Grass Valley telegraph., 1853-10-06
THE TWO ISTHMUSES.

ever seen of the experience" of crossing
the Isthmus of Panama, is published in the
Times and Transcript of the 23d inst, from
the pen of MADELINE, "a lady well and fay-
orably known to the public of California as
piquant writer. Her story is one which
will be read with interest and give to all
who propose travelling by Panama, a foretaste
of the pleasures in store for them on that
route. Madeline writes in reply to some
structures of the Panama Herald: and we
have room but for an extract:
Now Mr.. Herald has given me the chance,
l will say a few words about my Panama trip,
last September, and all the joys, comforts
and courtesies. extended to me in this CITY,
Long before reached Panama it was thought
by all would have been food for the monsters
of the deep; but was carried ashore, and
up to a Hotel, more dead than alive, not
being able to speak or understand the Ian
guage employed by those around me, as we'll
as that of DR.. Dudley, the American physi-
clans, who spoke Spanish to all but myself.
was informed ! could not be allowed to stay
there, but must go to his hospital, which he
represented as being almost Paradise. The
name of hospital sounded to me far worse
than coffin ahd grave, but thither was borne.
An old hulk of ship outside of the walls
was the hospital The gentleman who had
proved more than brother in these trying
days was compelled to go on home. After
getting his mule he came to bid me farewell.
l burst into tears, and told him should die
maniac if left there. He went back, got an
interpreter, and ascertained that could have
room at 81 per day, at the same hotel from
which had been brought. returned DR..
D. stating on the way it should cost me 81
per day, whereas the hospital would have
been gratis.
The second day refused to take any more
medicine from him, when he presented his bill
of $40 instead of 81, knowing that was in
a foreign land very low, and for all he knew
with but little means. To tell tithe of what
1 endured for ten days, pleading for some
nourishment, amid mosquitoes heat and dirt,
would be impossible. Durifg the first seven
days, a kind elderly French NJ. D., attended
me his charge was only $1Asaying you
will perhaps need all the means you have !;
when you get home and well, remit it. l
paid it with large interest of gratitude, and
am glad to cite it as one redeeming virtue of
Panama. l am sorry / forgot his name
ductiOn to your American Hotel, so puffed in
your paper, and yet could not be admitted
nor even called upon by one of the house.
But this is not all. A noble friend, of this
place, (since dead) handed me among numer-
Gus letters to the East, one to the American
Consul at Panama, bespeaking every atten-
,tion, telling why and wherefore. He having
just given a prrmit for my entrance into Dud-
1oxY1c DorodiCo oC1ripo if 7 OI11o oF
charity. Far from it, replied an indignant
Tenneseean but [ presume he thought he
might be compelled to bury me, so he court
eously staid away. But a Californian, on
the next steamer resolved to take me across
the Isthmus. got him to buy hammock
and hire four natives, and a mule to take nv
baggage, and bid lasting farewell to Pan
ama-hard- hearted people-starvation, swim
dlers and all. will merely glance at the
moderate sum of $50 paid the agent, for the
transportation of one trunk-of its being
thrown in mud hole, and the SIS extra to
get it to Cruces.
will only tell of another lady, at the
same time, who had paid $50 to the agent to
be taken over, besides baggage; that after
taking her three miles she was sat down in
the hammock, the native refusing to 60 un-
til paid $40 more, as the agent had only Civ
en- them $40 out of the $50. Here the at
tendant rode back, saw the agent, explained
matters, and demanded his rights. The agent
assured him the ,hombre should proceed
dashed out to get his mule to accompany
him, and has not got back as yet. Here the
sick lady had to go back, or ride mule at
the risk of her life; she chose the latter, and
passed me almost fainting with fatigue
need not remind him of the constant loss of
baggage, as well as robberies on this route.
But, perhaps, he will like to have my views
on Navy Bay. Twas so annoyed with mos
quitoes on the Nicaragua river that dubbed
a certain spot mosquito manufactory which
Mr.. Herald notices with glee: but Navy Bay
is miasma mandatory, the hot sun beaming
down on decayed matter, the green skum
standing on the stagnant waters under hous-
es, at the doors and all over the place. Mos
quitoes, &C., are some of the joys to be felt /:
every breeze that springs up is choked with
miasma so that you fancy you are in chand
ler's house, and you tremble lest the next
moment you are stricken with the plague. or
dashed into box and hurried to Monkey
Hill, that very classical name of their ceme-
terry.
would advise all who come this wav +o
embalm themselves in garlic, ammonia. cam.
phor, or something else, instead of troubling
themselves about blankets and food. As to