New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-04-09


'ventilating his diplomatic dignity on landing, he
took up his quarters in a hut of rough boards,
which it was satisfactory to find 80 new that
the "colonies Of scorpions, lizards, house
snakes, cock-roaches, and the other numerous,
nameess, and nondescript vermin which -four
ished there had not had time 10 multiply to any
considerable ,XteDt."
We have the following description of San
Juan, as 1t was two years ago:
The town of San Juan consists June,
1850 OF fifty sixty palm matched houses or rather
huts, arranged with some degree ofiesuIsrlty, upon
the south western shore Of the barbor. IL is sup
ported entirely by the trade carried through 1t ;
and ts IL Inhabitants are dependent upon the supplies
brossht do~n from the interior, or furnished from
trading vessels for the means OF subsistence. There
no cultivated lands la the vicinity, and except
ing the narrow space occupied by the tom, and q
small humber OF acres on the island opposite, where
a few Cattle md pasturage, the primitive forest 10
unoroken by clearngs Of any description. The
ground upon which the 10 an is built IS sandy, and
siihOugh elevated but few feet above the waller, Is
nevertheless, dry. The country all around II is io@,
and is short distance back from the shore really
maTshy. lntefspefsed with numerous lago0ns. Alter
penetrating number OF miles into the interior, DO ~
ever higher and is found, with a soil adapted for
every purpose Of cultivation.
Althoue h the climate of San Juan is warm and
damp, it is exempt from the feyers and epidemics
which prevail IN most places similarly situated upon
the shores of the Gulf OF Mexico and CARBIDE an
Sea. could not learn that any cases OF the yeilo"
fever, or VOmito have ever occurred here ana ~nen
the cholera IN 1897 five years after the perlou Oh
It's Iavages in the United s.ates devastated the IA
terror, and almost depopulated the ports 10 the
north ard and south ward San Juaa entirely escaped
its vistaons u may safely be said that there are
few ports II any, under the TROPICS of equal saluorl-
IT, The nature of the soil, the fact that tne malaria
OF the coast Ia constantly swept oack 0y the hof1H
ardth ufo I'D wa ma M 1
abundarc e, az depth of few feet DeloS tue sur
face 10 coubt contribute to this result. Is, how
ever, a singular circumstance, Vouched 10Y oy the
older residents OF San JUAN that The islaed or oppo
cite shore OF the harbor, not more than hait mute
distant and which, from the greater deph OF water
Immediately fronting II, and other circumstances,
seems 70 be the best site Tor 1o~o rs iatal 70 tnose
who may attempt to occupy 1t settlement was
commenced there lum0eT OF years ago, OuV inc III
habltants were decimsted within the FIRST TWO
months after which the rest removed ts the othef
shore The same cause, it is SAID, LED to the aban
Comment Of the military WORKS which the Spanlarsf
had erected there before the revolt OF the colonies
The cause OF this difference is not apparent, out no
doubt 10 the fact seems TO exist among the lnhao-
itants Foreigners at San Juan, however, by 90
serving ordinary and proper precautions, need not
l am convinced form exceptions to the general good
health OF the native Inhabitants.
Starting on an exploring tour, which is de-
scribed with constant sparkle of vivacity, the
dipiomatist reaches the old City OF Granada,
where he was received with the honors due to
his public functions
At noon, agreeably to appointment, we
were waited upon by the disntares of the city, and
the commander of the garrison, together with
large number of the leaclng inhabitants They all
exhibited cordially with the ruder portion
Of the population, and degree of refinement and
courtesy which would have done credit to more pre-
tending capitals. We were little startled BY the
some hat exaggerated tone OF compliment, both liz
sol and hnnhy
through their conversation, and which seems char.
scterstic Of the Spanish people wherever found, in
the Old World OF the New. ALI cOncurred in repre-
tentiDg the pre- sent unsettled state OF public affairs
az in great due to Ign Intervention and
intrigue and referred TO the seizure Of San Juan,
and the English eDcr0achments on their territories
In tone OF indignation and reproach commensurate
with the indignlty and outrage to which they had
been subjected. They seen ca 20 entertain the high
est hopes from The opening Of more initiate Iea.
lions with the United States but, uuacQuainted with
the Datufe. Institutional powers, and the policy OF
our Government, these hopes were, as matter OF
course some what vague yet II was not unnatural
that distracted within, and subjected to unscrupu.
lOus aggression nom without, the United States
should be looked to Us conca.or of Intestine fac
tiOns, as friend and protector was deeply lln-
pressed with the feeling which they manifested and
was convinced tnat u once treated win consdera-
there was reasen why the States Of the Isthmus
should not take respectable rank among the Repub
hes Of the Contip eIt The intefvtcw N was highly IN
teresting. and gave me more elevated vie Us of the
temper OF the people OF the country than had gath
eIed from what had been published coacerning them
an impression which a further and more intimate
acquaintance only tended ~ confirm.
Mr.. Squier gives lively description of
LIFE IN GRANADA
An CIV oniBg visit to the SeiOrita Teresa
finished our fret entire Gay In Granada This young
lady had been educated In the United States spoke
English very well, aud was wlhal a proficient IN
music accomplishments which We never before
learned to estimate at their true value. 1t was
worth something 10 hear well executed passages
from familiar operas amidst tangible and not painted
orange trees and palms, and III an atmosphere
ally loaded with tropical perfumes, instead OF the
doors OF OIL pots and sas-iighs. Eight O'Clock WA
the signal for general withdrawal from the streets,
for then commenced the Iigors of the military po-
lice, and The city became at once still and quiet.
The occasional Barking OF dog. the tnkiiog of
distant guitar, the soughlng OF tue evening wind
au,ong the trees OF the courtyard, the me assured
tread and graduated "aertas" OF the sentlnes
were the only interruptions 20 the almost sepuchral
silence While returning to our quarters, we were
tered In tore absolutely feTocious, and as these
feiio rarely paieyed long, we aus seTed With al
expedition, " La Patna,' which Was followed on
the instant by "Que genie ~ "Americanos del
Nore" This was enough; these, We found, were
magic WORDS which opened every heart aud eyery
Goor in all Nicaragua. They never failed us. We
felt proud 10 know that no such charm attached to
"lngleees," Alemanes," or Francesca"
TIE day following, III accordance with the "cos-
tumbIes Gel pals tne customs OF the country, we
letuLed the visits Of the preceding day, aud sesan
10 see more VI the domestic and social lite OF The
citizeIs Of Granada. We found the residences all
comfortable, aud many elegant governed BY mis-
uesses simple, but graceful and confding in their
manners. They we're frank in their conversation,
and inquired with the utmost nairete whether was
married or intended to be- and II the ladies' of Ell
NoIte would probably visit Granada, when the
"VspoIes gyanoes." the great steamers, came TO
run 10 San Juan and the ''VaporciIas," stean-
erets, TO ply on the lake and river. They had
heard OF u Mr.. Este,ens, (their nearest approach
to SiepheDe,) who had written book ABOUT
their poore pais," their poor country, and
anxious to know what he had said OF them,
and whether our people really regarded them as
"esciavos br1tos sin verguenzi," slaves aud
biutes without shame, as the abom'ns5,e English
tos malditos insleses) had repre- sented them they
were alsO very snxlOus to know wnether the marty