Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1850-07-18

city. A few panes of dirty glass in one or
two of the churches is all that have seem
The roofs of the buildings are covered with
circular tiles--the floors are usually of the
same material, plain, and the walls are usually
of stone, plastered upon the outside The
ruins are every where and very extensive
Indeed, it is a city Of ruins. never before
saw so much of rubbish and decay. Even the
Cathedral, an edifce in the day of its glory Of
splendid style, of the Doric order, is now
shockingly dilapidated, and presents any thing
but attractions to the eye of stranger. Ev-
erywhere are crumbling walls, roofess build
ings and broken columns, and nothing to lead
one to suppose that the sound of axe or ham,
mer has been heard in the city for century at
least. The streets are tolerably well paved
but narrow and filthy in the extreme, abound
ing with dogs, pigs, mules and cocks in any
number, whose unearthly noises make night
hideous. The principal street is almost COM
| pletely Americanized, but such Americanism,
good Lord deliver me from it. Rum holes
cape at every step, gambling houses are found
at all conspicuous points, while the vilest and
most abominable dens of infamy are said to
abound in the cross streets and lanes of the
city. During the Sabbath there is nothing in
day. The gamblers are then in their glory,
while cock-fghting is going on without the
walls, attended by the sons of New England
| Puritans, along side of the miserable and be-
sotted padres of the Church. | think never
saw so wicked place, or a place where mo-
rality, decency, sobriety and religion are 50
badly treated and even scoffed at by those who
at home would be ashamed of their conduct.
There are men in hundreds who have been
waiting two months or longer, for steamers to
take them to San Francisco, and are likely to
wait month longer, pouring out their curses
upon Howard & Son, and Law & Roberts,
without stint. With no immediate prospect
of leaving, and short of funds, they are obliged
to live IN tents, more OF less exposed to the
heavy rains, without comforts or conveniences.
while disease is preylng upon them, and death
is claiming several each week as its victims
Some of the steamboat proprietors in the states
must have long and heavy account to settle
with their consciences, if they have any, OF
which fact there is room for reasonable doubt.
Let no person from your quarter be insane
as to start upon uncertainty. Rowland & As
pinwalls line. miserable as are its accom-
modations affords the only sure means as yet
of even tolerably quick passage.
! arrived here on the 18th inst, with the
promise before leaving home of no delay on
the isthmus. The present prospect is that we
shall leave the 30th, having been detained thus
! long to await the arrival of the Cherokee pas
sengers, which left New York nine DAYS after
the departure of the Philadelphia. The steam
ers on the Pacific come up and anchor about
two miles from town, discharge their passen-
gers, and then go 10 Tobago island, twelve
miles distant, for coal and water. Steerage
tickets for the Tennessee-the boat in which !
90 up the coast-are exchanging hands for
$500, only $3.50 above first cost.
hC pdN oii Wis Wy PiNSSi'' " hoS' "S"''-
full appearance. Numerous islands stud the
harbor, thousands of pelcans and ducks are
constantly flying over the water, some eight OF
ten square rugged vessels are riding at anchor,
while as far as the eye can reach the blue wa
ters of the Pacific stretch away to the East and
South, making one of the most beautiful views
that | ever beheld. Strange as it may seem
to the reader, the most of the ocean is seer
Westward rise the high hills and mountains o.
the back country. The isthmus at this point,
runs East and West, and this city is actually
some half degree farther East than Chagres
while the waters of the bay so make around
the city that the geographical position ofthings
seems to be reversed completely. In leaving
here we shall take a Southwesterly course
after leaving the harbor, until we make about
the fifth degree of north lat. when, we shal
change to Northwest, and follow up the coast
The tide flows about fifteen feet at this point
so as to wash the base of the walls on the oceau
side, through which numerous breaches have
already been made, while at low water the
naked rocks are exposed for long distance
from high water mark. The Battery is tn
place of the city, where the fashionables prom
enade Just before night-fall. 1t is really ;
beautiful place, and with the large guns upor
it might command the anchorage. The sc;
wall is from forty to fifty feet in height, owe
which are pointed some seven or eight OLE
Spanish copper guns, IL 1-2 feet long, 6 inch
es calibre, weighing upwards of 5000 lbs. eacl
said to be composed of one-third silver. Th'
government has refused 100000 for four o
them Some of them are on wooden wheels
others on the ground, and probably none o
them have been used for long, long time
But am done Give Panama good water
suitable provisions, clean streets, and an ener
getic population, and more beautiful or heal
thy place would not exist, in short period, ol
Gods footstool. J. T. G.
W. D-a-;J,,t L,li,poro aivoI off1cia