Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1850-02-15


jects, to procure some supper. But none
could we obtain at any price There are
three or four stores kept by natives, with
Dry Goods, Crockery &c, in, and liquor
in abundance, principally in pint and half
pint bottles displayed on shelves.
Persons intending to cross the Isthmus
ought to be informed that eight dimes 90
for dollar; after seeing the quantity of
dimes all through our route. | no longer
wondered that small change was scarce
with us. Thus by having Federal money
of less denomination than p cts, person
viii save 20 per cent all the way from
Chagres to Panama inclusive and from
% cts and upwards he viii lose 20 per
cent Gold is worth 10 per cent above
the lsthmus currency, and 10 per cent less
than its Federal value A still greater
saving can be made on some other coin
for instance. four one franc pieces Will
pass for a dollar, but five franc piece
will 90 for no more; twelve and half
cent pieces [ would not pay even for ten
cents. l fortunately procured 50 of half
dimes and found them very convenient on
the river in paying for coffee, sc. You
will see the advantage of being prepared
with suitable coin, whan | tell you that
one man viii have to pay out from $50 to
5l00 on the Isthmus The time of de-
tention at this place will add to or dimin-
ish the amount. We paid each S12 for
canoe from Chagres to Cruces. from Cru
ces to Panama $50 each, and l should
think at least S. besides were spent on
the road for sleeping room, coffee, sc, and
we are paying SIS a week for board here, /
Thus if l stay at Panama only one week, /
my expenses on the Isthmus will be $50 /
at least.
1t is necessary, in order to be safe, to
secure provisions for three or four days
we obtained ours of the steward Of the
Empire City; it would have been quite
as safe to have taken them from n Y,
as when many passengers return, nothing
can be spared from the ships stores
We have found all the way. and are be
coming more and more sensible of the
fact, that the less baggage a person has
the better / was fully aware of it before
left, but still did not realize it as | have
done. And every thing man has ought
to be on his person, or under lock and key.
and even then his property is hardly safe
In this part there are both white thieves
and black ones, and if they don't steal it
viii be because they cannot In crossing
it is best to keep with your baggage, what
ever kind of conveyance you require.
The distance from Chagres to Cruces
(the best place to come to in wet weather.
Is called 46 miles we were two days and
part Of another in making it. One day
while on the river 1t rained in torrents
and here [ may observe that waterproof
clothing will at times be of great service.
| We procured a suit Of oiled drilling each
| which was of much use, and IN one day
was worth all it cost. That day and
night the river rose 20 feet, and next day
we had to lay by, as our men would not
start, owing to the swollen stream
If | was disappointed in the town of
| Chagres, so | was in the river of that
name. 1t is full thirty rods wide most Of
the distance, and rather rapid, and to me
very pleasant stream. Towards Cru
ces indeed for the two last days we were
on it, our men could with difficulty get
along, the river running very swift. Most
of the distance the banks are loose and
the soil Of a sandy nature. which cause
the water to have a muddy look, the only
unpleasant feature the stream has The
scenery all the way up Is rich and beauti-
ful; indeed 1t is tropical. and when You say
that there is much implied The palm
! tree, cocoa nut tree, plantaln. orange, lem
on, &c. with great variety Of forest trees,
vines of various kinds in graceful festoons
ascending to the highest branches of the
/ loftiest trees. and then descending. form
| ing a delightful network, and rendering
the scenery doubly attractive Flowers
Of different kinds, many Of them very
beautiful, add to the interest. The banks
are elevated. and all the way cro2yozed with
shrubs, trees, &c | must not forget to
tell you that parrots are plentiful, and
monkeys, though I saw but one Allica-
tors are amongst the curiosities of this re
/ gion. I saw two small ones one-half and
threefourths of yard long, and one big
fellow summing himself on the bank of the
river. six and half feet long. The day
it rained so hard, one large one was float
ing down with a turkey-buzzard upon it
/ feasting; one Of our canoe men pointing
to it said, American, shot that"
CONCLUDED NEXT WEEK