The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-03-05

neCetPt Of inc 1veW IWf k10G u-x-er0, INC L0Wt
of Lead-Paita-1heAn american Co~sul- Dtsu,p
tios of Poita AID the People Products Cotton
--P,mva-7he Vices ofths Cosntry--R eligiol-
Po,ities-Preside~tial Election Climats-Lon.
ty--Health-Demands for Labm-Hdppi.
ness Of the Labrers, &c.
In the month last past, your Weekly Herald, OF
Oct. IL, reached my hands in thirty four days from
the time of its publication, which, considering the
distance, and my isolated position, is miracle
mere wonderful than that which, according to Vol
taire, IN his Huron" rendered Hercules worthy
of q saintship. G" Ell de deschacer csncwe~ss
do~eeIlss en- una woche'') Not having seen for the
year past, other papers In English, than those of
California, and the Panama Star, the reception of
one direct from home caused me more Joy
than would have, ten years ago, the meeting of my
dearest friend. believe that with all Americans
II is the same with me-time and alb
sence only serve to strengthen that love OF coun-
try, which IL part OF our being-which grows
with our growth and strengthens with our strength,
and which only ceases to assert its influence in
forced upon US, as We become acquainted with
foreign countries, is always favorable to our own;
for where In the wide world shall we find that
liberty OF thought, speech, and action, which 10
guaranteed TO US in our loved country? No where
and this Is not Boosting, for foreigners unim-
FASHIONED themselves, acknowledge it. Thus it is
that news from home, even the most trivial, is re-
ceived with feelings that only those who have ex-
peIienced them can fully understand.
have been IN this country five years, and, fire.
quently, in this period, have been tempted to give
you description OF what 10 foreigner is the most
notable in this " land of gOd" as il has been called
but which in its present state can, with more Justice,
be called the land of lead the financial, ntellec-
tual, and social position of its Inhabitants being
better expressed by the latter term than by the
former.
Horace Walpole, or somebody else, has said,
"that If any man would keep faithful account of
what he has seen and heard himself it must, in
whatever hands, prove an interesting one" AL.
though cannot agree fully with this opinion, be-
cause, IN seme hands (mlne for instance) the best
of things become valueless, tame, and unnterest-
ing, have concluded to make an attempt to de-
SO little known at home, and Of which, in our
school days, we receive such erroneous impress
sons. In the dreams Of my boyhood, imagined,
putting faith In what the Biographies tell us,
that IN Peru they harvested gold as we do
acofns; but soon, very soon, after arriving here,
cad realities dssipated my boyish Dreams and
| found that Gods curse on man was in as full
force here as in other parts of the world, and,
perhaps, to greater extent, for the man who does
not work, az well as he who does, must sweat
under the equiaoctial sun, and, as consequence,
eats his bread, if not by the " sweat of his brow"
at all events with sweating brow.
Paa, which is the principal port of entry in this
province, Pinva,) is situated In five degrees south
latitude, and is place OF considerable business,
with population OF, perhaps, 5000. The mass Of
the people are of Indian descent, with the Spanish
and negro crosses, and maintain themselves by
hshipg, smuggling. DC. Among the merchants,
there IS no one who maintains higher standing
than the Consul Of our country Alexander Ruden,
Esq commanding, in his official caFacity, the
respect and estimation of the whole province. The
secret OF his popularity may be found, perhaps,
In The fact that he attends 10 his duties strictly,
and to these only, without taking any part in the
politics of the country; different course having
at times rendered SO unpopular the agents of other
governments.
Pata labors under the disadvantage Of being sur
rounded by a sand desert, and dependent on the
river Chira, which is distant some five or six
leagues, for its supplies Of wood and water. The
carriage Of the articles, as well as the provisions
or vegetables with which the marke: is supplied
Is ELECTED on mules or Jackasses there not being
single wheel carriage in use in the province--in
| tact, the roads do not admit of their use being
what we should call COW tracks, and so little at
teniton Is paid to them that to stranger il is inn
possible to distinguish the public roads from those
made by the animals which contrive to get living,
II is hard TO tell how, in these barren deserts
mus, Is always necessary for stranger 10 travel
with guide. There are NO "gulde boards" to
tell the weary stranger, unacc1somed to long
msrches on horseback, o: the nearest road to a
settlement, and his only consolation if alone, is in
the instinct OF his beast, which, in truth, is re-
| markable, and rarely fails him Travelling by
night, which IL the favorite time with all those
| who are not salamanders, is somewhat dangerous
IN the wooded parts OF the country. from the liza
l Uiiiy W sOIHc projecting limo OF an al
| gairoba tree, which, from personal experience,
can certify Is some degrees harder than the human
head, and has peculiar faculty Of causing q per
son TO aismouni even when such an act is far from
his thoughts. The disagreeables OF the road are
| IN part compensated, from the being mounted on
| an excellent beast-horses, mules, and jackasses,
being excellent IN their class. Let me return to
| Paiia.
In former years, this port was much ffeouented
by the Amercan whale fishermen on this coast,
for supplies OF vegetables and fresh provisions but
OF late years, the larger part of these give the pre-
ference to Tumbez, small port about three de
grees 10 the northward the latter place has the
advantage OF fresh water river, with wood, as
ALEC greater abundance Of vegetables. By the
| way, have been surprised that some one of the
companies who have steamers on the route from
California to Panama, have not extended their line
| TO Cailao and Valparaiso, touching at Guayaqui
and Paia An English company has had mono
poly OF this route for ten years. but this monopoly
expired, as am credibly Informed, in August last
leaving The route open 10 competition, Those in
terested, can obtain all necessary information Ia
regard TO- the amount OF travel, &c, from theil
agent in Panama.
The river Chira is what, in our country, would
De called stream not being naviaable for any dis
lance, even for the ghest draft canoes, and still
this stream Is the only hope Of the thousands hc
inhabit this part OF the country. Rains are very
uncertain-the trst three years Of my residence
mere, there was not even shower; the last two
years have been more favorable, having riInec
three or four times each year, in the months o
February and March. IL will be difficult for m,
countymen, who are half the time wading abou
the streets with the water kEee-deep, to beUev,
what say Ct the dryness of this climate STILL IL Il
"truer than preaching" rs the poor graziers ID
TINS country can certify to their sorrow, as cue
cefsion Of two or three dry years causes rrea
havoc among the cattle, and consequent ruin I,
Their owners-the whole country becoming per
feet desert, as barren the deserts OF Arabia with
solely the exception OF the river valleys But wher
IT rams, the whole country changes into smiling
green pasture, the pleasant effect of which to tns
eye, weary OF dwelling upon vast expanse o.
sand, 10 heightened by the anumerate wild
| flowers which spring up, TO blush unseen aud un
known, for even their gorgeous beauty is but little
| appreciated by people who have but little of the
poetic IN their composition. Understand me: wheu
say poetic" | DO not mean TO deny them a
great facility in the doggre poetic ne for In this
they excel; what mean is that they do NOT pos.
sess that delicate, cultivated, or educated taste