the 9th
inst, namely
Brig Anne and julia Pratt, from Cehasset, for New
York She had sailed for New York. but had put back
with all hands sick and tv be discharged for exs
minetion having been ashore on entering port.
Brig Lowder Hardness, from New Orleaas In ten
days. She arrived the 7th inst.
sS. II, & SIN N'T sa =
Bosts were alOnssids taking on p.sssng:rs bat the
passengers on their route to California.
The bark John Benson, Weldon, sailed on the
9Th of January for Santa Martha.
Our special dispatch from Panama Is of the 9TH
inst. Whilst publishing this letter, we would refer
to an account which we published on the 23d De-
cember OF the Isthmus route, wherein the difficult
ties and dangers which our present correspondent
dllates on, were fully pointed out. 1t will be seen
that that account has been fully confirmed in
every particular, and, indeed, more than con-
frmed:-
OUR PANAMA CORRESPONDENCE
PANAMA, Jan. 7, 1919.
EDITOR OF THE HERALD:
DEAR SIR ....I.t. ...
Perhaps some Of our fellow passengers have
information as should be laid before the public,
with regard to the route to California But lest il
may have been neglected, propose to say few
words on the subject, hoping that the truth may
home to mind their business. Every body knows
what a sea voyage ls, and though not pleasant, it
can be endured. That is the height of felicity
compared with the journey from Chagres to Cruces
mama, If survived, ID not likely to be endured
second time by the same individual No urgency
short OF lite and death should bring man on this
route Tor female 1t is utterly out of the ques-
ton. 1t has taken most OF our passengers eight
days to get from Chagres to this city, and many OF
those by the John Benson and the Falcon are still
on the road. The canoes from Chagres to Cruces
cost go tor each person. and $l2 tor a mule
NH vvIn IL =
been paid by many. In fact, there are not hall
mules enough in the whole lsthmus to supply the
demand.
Permit me to go little into detail.
Chagres is a collection of 100 negro huts, with
walls (when they have any and roofs matched
with palm. A few turkey buzzards ornament each
root and when it ceases to rain, they hold them
selves out In humble imitation Of spread eagle to
lence, as it is. Now, in the dry season, 1t rains
ten tunes day, and the earth Is filed to satura.
ien. In the eight wet monhs Of the year. It must
be decidedly moist. We lett the place with all !
make but little progress against the strong currents
others IN small ones, which could hold but two |
pereons besides the two boatmeD, and which made |
good progress up the stream. All had to sleep one
number were two nights on the way-some were |
three or four. The naked boatmen are generally |
efficient, toleraby honest, and civil. The sieep-
ing places ale the same as the Chagres huts, with |
mud foors and nothing to eat. II a hen be found, |
the price IS a dollar, and seventy-fve cents tor |
cooking. No bread, no sugar, no tea, no milk, |
no meat. Even these huts are few and far be. |
tween, though the rlver banks are beautiful in their
tropical vegetation, and seem capable of produciSS
very thing which the heart can desire. But ths |
,use OF floods IL on the land, and it is difficult to
imagine that good can ever come out of it.
Cruces is nearly as low, and quite AS disagreed
ne. ss Chagres. We were compelled to remain
here some days, IN consequence Of the impossi-
rom Cruces to Panams, II Is impossible 10 give an
des.. The livelest Imagination cannot picture it,
Mud hoes, In which the mules mlre up to their
.el!:es; carloads Of boulder stones, which, in the
ime OF the Spanish galleons, may have formed
avement; ravines worn deep IN the solid rock,
md only wide enough for a mules foot below, and
or the rder's legs above, with every possible &C.
vity and declivity, from iorty-fve degrees to per-
enoicular, all combine to make up the NEST i'm.
'sss aoe road now IN actual use on the face Of the
'Iobs. HE mules, stepping in the same Eootnfints