The Planters' banner. [volume] (Franklin, Attakapas Co., Lou.) 1849-1872, 1853-04-14

slough assumed the appearance of a
bridle-path; fields of Indian corn and
pasture land arose in place of the dense
forest; the bridle-path became road,
and at length the clear blue Pacific
burst upon our view, with many ver-
dant islets embosomed on its azure
depths. We trotted through suburb,
passed under the old gate, and entered
the city of Panama.
The old city of Panama is bounded
on three sides by the sea, and sur
rounded by a wall preserved with great
care, with ditch and two bastions on
the land side. In the centre of the
town is the Plaza, with an old cathe-
dral on one side, and the State House
on the other ). and through the town
runs the "Calle de las Monjas,n or
what is now called by the Americans,
Main street 1t consists of old-fash-
ioned Spanish houses, with broad ver-
andahs, and folding doors instead of
windows; which few years ago looked
sedate and sleepy enough, no doubt !;
but strange metamorphosis has come
over the old town. Now glaring red
and gilt sign-boards hang across the
street in every direction. One large
honse, formerly inhabited by naughty
Spanish Don, is now covered with
every fanciful description of parti-col-
ored notice of entertainment. A blue
sign-post inscribed American Hotel in
bright red hangs from one story: Ame-
rican Hotel in white is painted over an
other; and Ice, Egg Nogg, Good Lodg-
ing, Brandy Smashes, Cheap Board, are
painted in every conceivable vacant
spot all over the house. This splendid
establishment is warranted to hold two
hundred and forty travellers, princi-
pally in long room3 lined on both
sides with three tiers of benches, and
a table down the middle, on which six
and-thirty people usually sleep, there
in row. There are seven other hotels
in this street for the accommodation of
Californian emigrants, besides three
restaurants, and as many newspaper
Offices, all of which cover their houses
with sign-boards of all colors and di-
mensions. The town is enlightened by
three, American newspapers-theDa Daily
Echo, the Star, and the Herald con-
tanning information from California,
South America, the States, and Europe.
The editors seem to quarrel among
themselves much less than is usually
the case in so small communicable
weather perhaps is too hot, and the
climate too enervating, for so heating
an occupation.
The present Panama, however, is
not the same city which sent forth the
savage swineherd with his bloodthirsty
crew to uproot and destroy the once glo-
TIous and happy empire of the Incas.
sPiZarro did moi equip his expedltlon.=
nor did he, Almagro, ana Luque pol
lutte the blessed sacralaent by their
wicked compact in this city. Old Pana-
ma, now a miserable ruin about six
miles down the coast, was deserted
after Morgan and his buccaneers had
crossed the lsthmus, sacked the town,
and murdered every man, woman and
child within its precincts. A moulder-
ing heap of stones. overgrown with
creepers in pestilential swamp, is all
that remains of that proud city, the
key of the Pacific, and one of the
brightest jewels ia the Castillian crown;
from whose port those vessels sailed,
whose commander overthrew the most
civilized empire in the New World,
added the vice-regsl province. of Peru
TO the overgrown9 deminions of Spain,
and loaded happy and industrious
people with the chains Of slavery
After the destruction of old Panama by
Morgan, the former site was deserted,
and the new town built, where it now
stands; about six miles west of the
ancient position. The anchorage is
bad and inconvenient for shipping, so
that vessels usually lie off an island
called Toboga, about ten miles ffom
Panama, where on our arrival were
two steamers lying bound for California
the Golden Gate and the Winfield
Scott-belonging to rival companies
In Panama there were still many of
the passeng gers belonging 10 the Illinois,
the steamer which had preceded ours,
whose lnggage had nos yet overcome
the difficulties of the Cruces road.
Our own fellowsfravellers continued
to arrive during the remainder of the
day on which we had reached the end
Of our toilsome journey. Covered with
mud, worn out with fatigue, men, wos
men, and children hourly entered the
gate of the city. Many had met with
pitiable misfortunes; one had fallen off
his mule nine times; aaother had been
obliged to leave his, over his ears in
black mud, and foot it for the rest Of
the way; lady had had her gold
watch stolen in one of the villainous
huts on the road; onespoor woman died
from exhaustion, caused by fatigue, the
day after her arrival in Panama; and
another lost her baby.
At length, however, they all arrived
on the following day the luggage be-
gan to come in; and on October the
9th the Golden Gate sailed for San
Francisco with the majority of the pas
sengers of the Sierra Nevada. Many
however were left behind, not having
received their luggage, or not possess
ing the needful 10 pay for their passage.
They seemed TO be at no loss. kafd soon