The Arkansas banner., 1850-07-02
AA Arkansian at Pan.m..
RMAMA. MaY aO. lssn

PANAMA. May 90. 1850
 to'. l. J. REAaD0s, Desr Sirs Aoeo,s,,r l.. promise, ! write you from Panama, bs,av ,h,. e. on my way to California, and win eude.vo, ,o .., away from this miserable place ss soon .. r0..,s,. IL IS sn old Spanish towa. enclosed by heavv w.t,. ot stone and has once, deabt, been to S.,n..... splendid city; bat many Of the builainss ar. ... i'Se toun6s'o"es mouraing over departed worth, |, many of the largest Of them now present ns,Ai.. put the walls, every particle of timber hav,nv s.. esyed The iahshtsats of this place gre sp.n,.,,. aud negroes, and pretty well mixed. and |, ,,. Provemen,s. are at leas, 300 years Arhted ,h. Va. kees There are some great impos,tiSus D,,c,,.., on passengers to California, by the svsr,. ,t ,1. steamship lines They place the ticket. |. ,h. hands of the second parties to sell them al ,hs hiv, est possible price, without reg1rd to con.e,.acs - s'eersge tickets are now worth $500. to sno F,,,. cleo, aud have been sold as high as S7o0 c.A. tickets are now worth S5s0, and havc sold q, h,r. as Si ,0o0 and no doubt. as soon as the n.,, ,,.. mer arrives, they will be brough, up to the arv,,, of these. as figures they oflsa run up s3oo q, am aAy' Just before the steamer lsaves Thers ar. now at least 800 peOple-here. visiting ,rsn.Oo,. 'ation to San Francisco, aud many of them win. out means ts go back or forwards Living hen. i. very poor ts thoss who have means, and so.,, An. abOs. g per day. with all the economy ,A.y c,a use.
 Ths people here have singular way of v.a;,v our currency; the dunes worth premium .. eight passes for dollar, and S gold pIecss ar. worth 5o cents premium --eouutiag 5 dime. ,e ,A. do'iar--or' in other words, they will give you IS dimes for them and no silver dollar is worth hn, s dimes So you can advise all Oar frieno. who fra. Vel this way to bring their spending ehaas. in dia'es--it will save 2o per cent discsuns Uni. i. the rate of exchange from chsgres to this place.
 he price of transportation of baggage or msr- chandize from the river, ths town of Gorgoua, |. $ per hundred It is packed on the back of male,. and over as bad road you eau imagine Itis all the way up and down mountains, and steep ones. the road b jag only a narrow foot path, and apparently worn down through many ef the ridges by the feet of the mules, from to feet deep 60 that mule with two irnaks packed oa him, will chafe them on both sides of the road at the sams time
 Chagres river is very much like White River, for the first 25 miles from the mouth, snly the banks mleh better and higher, aud tine land very rich. You see no snakes and crocodes, oF aigators, ss represented by many travellers, nor moakies; out it's banks are almost entirely uBcultivaied, aaly every to 10 miles, a rude house or two bat Of reeds, and thatched roofs. The inmates are either negroes, or mixed with Spanish, and arc ready .s sell you such fare they have. From g miles upwards the river is much swtfter and 1 thIHk would be easi ascended by small stSahcr drawing Is to q inches and ths would be tho most prO6ta- ble stock in the world.
 On Saturday, the 18th inst, had a skrRish between the- natives and the Americans, growing out oI the loss ol trunk containing moaey, which stolen by cue of the natives. who was esaghs; and, while taking him away, of ths natives stabbed one of the Americans named William Sembler. of New York. ana killed him instaoly.- The murderer was pursued, and, just outside the city wall, was assisted by his fellow natives, with stones guns, &e. A general firing ensued and several natives fell, and other American. was just retarDing from walk oatside the wall, when discovered there difficulty. and pre- senty the stones frl 80 thick, and the hring of  guns and pistols was frequent and close to me- that having myself, ieoneladed that (" pTa- dence being the better part of vOor,'') would !" take scater" as dd ali tic rest of Ihs Americans The Governor of the Province. and American Con sul. Mir. CoRwINE, went out among the natives to try to make peace, and, just as this object seemed accomplished, one of the exasperaied Americans fired his gun amongst the crowd, and this caused another fight, and resulted in the Americans. Con sa and Governor, aud all taking flight inside the walls. Since which time, howerer, peace hrs bssa restored, and each have buried their dead. woaid advise every one who comes here 10 bring good Colts " revolver" or double -barrelled shot gan with bim-then he can defsnd himself
 shall w:;;.e again from San Francisco. and giSs you all tho correct information can. l shall mol get away from this place under 10 days. ano in 2o more hope 10 be in San Francisco. Til then. adlsu. My best respects to all my friends in FL.T.
 Yours truly, LYMAN MITCHELL.