The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1849-05-29
IsTHMUs MANNERs.


IsTHMUs MANNERS.
| We give an interesting letter below, from
the Ne,o Orleans Della, detailing the man
ners and habits Of life on the Isthmus Of Da-
rien. Il win be read, we are confident,
with no little pleasure
"TosooA, April 90 1919.
"DEAn STA l wrote you from Gorgona, q think
on the 18th ult.,) by Captain Bupp. Twas fur from
being well at the time, or would have written you
much longer letter. Immediately after our arrival
there, we started for Panama, which took us two
have never hal Our boating from Chagres was most
delightful passing through scenery that can scarcely
be surpassed for beauty IN any part Of the world:
There was one time on the river one hundred and
eleven boats containing (eachl four whites and from
two to five blacks. Whilst at Gorgona, went 10 the
top Of HILL and on looking below on the opposite
side imagined that was in fairy land. There We're
assembled about forty of the most beautiful Indian
girls, bathing that have ever bchcld.
We had great sport on the river. Two men In
our boat shot seven alligators In one morning, and
we counted, dead and alive, eighty odd, and mon
keys panthcrs and parrots In quantities. Fruits, such
as oranges, pine apples, figs, bananas, plantains,
guava, cocoa nuts, &c, In abundance.
Our sport, however was not TO last, for the walk
from Gorgonn TO Panama was just the reverse OF
what we had experienced SO far The mere walk
ing was nothng-it was the dead mules that we met
at every ten yards that nearly gave the fever On
arriving at Panama, could get no boarding house,
and there being no tceeicd vehicles In the place. we
pitched our tents In the middle Of The street. TO me
great fun) We got there at night, and after being in
bed an hour we wero reused by most delightful mu-
sic, which proved to be a Catholic procession, on
their way 10 administer the last rites TO dying per-
son. thought that they were serenading some fair
one, but on looking out cav gorgeous canopy Of
gold, under which was the Priest having In his hand
the host and around him about five hundred boys,
with lighted inpers, headed by the music, consisting
of violin, BASES, trumpets, flutes, &c. Thursday
before last being holy Thursday, they paraded for
second time, initiating Christ entry into Jerusalem,
On the day following GOOD friday they had n much
greater affair Of IT, At daylight the bells of all the
churches, seventeen in number, commenced ring
ing, (some Of these churches are In state of decay
but mass is said IN every Of Them and several of
them are magnificent specimens of architecture, not
one of them having less than six affairs Cathe-
dral has fourteen sixty silver candlesticks from three
to six feet In length, and an altar the grand one) OF
solid silver nonasteries and nunneres In abundance.
At eight o'clock the cannons were fired, which was
the signal for the military to start from the plaza to
the Cathedral as escort As soon as they arrived,
they formed line each side Of the grand entrance,
through which the Governor and suite, and tho
heads Of all the principal State Departments, passed
into tho Church TO receive the body Of Christ. Then
came the sights. First, twelve men, irrapped up
from head to foot in blnck glazed cambria, with
crown Of thorns on the head, each carrying rough
pole, 30 feet In length-these called "pentents.p
Then came fifty little boys insurplices Of white mus
lin, each carrying cup (sver) Of incense, alter
which came ten Priests, reading psalms. Secondly,
large cruelty, surrounded win lighted candles
black cloth. This was followed by all The grandees
Of the town without hais--(men) Third, fifty girls
with incense then the Bishop and every other Priest
that could be started all arrayed In splendor follow
ed by on image Of the Virgin as large as life covered
with pearls and diamonds. She wns followed by oil
the higher class Of young ladies', with wells their
heads, and 10 SPLENDID costume. One Of them, tho
Signorita Hortado, had diamonds around her dist TO
the amount of $4,000, independent Of those her
head, arms, fingers neck and ears. Pearls here are
very common--I saw one sold here for SO, which
ought TO bring In the States $50. They tell me that
they fifty per cent cheaper than they were before
the French Revolution. merchant here, Mr.. Fc-
raud, lost over 10000 on one shipment 10 Europe.
Now that have told you Of the sights, shall
tell you of myself. After having our tents nicely
fixed, we were ordered TO take them up, and not be-
ing able 10 procure lodgings we were complied 10 go
to this small Island, Toboga, where we are snugly
fixed, or, as call it. tightly packed, Ten In one ROOM
anes psl ou, 81 hsh
one-half have tickets. There are vessels here,
although fourteen large ones are looked for daily.
Day before yesterday, tickets were sold for the three
for $500 but matters cannot continue thus some
have gone to Calao procure vessels, but that
is very far from here. The steamer California, from
San francisco which was due here on the first n has
her-her tickets have been sold here at an advance
of $500 on first cost.
There Is much sickness In Panama. we have had
eight or ten deaths since the last week, oil Ameri-
cansI afraid to move unless 1t is In the cool of
the day--mapy OF the emigrants here are returning
10 the States, and many have not the means 10 move
one way or the other; vice of every description is
prevalent here, one American lost 81 600 In one
night; and as for thieves there are more here than
in any place have ever known.
Up. S.-NncSessels are coming up, may be of
In two weeks"
THE GREAT LusT.-Of all things here below,
wealth is that on which poor deluded is chiefly
tempted to the end Of life, place his confdence
and when riches increase, proves hard task for the
human heart to keep its affections sufficiently detached
from them Bishop Horne.
A hard task, indeed With some peculiar
" constituted minds, an impossible thing /!
Such men have but one object in view