The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-05-16

PANAMA, New Grenada, April o, Is4s

on the 25th March. mailed you a letter per steamer
Crescent City, which vessel left for the States the
2sth of the month"; and presume you received it, 1t
my intention TO have written you by the Falcon; but
she not coming while remained at Chagres 1.-TWO days)
and not knowing any one there TO leave letter with
did not wrlte Chagres Is place built up with huis
composed OF bamboo poles matched with pam-nohing
in the shape OF furniture in lhem-inhabed by blacks
muattoes, and copper colored natives The population
OF Chagres from thousand 10 fifteen hundred and they
lazy class OF human beings the especially
very lazy. The females much industrious, and
upon them devolves nearly all the labor. They attend
The stores, DO the choPping OF wood and washing of
clothes, and in fact all the hard drudgery The
scarcely do anything but drink rum paddle canoe
gamble, and now and then catch few fish to prevent
them from starving. The sold Fort at Chagres is the
only curiosity about The place This edce is ancient in
It's appearance well It's structure, is fast going
the only things to be seen The inhabitants there Cha
ges poorly clothed the children entirely naked and
many of the and women nearly in the fix
Some OF the better class dress themselves but in very
vulgar style.
was about two days coming up from Chagres TO Cor
gona, distance OF 81 miles. Travelled in company with
some New Workers, who came out at the same time and
brought three small scows Tor boas) with them. Going
up the river Chagres, took things very easy AS the
weather most intensely hot, we. and all of us,
did rowing and pulling; had not native"
about u.s. found it very hard labor; but all hands (hir
teen of us) stood it well The Chagres pretty little
stream, and navgabe for about eighteen miles from It's
mouth After this 1t begins to narrow, becomes shaggy
shallow and full of small rapids By little internal
Improvement Uhe next Congress should make appro-
pration to clear it OUT could be made navqable far
up as Gorgona, and likely Cruces, situated eight miles
above Gorgona. When at Chagres, a gentleman from
Newark, Ohio, died several others sick. There is
no doubt OF ITS being an unhealthy place, as the country
surrounding II Is low and swampy
stopped at Gorgona three days. The place is similar
in appearance to Chagres, but is much healthier. The
population is not large Chages found about $50
Americans encamped here waiting until an opportunity
offered to get away from Panama At Gorgona, one can
live much cheaper than here Panama. There, we got
wood and water in abundance for nothing and here, we
anhlt inra IUh
brought to town the backs OF the natves and mules,
and sold for ten cents Tor small keg full There is not
any good water within two miles OF Panama
There at this time about twenty five hundred Amer
leans on the isthmus many of them have been waiting
here for weeks to get away but vessels come to carry
them off, Many men are actually out of funds, and are
dependent upon the charity of their countrymen Tor sup
port. | was about twelve hours coming from Gorgona
here paid $l5 to carry my trunk and two sacks and
half OF bread across on mules and walked me ans
lance myself 1t was warm work but | accomplished
the undertaking with all ease Ii should be made known
to the people of the United States not TO this route
for if they do they will most certainly have to return,
as there are more people now on the ishmus than will
get away six months The OF vessels running
this trade humbug the people, by asserting when they re-
turn that but few people here and that vessels are IN
waiting 10 take them away as soon as they land BY
making this fact known you will confer great favor on
your American and adopted counrymen, who may desire
seek their fortune in the golden country OF California
ordinary size all anchor off from the shore, IRON
half to mile, carrying passengers to them IN canoes
upon The commerce of the place IS OF little or no
consequence; hence arises the great scarcity of vessels
at thus place. The population OF this city is about
five thousand, not including americans. The city is
walled all around its garrison poor one, badly armed,
and manned. They have some twenty pretty
good sized cannon in good orders but their NEGRO SOL
diers" know little about using them and TO confess the
TRUTH the very appearance OF the soldiers and military
officers of this place Called city, nothing nor
less than decided burlesque upon the military chaTac-
ter. This city, nevertheless has something about 1t to
admire, because il so differently constructed from any
thing have ever seen The houses all from three
to four stories high; the lower stories are occupied Tor
stores, Shops and gr0g houses; the upper ones Tor
dwellings; and from three 10 dozen families live IN one
house, hs, however rated according TO their wealth.
the generality OF them not occupying more than two
rooms The cooking is done out OF doors, on small
wall built of brick, and resting the kettle on afew OF
the same sort cooking in these parts would Dc
worth fortunes don't suppose that such thing could
quite heathensh they are IN the interior Still'
they bad enough and stand much in need OF civlza
ton Money they are very fond Of and will sell honor
and soul get The stores here are pretty good OF their
knd--a keep more less of American fabrics, such
muslins, ginghams, linens, prints, &c but lew heavy
goods Wendell the climate being too warm to use
them Goods are sold high. Eaables are not much out
OF the way. Beef and pork be bought for and 10
cents pound; rice for about the same Bread is very
of very poor quality. But take it all in all, man not
fastdous in his taste get here in the eating
line very we-especiay if he has the money to procure
towards the tAmsrieanos Americans; and the fact is,
they know that they must be, we would make them
They sell their beef tie yard and BY the lump and the
better class OF butchers by the pound The iruIt OF the
country is good-very abundant and reasonable enough
in price it consists OF pine apples cocoa.nus, oranges
bananas, panains, &c. &c. The oranges OF this country
not good they very coarse, sngy and tasteess
Had these natives little yankee enterprise, they
might make this of the most delightful countries IN
the world but this they have not got, and IN dtu quo
must remain Such things tables, chairs, and bed.
steads not here; all sleep in hammocks, and
nearly all sit and off the floor. find table now
and then in the houses OF the arstocracy Some OF the
females quite good looking, but not nearly as hand
as expected to find them and presume their &C
complishments very limited and their modesty borders
little that of the brute. The about on par
with the females. | have now given you a slight but
true sketch of Panama and its envons. In my next
will go more into details and little minutie until then
will drop the subject The health of the Americans here
is generally good, but it said good many are lying
sick but this is all brought by imprudence, VIZ:
drinking too much liquor and eating too much fruit; the
general health of the place is good The warmest por
ton of the day here is from a. IN until II After
this we begin get little breeze from tho which
feels most delightful. intend running my own chance
to get passage Of the My living here
does not cost me much, having brought nearly all |
wanted from New York. My time passes away pleas
anly and am determined to take things cooly. There
are three respectable hotels herethe American. United
States, and French--at any OF which person can
board for 81 50 day. Ii you could see me now, you
would with difficulty recognise me- am burnt to com
pete copper COLOR from being much exposed to the
sun.
Aoct,1n