The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-04-17
MIC A r. A GU A.

8ua - DescrspsAOn OF tne S0untry-Ene
Scenery, &c.
The following letter was recently received by
Captain Vanderbilt from Mrs. Child, the lady Of
q. w. Childs, Esquire, Of tho American Atlantic
and Pacific Ship Canal Company
RWAs DE NICARAGUA, March b, 1851
e. G.. yANpERBILr, ESQ.,, President Of the American
Atlantic and Pacific Ship Canal Compa nv
SIR--From the general tone Of portion Of the
conservation had during the brief though very agree
able interview enjoyed by us through the favor Of
the call we had the pleasure Of receiving from you
at our casa in this place. while your late tour of
examination Of the lines Of the important enterprises
your company has undertaken, became impressed
with the idea that announcem ent of the compile
ton your new transit road far is necessary for
cargo and passenger mule travel, from Virgin Bay,
On Lake Nicaragua, 10 the harbor Of San Juan del
sur, the Pacific, would, least to you, be graft
tying. With this impression, in connection with the
consideration that the time of my husband and the
other members Of the engineer corps seems alto
gether employed in prosecuting the survey, although
now about completed, of line for your ship canal
from the Lake to the Pacific, have with his con-
sent assumed the very pleasurabe service simply of
advising you of the completion of your road far
above stated In confirmation Of this, would add
that accompanied my husband in his tour Of in
Specton with ii. Wonegar, Esq, the worthy SUI
perintcndent ofcutting out the road, and our es-
teemed and skilful physician, DIR. w. J. Loveoy, in
ride to me the most agreeable Of all others have
enjoyed in this country its entire length, which
is, as my husband informs me, upon the line cut
about twelve miles. We left the Seyada house
(about central on the line ofroad) at eight O'clock
A. NJ. on our uell-trancd mules, visited the beau
tu harbor Of san Juan del sur and, after spendin.
little time in cole sting few of the curosties
Of the place, and our return in admirng the
beauties Of the scenery at several points the road
ani cd at the hacienda of the Sevadia, at two
o'clock, II. NJ; here spent some two hours for
refreshments then proceeded the road to its
termination at Virgin Bay, small harbor at an
ceedingly interesting location upon the lake from
thence to this place, distance ofeight miles, where
arrived the same evening" feeling, ut least on my
part, amply compensated for the fatigucs incident
to ride in all, of twcnty-six miles.
The greatly superior advantages that will be re-
allied by the improve ment and of this any
other line of thoroug hfare in across the
lsthmus, will Ice hailed with joy by the numeroustra
,ellcrs that now and probably wlLin all future time
continue, in constantly increasing numbers, to pass
from ocean TO ocean. When your company shall
have commenced running your steamers upon the
majestic river Of san Juan, and across the Lake Of
Nicaragua TO Virgin Bay, as | infer from your re-
marks, while here, they will in a few weeks do, and
-hal have running, upon the twelve miles Of road,
carriages in which comfort well as despatch will
be realized the whole trip from the Atlantic to the
Pacific and rtcc rerSa may be performed in some
twenty hours and, to the traveller with the means,
~f degree Of interest and dcgh. in scenery during
the largest portion OF the year. that could not be
>u,psssed - any of equal length in our own coun-
Try
the object Of interest at the rapids of viego
Castillo, IT the Machucha, and other points upon
The river San Juan, need not speak ; you, having
reccntly twice passed the entire length Of this noble
river, doubtless already appreciate them. From
Virgin Bay-a beautiful little indentation on the
west Of the lake. aforling, from the well Sc
ected site Of worthy host, Capt. Canty, for the
erection OF an extensive public house, already com
menccd, an extensive and admirable view of the
lake, its islands &cthe road passes through the old
spanish improvements in a country quite level and
little rar.egated, save by the quite numerous small
conical ,atons tho bases of which made avail
able in furnishing more dry, hard, and smooth
surface for the road, distance Of 81 miles to the
Plstanar, small, though exceedingly pure and
never-faiiing stream, having its source near the
psa1 q ga tss Sy the Ca in tine
either ocean. From the first crossing of the Plata
mar, the road follows up the principal ravine in
which this stream flows now gently winding around
n spur Of the hill, then making circular sweep |
around the head Of very short, though deep, ra-
vine, and returning the opposite side to traverse
another segment Of circle around a succeeding |
-pur, thus continuing its path around the succession
spurs and short deep ravincs, connecting nearly
at right angles with the main ravinc-in which, nd |
ut many places far below the traveller, the Plata
mar in its sinuous course, and with its wild cascades,
hows-the road by a moderate and nearly uniform |
ascent, reaches the summit in distance from the |
first crossing Of the Patanar of miles. From this
summit the wldncss and grandeur of the rough |
mountain scenery down the main rayine just passed
j. fully displayed; and the eye through the opening
formed by this rayinc oyerlooks the picturesque |
plain extending to the lake; and the beautiful island
IL Omatakc. about fifteen miles in length with its
two volcanic regularly formed cones, Zone upon
either end, said TO be 5000 1000 feet in height)
the one running NJ to an apparently perfect point,
and almost constantly capped with clouds, assum-
ing now the form Of Chinese hat, then y Turkish |
iurban, an umbrella, or some peculiarly fantastic
form, and with IL, half naked, iurrowcd sides, APP
pearing as though lava from It's crater but yester-
day ceased 10 how-togctber with the broad expanse
If the linpid waters Of the lake. and the sparsely
improved sections, and apparently segmcirical UNI
dulatons Of the surface upon its opposite side, |
scarcely as whole exccllcd in the beauty Of its |
landsciYe-are from this summit distinctly visible |
in the distance. And now, sir, however little iute-
resting yon, from the imperfect description given, |
may regard view from this position, hazard lit
alc in saying that every intelligent traveller, whose
eagerne.s and haste TO grasp his share Of the trea
sures OF California not 80 great as to prevent
it. will linger awhile at this charming spot.
Descending from this summit 10 the rich gravclly |
loan soil Of the valley Of II. Johns creek, dis
lance of thrcc-quartcrs Of a mile, the road passes
by quite regular and moderate inclination down
the face Of he hills bounding the deep ravine, in
which flows the brook Chorrara, also small and
durable stream, with perpendicular fall in full
view from the road of % to 30 feet. The principal
rayncs on either side Of the summit falling away so
much more rapidly than does the road, leaving the
latter far above the face Of hills Of very irregu-
lar formation, and extending still much higher, |
gives a majesty and grandeur to the scenery high.
Iy attractive. Having reached the plain, the road
.cSsends in an almost perfectly straight line, on
grayclly soil. through n beautiful forest, though |
now being rapidly cut away, 81 miles to the harbor |
of san Juan del sur. The surface Of this horse |
hoe form &C bay during my stay there, although |
with high winds, sufficiently smooth TO admit |
the smallest canoe to pass ovcrit with entire conye
niencc and. from appearances, this placid sheet o.
water has depth sufficient to admit ocean steamers
without the use Of wharves to approach within a