The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-01-23

did-but whys', "Well, sir, according to your
own creed you have no brains; and suppose that
your Sleep he left the cavity to be filed with pump
kin seeds" The foolish creature was siIenced,
and the meeting broke up.
Route from Chaxres to Panama.
We commend the following interesting letter to
the attentive perusal of all persons who propose
taking the isthTnus route to California. II will be
found, ON account of the valuable information il
contains, of the greatest benefit to emigrants:
Correspondence Of The ~. o. Picayune.
CHAGREs, Dec. %, 1S49
DEAR Pic: promised some Of your machinery
when left New Orleans that would give il my
ideas of the Isthmus, and through it, some hints to
travellers fitting out TO cross- Well, arrived at
Chagrcs all safe, fixed up in the best newspaper ad-
vice style for the journey, and went over to Pana
hardshps, escaped allthe pers with which the route
is invested by correspondents generally, and
damned it as deep as the best Of them; but when !
returned, it struck me that had rather overrated
every thing in going over, and made some addi-
tional troubles to myself by having much bag
gage, &c.; so concluded would wait awhile be-
fore wrote-for now feel that / shall write more
justly, certainly with more experience to guide me-
me. have crossed and re-crossed twice since,
and my first impressions are 30 faded hardly re-
cognisc them. My imagination had heightened
obstacles. and my judgment was perverted by dis
-
operandi of getting from New Orleans to Panama
as comfortably as possible.
The first thing man will want is a through
ticket and fifty dollars in dimes or finance pieces
trunk and carpet bag, and to put in them a suit
of appearance clothes and cap coarse, heavy suit
Of Corduroy, something like it; a tarpaulin or
India rubber hat two pair OF heavy and one pair OF
dress boots pair slippers, shirts, handkerchief,
socks, and underclothes according TO his habits; a
suit of oil clothes, India rubber coat and leg
gins. This is all the clothes he wants; more are in
the way, and costs more TO get them across the
Isthmus than old clothes and trinhets general
ly worth A pair of colored blankets, and appa-
ratus for shaving ones self, il one intends shaving
are indispensable. Also, box of blue pills, and
some quinine, if he intends, TO be sick. His trunk
should not weigh l20 pounds, which il
would be as well to weigh before he leaves New
Orleans. Clothes cheaper at San Francisco than
having them made. For the trip TO Chagres, in
and there, after looking around him, get up mess
for the canoe trip up the river. This mess is most
comfortable when composed of four, or not exceed
ing five, and that number is better adapted to the
size of the most comfortable and swiftest il
the moss can be made up in New Orleans, all the
better. They will want a box, put into it two
boiled hams, some hard bread, loaf of sugar, jar
| of pickles, salt, pepper. pineapple cheese, and
such creatures of comfort in qsantusn su6icif as
viii crafty the appetite for five days; large
knife and a frying pan are very useful
Arriving at Chagres, don't be in too much Of o
hurry; look well at the canoes that are there in
die sze) that clean, does not leak, and has good
canopy. Call for the patron (owner) and contrnct
with him for it. He will charge $35 or S45. ac-
cording to the number of passengers wanting trans
portation. There are conyenicnces there for five
hundred passengers. You will thus know by the
number your vessel brings what win be the COM
petition, unless she has been preceded by another
to 3 nss having made e'n
have the baggage put in, and one Of the mess stay
with it. Another pay the patron one-half his fare
in dimes, eight to the dollar, and take receipt,
stpuatng TO pay the other half at Cruces. BE sure
TO take the receipt in Spanish for then II is
cradle before any alcade not complied with, which
in English il is not would advise that stipula-
ton be made IN the receipt TO NOT stop at Gatune.
Let another Of the mess go TO the bakers and get
three days fresh bread for the river, which
will complete your meas bill. II il should be any
time after two O'Clock, p. m, when the arrange
mcnts are completed, the crew, having TO procure
their provisions, &c, will dctain the party until
five. would then advise them TO have every
thing in the canoe carefully covered, leave one OF
the crew on watch, make arrangements TO pass the
night in Chagres, and make start at four O'Clock
i'm the morning, when the church-bell rings.
The first stopping on the river is Gatune. Avoid
Il a pestilence, and don't even land there IL you
can bclp il, for there eight chances out of nine
that you will stick there till morning. The natives
have a fandango every night, all get drunk and
gamble until morning, and you are certain TO have
at least Of the worthless all next day. II
possible, make them go to "Dos Hermanos." There
not sun dried generally for sale, as well as PLAN
tains, which are excellent, sliced with ham and
fried. The host will furnish you with good coffee
and excellent chocolate, at n pic cup, and you
use his fire to cook your supper, and furnish a
table to cat IL from. You also get here ham,
mock 10 sleep in for four dimes, or mats ON the
ground for two, or you can swing your own ham
mock for one. Before day in the morning be about
breakfast as at supper, and have il eaten and all
ready TO start by daylight The next place 20 steer
for is "Piho Blanco," where you can obtain rice,
(arroz,) plantains, eggs, sometimes milk, and al
With these and the contents Of your box. and good
of the frying pan, you can have good dinner,
while the men are cooking theirs, which they al.
most invariably do here Your mesi over you
next proceed 10 "Palenquila,D sometimes called by
sugar field opposite, form which they make sugar
cakes, such as the Mexicans call "pcloncc,' that
have the appearance and in some degree the taste
Of maple sugar These they call "rcmparura, :,
hence the name. Here You can obtain oranges
and bananas in addition 70 eggs and plantains, and
would advise 10 lay in good stock Of them
Proceed as last night but do not wait for breakfast
in the morning.
II is good rivcr until you get within a couple of
miles Of San Pablo, where would recommend pas.
sengers 10 get out and walk quarter Of a mile
over 10 rancho, through herds Of cattle and
beautiful cocoa nut grove, filled with parrots and
paroquets. Hero can Usually be bad fresh pork and
green cocoa-nut milk, delicious beverage and
very healthy before breakfast. Your men will cook
fOr tnc Gay mere, and you VIII DC du fon in the
culinary department by this time, and can make
your own breakfast Your next stopping place
win be Gcrgona, where you can obtain fresh bread
and tho same things you had ON the river, coffee,
&c. Take your dinner here, look over the village,
tt is pretiest the river,) and push off for Cruces
where you will arrive little before night.
Arrived Mt Cruces, your first care, after paying
for your canoe, will be the transportation of your
baggage. The best plan is 10 60 TO a forwarding
merchant and pay him five bits, mule load COM
missions, TO get mules for you. Take his receipt
for the articles specifically. and the time that they
will be sent over. There arc three houses in Cruces
doing that business, where English IL spoken--
Mcssrs. Lectch & Co., John Funck, and Joseph
Plise. The usual price is IS per hundred; Il some
70 Sl0 and sl2. They all certain TO charge
the same price. These persons will provide you
horse for Sf2, or a mule for Sl4, 70 ride across.
Mules generally preferred, but are not always
20 be bad. Next look out for bosrding house.
There IL the French Hotel, with most comfort per-
haps, but unscrupuous in their charge; and the
a, h,fx L.