Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1849-02-09
FROM CHAGRES

The steamer Crescent City arrived at New
York from Chagres, brings advices to the
9th of January, and from Kingston, Jamaica,
to the 10th, and Havana, to the 22d January,
but nothing from California. The Crescent
City had an excellent voyage, having made
the run from New York to Chagres in nine
and half days. The New York Herald,
from which paper we take this news, says
that on the arrival of the Ship at Chagres an
agent was despatched by Express to Panama,
to facilitate the transit of the passengers, and
obtain information of the road. The agent
arrived in Panama in fourteen days from New
York, and found but 200 20 $50 waiting there;
and when the Crescent City left Chagres there
were not over 500 passengers on the lsthmus.
We make the following extract from let
ter to the Herald, which we doubt not will be
found interesting:
PANAMA, Jan. I, 1849.
No urgency short of life
and death should bring a man on this route
for a female it is utterly out of the question.
1t has taken most of our passengers htdays
to get from Chagres 10 this city, and MANY of
those by tie John Benson and the Falcon are
still on the rosa.~The canoes from Chagres
to Cruces cost S25 for each person, and $12
for.a-1ftlle bringing single trunk from the
latter place, have been paid by many Tn
fact, there are not half mules enough in the
whole Isthmus to supply the demand.
Cruces is nearly as low, and quite disa-
greeable, as Chagres. We were compelled TO
remain there some days, in consequence of
the impossiblity of obtaining transportation.
Of the road from Cruces to Panama, it is i'm
possible to give an idea. The liveliest ina
gination cannot picture it. Mud holes, in
which the mules mire up to their bellies: cart
loads of boulder stones, which, in the time Of
the Spanish gaeons, may have formed pave
ment; ravines worn deep in the solid rock,
and only wide enough for a mules foot be-
low, and for the riders legs above, with eve.
ry possible activity and declivity, from forty
five degrees to perpendicular, all combine to
make up the most impossible road now in &C
tual use on the face of the globe. The mules,
stepping in the same footprints, have worn
morter holes deep in the rock of the deep and
steep ravines, and saw boulder stone, egh-
teen inches in diameter, with such hole drill
ed through it. How the ladies OF the party
ever got across, | am unable to decide. This
much is certain, that most of them practically
assumed the pantaloons, and rode gallantry
like the cavaliers around them.
But the saddest of our story remains to be
told. At Cruces, several cases of virulent
cholera morbus, some think it cholera, ap.
peared among us
Mr.. Luckett, from New Orleans, was tht
first victim; then Copt Elliot. OF hequarter
masters department, and afterwards Mr.. Birch
of New Orleans. and Mr.. George w. Taylor
of Providence. The disease was of great VIC
lence, and terminated in less than twenty
hours It is believed that all these gentlemen
had been imprudent. Poor Elliot, who wa:
beloved and admired, had certainly been so
He had pitched his tent in a low and wet place
he had eaten fruit, had also taken violent ex
ercise, and then removed his flannel. He lies
in consecrated ground, al Cruces.
At Panama we think ourselves safe, since
the climate, the provisions, and accommoda
tons are all very well.
The California has not arrived, and we ar
waiting for her with great Impotence.