Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1853-07-07
PANAMA, New Grenada !
June Sd, 1858. (
Dear GRBEN:


Francisco, and will rejoice when the time
arrives. This is not suitable place for
white people. We have had hard time
upon the Isthmus. II is q most horrible
country to cross. In fact, getting to Cali
fornia is hard anyway. Why can not people
be satisfied in good country?
The road, or path, from Cruces to this
place, (27 miles, is the toughest, l pre-
sumo, upon the earth. No American horse,
or mule, can pass over it. The only safe
way for lady to cross is to ride astride,
and let the mule have reins and pick his own
way. When you get through you are wet
and muddy, and must go TO the clothing
store, or get in your cot, | have not seen
a bed upon the Isthmus,) and cover up un-
ill your clothes can be dried, as the baggage
seldom gets through the first day.
Panama is quite an ancient town; the
walls are quite sound, and will remain so
for ages to come. In perambulating the
city we see great many walls of old build
ings, the roofs having rotted off. 1t was un-
doubtedly at one time fine city. There are
no improvements going on of any kind; no
mechanics 10 swing their hammers and saws;
but the Catholics make noise enough with
their church bells TO remind lis that we are
in city. There is no church here but
Catholic, and how many of them l cannot
tell, but there are goodly number, and
fine large buildings. Nearly all of the in
habitonls are Catholics, and the most de-
grading people i ever saw, among whom
morality is unknown. There are but few
Americans in the town, but who re,if poss-
ible, more corrupt than the natives. Socie-
ty is at low ebb. Sunday is The day for
cockfghting; the Catholic priests attend and
bet largely. visited the native depository
for the dead. 1t is a thick stone wall, about
seven feet high with three tiers Of vaults.
They push the corps in endwise, without
coffin, and close the mouth of the vault:
thus il remains for eighteen months, and is
then taken out and burnt, 10 make room for
more. II the person dyingh has no means,
then he is buried, or put il a little trench
about eighteen or twenty inches deep with
out coffin. The american graveyard re-
minds us of our owngreat country. Liv-
ing is very bad and expensive. At some
hotels board can be hadsfor one dollar and
fifty cents per day but one night was
enough for me. We are at the spinwal;
rooms five dollars per day, and we go to
the Restaurants for our meals, which costs
very high. l will give you an idea of the
expense of living here, to wit: Tea or cof-
fee ten cents per cup, of the smallest size
you ever saw; wing of a chicken three
dimes; piece OF ham, about the size of a
fine comb, two dimes hungry man could
eat forty pieces. Eggs one dime each; Irish
potatoes, same size, one dime; small piece
of tough bread one dime; two dimes Tor Q
tumbler of ice. Only eight dimes to the
dollar. Money is counted by dimes. Sc.
gars are one dime apiece. There is not one
foot of land cultivated in reach of this place
The soil looks good, but the people are foe
indolent to cultivate it. Every thing they
: get, except their fruits, are brought from
. foreign countries. There is moi a road large
enough for wagon outside of the city, ant
no wagons or carriages in town; but ther,
are some two or three carts. Every thing
!, is packed upon mules, ard it is astonishing
5 to see how much they do pack on them /
l is hard country upon mules. The wate
l they use is packed upon mules near on
mile, and is quite warm when it is takel
from the springs, and by the time it gets +
its place of destination it is fit only 10 was
with. A horrible country this is. w
were unfortunate in taking steamer whe
e we did, for it was an intermediate ship; tina
is, ship between the regular times of sail
t ing. When we arrived here there were nc
passengers enough TO send up vessel for
therefore, we have had 10 remain here unit
G the vessels from New York of the 2Oll
4 and New Orleans of the 22nd arrive. Til
passengers and mails will be in TO- day. TIL
: company allows us three dollars per da
: each, while we are detained here; but tina
is nothing, taking the risk of life into con
D sideration. A good many of the passenger
are sick. 1t is damp country. Salt AM
sugar is all wet. have not seen any brow
sugar upon the Isthmus. presume
: would in short time be syrup. We hav
5 met with some good and friendly peopl
here. The American Consul, Mr.. Con
/ WINE, and his two brothers, and some tw
e or three others, have been very kind to u
in our afflction. The natives will not sci
, a foot Of land, or a building, to an Ameri
, can. They will rent 10 them at very higl
prices.
t Please excuse this scattering letter, a
r my my mind is wandering, caused by recen