The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-01-13

|
rying point on the river and the place where large
quantities of cocoa from Tobasco annually pass to
the capital and the towns OF the interior. On the
opposite shore, formed by a, bend in the river,
and then branches off to the east, forming the To-
nalada, magnificent plain, overgrown with rich
grass and lilies, land dotted with dreves OF horses
stretches, as far as the eye can penetrate TO the
| westward.
II Is scarcely necessary, however, to enter
further into the details Of upward trip, save 10
gay simply that the channel lies throughout nearest
the western shoIe, where may be found at all times
from four to eight fathoms water, On each side,
and especially in the vicinity Of Mnatlllan (or
Fsbrica, as il is sometimes caed) tall and stately
trees stud The banks with their close and over
hanging foliage, which in many instances casts its
| shadows almost across the stream. On the even
Ing OF the I'd instant we anchored off the town.
which is situated on the western bank, twenty
three miles from the sea, within pleasant grove
OF trees and composed, for the most part, of some
thirty stone and plastered houses, which are built
| to face single street, ranging over gentle ridge
of ground, running parallel with the course of the
stream. The inhsbitans, about 209 in number,
are a mixture OF idle Mexicans and Indians, with
one or two sickly French families. the only lin
gerirg vesiiges of a large and once hopeful body
Of tmgrsnis.
The exp.rts consist almost entirely of xtla Ia
| species Of hemp, fnJoles. pelonces and hides,
| which are battered for salt from Campeachy, and
cotton goods from Vera Cruz Above Minattlan
the river is less winding, and continues broad and
n
point the village Of Almagres Is situated. Here
the only distinguishing feature is an abundance of
red clay, used by the inhabiisnts for the purpose
of marking, and whence the village derives its
name. Beyond this the current becomes more
rapid, and the water shallow, with a pebbIy
bottom. On each side the woods resound with
the axes Of the mahogany cutters, whose camps
are clearly indicated by lines Of pale blue smoke
issuing from the dense green foliage which over
hspgs the banks. Continuing onward, the stream
shoals rapidly, until within twenty leagues Of Paso
Sabsria, where II ceases 10 be navlgable, except
for canoes, which often have to be dragged off the
little falls that intervene Ten leagues beyond
Sabsria, over a rugged mule track through the
woods, hes the village Of Boca del Monte, and
still further on, at similar distance, an insignt-
cant place, called BarTio, whence the road to
Tehuantepec leads over the tall ridges Of Sierra
Msdr~, and is represented as winding along the
brink OF chasms and preciPices, which are fright
ful ~ behold.
soon after our arrival at Minattlan, the constant
Inhalation of poisonous masma, rislng from tue
adjoining swamps and march lands, caused q
malignant and unyelding form OF bilious remittent
fever TO appear among the crew; and In less than
a week cur sick list had grown to twenty cases,
with gradual increase day by day. Nor was the
disease alone confined TO the vessel, for many OF
the inhabitants Uf the villsge were prostrated,
while the rest looked pale and sallow, with the
pfemonitory symptoms Of their annual malady.
With us, however, the case was, IN many respects,
less com olng; for besides being unaccustomed
10 the climate, the vessel was rendered damp by
the mosquitoes, and the bombastic threats OF =
guerilla party IN a neighbonng pass, kept US con-
stsntly ON the alert and there was nought but
sorry faces and heavy hearts within our "wooden
walls
Ptstered as we thus were, opportunities
for explorations In the surrounding hills and
plains were "few and far between" Nor was
there much chance for cleaning information from
the few poor inhabitants who fingered ia the VII
lsge for between ignorance OF their language,
and their lack OF knowledge OF the country and ITS
mlne raj and botanic productions, our interchahges
were necs ssanly OF trivial and uninierestng cha
rcttr Nevertheless, from an occasional rdInble
bey oBd the banks of The river, We saw sufficient
to sailsfy US that no country urder the sun could
boast OF 80 great variety IN the vegetable King
dom, or go fruitful a soil. We discovered growing
m wild prolusion IN the woods, coffee, cocoa and
vanilla; while, on the borders OF the llttle tributary
streams, the sts fairly bent under TIER burden of
n,sneoes, and the marsh lands were rich and green
with the wild waving crops ot grass, licre ana
there, we found isolated specimens OF the caout-
chouc tree, and the alsliax from which latter, In
the ore industrial paris oi Mexico, valuable Ink
is manufactured. The sfsrdr oDdaahs Is occa.
