New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-08-15

says: For though While the vessea sail on tue
lake securely aud without troable, YET Then 'ney
fall 'rn, the lake 10 the sea- hic labor hoe opus e"
here /. rothing buttrouble, which sometimes makes
that ,hort VOYAGE last for siLfy days, Tor such IL
the fan nj the water in many places among tne
rocls that many times they are iofceh 20 anlans
the P,fgofs aud lade them again WIN the hs,p OF
n ues kept for that purpose uy tns 70" 80 ~,
Who live about the river Aad nave csre ot su'
lodges made 20 lay in the wares, while the irse'SS
mas through the dangerous aces . aho'oe 'Ol1S'
ubith,r the wares s'e brought by mules ana az an
pl,csd in the friaats The vefses mere chiou
ahieats were probably Of smaA SIZE nov exc "a
ing so or 100 tuns burden. vessels OF th' So
nv ,,iD with extraordinary eilo-tf oe taKe1 ip
Sr;r, bieb water in the river, ~ vas SHOWN ~
Zee 60 CT Peer Shepherd Of San Juan, VINO
TOOK n fchoorer Of 81 tuns through ths ilyef ~
removing her keel and warPing the whole olS
,,,ce In thin condition the vessel drew > lees
-. THE task was accomplished in twenty
Two DAYS Itmsy be observed here, upon ne "a
thoity Of Capt Shepherd tina: tbs ve'.el ~', -
her keel replaced and loaded, drew seven Ices y,
water and that then, in the dry season, shs
lot approach within some distance d oau
nv Tho poipt of deboochure u the San Juan %"
ha;ny H. fact extensive works would be necessary
10 en- able ships 20 pass from the axe in'' any
cana which might be constructed
The barber OF San Juan is altogether inofe spa
cious md a better enc than is generally supposed
6rsusbt find no difficulty in passing the m)utl aud
obtaining within a safe aud commodlous anchorage.
IL has been Represented that IN consequence OF the
peculiGr make ofthe land, it is extremely dihculs
for ships to find the hErbor. This IS true too certain
extent but although the coast In the immediate
vicinity 10 low yet a short distance back the land
is high and Characteristic and cannot be mistaken.
With proIer charts, correct sketches OF the coast
and with light house on Point Arenas, every dhcul-
ty would be obyiated. This is evident even % the
unproieSsonal observer. The har0or is fully ade
quste to every purpose connected with the proposed
canal
Thee are other oircums sances beside the actual
typographical features of the country necessary TO
be consd cred in estimating the ieasoty or rather
h. practcabllty, Of a grand work like the pro-
posed canal The means OF susieaence, climate,
ability Of procuring and applying labor etc. must
al b. cOusidered.
Situated between latitude 10 and - North, the
climate is essentially tropical b1t is iavofaby mod
fed by a variety Of causes. Upon the Atantlc
decliyity il is unques,ionably warner than in the
interior or upon tbe borders Of the Pacific, moro
humid, and more subjec. TO rain. The country, TOP,
if low along the coast with numerous lagoons and
inets, and consequently more infested with annoy
ing insects, and more subject to levers. The ell
mate is however, more salubrious than would be
supposed under TIE circumstances. TN. 10 Illus
tstcd by the fact that in the months OF March and
April ls49, party Ct American emigranu, loO 10
number Fpept upwards OF SIX weeks atthls p0lnt,
ard notwithstanding the sudden transition from
mid winter to tropical heats not to meotoa made
Quate shelter and Indifferent food, not one was So
riously affected by illness The same party, II may
be mentioned, passed up the San Juan under the
worst Of circumstances suffering great exposures,
and remained in the interior and upon the w esIern
coast until the middle Of August with scarcely any
Illness among them, and that little generally the
result Of carelessness or excuses. BaE single
member whose he slth had been shattered by dlssi'
patton at home, and whose habits would soon
bsye prove fatal in any climate, died during tais
period
tiops etc on the San Juan will not only prove the
most difficult Of any section Of the proposed canal
but, from the nature OF things, be attended with
greater Injury TO the health OF those engaged there
The forests which line that river are dense and
dspk, and the removal Of the trees and other vege
tation and the consequent exposure Of the rich
earth the accumulated vegetable deposit OF ages,
TO the sun, would prove prolific source Of levers
and kindred diseases. The evil consequences
could only be averted by employing here, az else
where, the natives Of this latitude, Injured to labor
and hardened to exposure. In iact the principal
reliance throughout must be upon this kind Of la
borers Who for two rails (25 cents) per day, lthe
standard pricel would flock in ell desirable num-
bers from oil the States OF Central America. For |
a medic (6l ceDts per day, each man provides
bis own support, without further cost 70 MS en- |
ployer The laborDg population is emlnently do |
Gle, and can soon be brought to periorn any Kind
Of simple labor as excSyatiDg clearing quarry |
ing, burning lime, etc. in a satisfactory manner
The valley Of San Jusn once passed. the climate |
is unsurpassed for salubrity By any equal extent
Of territory under the tropics, or perhaps Ia 'ne
world. The year is divided, rather anon s'0usy
stranger into two sestOns, the wet ana the ury' |
the fifst of which ia called winter and ms IsItes
summer The wetseaiOn commences In may ano
ends in November, during which Time put usla'y !
near the commencement or close rams VI A1ue uaJS
duration are OF oc ,RsloDal Occurrences end showers
are common, but do not often happen EXCEPT ate |
in the afternoon commencing about four o OCH or
in the NIGHT They are Sc dom OF long duration,
and often daytaud weeks elapse vithouta cloud |
obsouripg the skyt Daring this season, the yer-
dure and the crops, which during the dry season
become sere and wishe ed, appear IN alluxurance
The Temperature is very equible, differing lille
in diftren, localities but preserving great Uniform
ity all over the country, except In the mountainous
reeiope The range OF Thermometer is from 75 - |
E in some instances sinking 10 II during the night
and rising to 80 in the afternoon During the
month of Juno at Grenada, the average hight OF
the thermometer was goo Of Fab ; in con, during
the months Of July, August and September, SO.
Out of the sun this weather would prove agreea'
bic 10 most persons. There il almost constantly
cool and pleasant breeze, wing for the )st part
from the ~ e. The nights are delicious, and sleeps
seldom II ever interrupted by the heat For weeks
tog ether the ther nometer has marked 70 al 10
o o'clock in the evening. and 7S at sunrise Daring
the dry season, in December and January the
temperature is less. and the nights positively cool
though not uncomfortable. The sky is clOldleSs,
and trihng showers fall at rare intervals.
Respectfully yours,
L @ sQUIER.
CAGES West Indies, p. 422
Probably not th,n third OF the amount OF rain
ss durir these sta months In Nicaragua that falls 10 the
latitude CT New YORK during the same period
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