The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1850-06-18

ANA now VIII attempt 10 give you faint
description of this awiully dreaded Isthmns
The situation Of Chagrcs is low, level land
for some hundred rods east Of the river.
The old Spanish battery that stands on the
bluff at the entrance Of the river is maenif-
cent, and in its original grandeur would defy
description from any pen, but the rayagcs Of
time have lett 1t only monument of wha. it
was. 1t has strong fortress, and lis sitna.
ton could not have been surpassed in any
nation. We soon chartered a boat which
took % up the river to Gorgona. The ma
i,cs focked around us ready TO take passcn
gers. ard for the first time | saw naked hu.
man beings, from light snull color to let
. black, walking about and doing busiaess.
They appear very inollenslve and ignorant.
are Of low stature. very INDECENT, and suLsisi
entirely on the spontaneous productions of
the earth. Like the rest Of mankind, they
are eager to get money, but use it for moth
ing except gambling, and to aytheir priests.
The scenery Of the winding Chagres riv-
er, the foliage, and in part the whole coun
| try, is the most admirable of any ever saw.
! he bushes, cane brake, and grass. grow
| to the waters cdgc on both sides of the nv
er, except where the natives have cut them
away for landing. Every thing is in ,erdure
here. Orange trees are seen on the banks
of the river occasionally with fruit on them
bu! not so plenty as Represented TO he. There
is a kind Of plan! here, from six TO ten inch.
rs long, AMI an inch and half through,
Which, when boiled, is sweet and quite good
! The leaves Of this tree are eight or ten feet
long, and two feet wide.
We arrived at a Spanish settlement the
next day, after travelling all night took re-
Z TO-. 4
We afterwards came TO another settlement
the buildings Of which are nothing but BAN.
boo leaf huts. Two men can put one up in
a day, yet they rent for two and three huns
drcd dollars year. Took supper in one
Of them. and at night spread our blankets on
the ground, with another over us. and the
high dome Of heaven for a shelter Il bright
moon. weather warm enough. but rather
hard bed We took n land route from here
across to Gorgona The scenery overland
is, if possible more beautiful than on the
river. Gorgona is pleasantly situated places.
all natives but one American, who owns a.
large establishment. which sets "A table iot
fifty at a time. The fish in Gorgon1 river
are very abundant and tame will come close
to the boat and bite Your fingers still, the
natives are too INDECENT TO catch them We
wv Nutlt WIN II Alhti VI sbIf hullIlth-
baggage carried on mulcs-and arrived at
Panama in GOOD health and fine spirits. The
journey from Chagres across the lshmus was
much dreaded by me. but never was | sol
much di,appontcd. The travelling was not
worse than any place in Vermont, for the
same distance. The weather is not warmer
Than in June with YOU. Have had M rain.
cxcept Hghf shower when at the hnfwn,
house. 1t is not as expensive crossing the
Istbmus as | had supposed. II cost US hut
Sl5 each The country. for some distance
from the citv. i beautiful. and wonld he We
nv productive if cultivated. The soil is zen
cr,llv clay on the plains. thouob there is
some yellow corn. il is somewhat hilly and
mountainous. but there are no rocks until
near the civ. have visited the ruined city
of Panama. on the Pacific. which was aban-
doncd bv the Granadian government after
Gen. Bolivar subduea and took it 1t has
lain dcsolate since that time, until "A few
wears since the nold excitement has called in
some. and not few Americans. who have
rented the hes. part of the the city. That
called in some Of the Spanish settlers. also
Catholic priests. A small garrison now re-
mains here. have not as vet seen more
than 20 soldiers. and two Yankees could take
them. think it no honor to an enlightened
nation 10 make war or uain Il victory over
such an army. The city is walled in. walls
some 20 feet high This alone, if built by
dollars and cents. would cost more than
twice as much AS Nergennrs which was not
the case, all done by slave labor or worse
than that, by persons worked ike our cattle,
and then TUNED out in the forest to get their
own food. and again called to labor. The
city is laid out on plnin in the best Of style
and lis original grandeur far exceeds the ci
ty Of the Empire State, though not as large
in circumference. There arc blocks OF build
ngs gone to ruin that could no: have been
built Tor the sum it cost TO build the Aslor
House There are bells in all the ruined
cathedrals and theatres, larger than any
ever before saw. They hang on frames in
the corners Of the buildings. the roofs of
which have fallen in--bushcs, vines, trees
growing within the wall. some Of which are
one foot in diameter There is no date on
an, thing except tic balls and cannon.
non ! - ne c,'l Is t'ty ,''n! H. II It we're
H. W. ~ , h ''
,,h'.re ato MANI, ,b,, ha,c c,llnn T;c,in's to
.he disease of this tlopical climate Tie
Mattress lurvinr oronnd i onr mil. rom tho