siCIally To be met with, together with small and
siInt.d ssmpl,s at the cactus cocciHehyu, upon
which mlghI now anu then be obseTveda Struggling
hle sect, covered wiih white il0ury subs stance,
like the ~. al bug OF The gardens. TINS, We subse-
quently learned, was that from whence the cochl-
neal, TO valuable as "A brilliant dye. Is obtained.
1he plant is not dsslma ia appearauce To the cdc-
ius Cjuuio, or pn.kly pear aad is easily cultiva-
G.Imap eenil, mnl, who visited Allnatltlan during
cur stay, we learned the following account OF the
nehcd o cultvating the plant, as done IN the dis
tuct of CaAaca - -
female ius,,s, which are wlngless, are placed
(wheu with young,) IN small numbers, upon du-
i,f,pt plants of tie cactus. TINS II called SOW
ing" In this manner, they increase rapidly IN
size ans Lbnibeis, for four or hive months, when
tie harvest conmences, and the Insects are swept
I'll with soft brush, generally deefs tau,) oy
the Indian women, WHO often Ell Tor hours under
a tii ale nopal flani, End klll them, by scdiding
wal, r or by low. rfu vupors, which latter method,
tLough more expensive and oihicuf, enhances
th,n value, by picsening the po"dey substance
untouched. "
Hard hy the runs Of a rude little chapel, which
stat - IN vsle foi me- by two thckiy covered and
shad, hIllocks, wiihin the precincts at tue town,
W Observed a neglect,d and scattered grove OF
pao ssnio (or hol) trees-ihe fragrance 81 "hch.
mingled Ith mat oi the Wild lllcs IN a neghbor-
Ing swAmp, ImpaIt-d to the evening ar S,light-
iui and bsny ooOr. These tIees are held ia great
veberstob BY the people, who olstll from the ba!k
= valuable resiD. which ~ used, not only as plas-
ter ior Rheumatic disorders, &c, but TO burn as
incense On the altars OF the churches.
frum our German visijer. who had explored the
river far beyond tie Isso Sahara, and VINO mad
several tunes cfossed ihe isthmus to Iehusniepec,
we derived many interesting tacis with reference
30 the Proposed route, which sppesfs 10 nave long
been sublect II interest aud speculation amoog
NeNIcsn diplomats and foreign capitalists Foi-
'
of republican Constitution IA lol4 the iBhabltints
were rite with Improvements Of every description,
and The establishment Of a great COMMERCIAL CHAM
n,l uniting the Atlantic and Pacihc oceans, was
held cut to foreign powers az an lnducenent 10 the
recognition Of republican Mexico. The route
wos thereto immediately surveyed, BY oruer Ot
tie general congress. and a EdDing report, (gar-
bling al the raateual obstacles,) with hney exc
I cuttd nap. indicating false sOundings, &c sue
ceeccd The sc.cntfc labura ot the expedition. As
\ early az le2y tunch company was organized,
aEd ntgCtisuons opened with The Mehican govern.
mtni iof The night ot way actoss the isthmus OF
ltIuauttpsc, aud the exclusive navigation oi the
buszhcoscos, embracing space ot Three Mules on
I ,ithrt SIDE. which was TO be coloniz,d by Fiench
| 'meTents, etd appropriated for such purl noses
/ oi trtisToit az subsequent surveys should deem
I mcst itesihlc. In view ~ tins grand scheme,
4 which bGde lar 10 cutstrip, in commercial
/ advantages, its rivals Panama and Darien,
| (aLd ~ the same time, To rcplenlsh the
| empty &C. fiers of the MeMcsn treasury, a large
/ colony Of stO men. women and children, consist
irr. f,r The most part, Of farmers and mechanics,
/ were landed, in the autumn OF 1870, on the mum