New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-07-29
CENTRAL AMERICA.
4 CANOE VOYAGE THROUGH TIE VII DER
EESSLS OF TIE SAN JUAN AND Sara
PIOIl RIVER

A CANOE VOYAGE THROUGH TIE WILDER
MISSES OF THE SAN JUAN AND SARA
PIQUl RIVER.
Don Alyarado the proprietor Of the boat va moi'
pUICtua than We expected after wat W bad va
Leseod OF tie reliability of the uativeS Early Ia tht
morning OF the 10Th OF April, three hanaGcd rOwer'
padded our long up the San uan RIVER
Near s mOut this river is about ,Wc hundred fee ~
width Ii waters OF dirty yellow color; AMI as
the wet only Getting in, e"feiai shallow
were Ia be- seen On both sides of tue bauh E"urishr
A luxurious tropical yegetation-broad, green walls
as il were of paradsical charm. Palm trees ierps,
pisangs and mimOsas which must remain unknown z"
The North forever were here presented % our yicw "a
most agreeable variety. The bright i'nue! SNAPPED
flowers of the c0OcGsa, too gllttegeG 10" anu tAea
through the dark green background. Eery moluea.
the spectator amazed by new and foreign aspect
of vegetable animal life. 1t seemed - ~ one were
wandering through the museums of Frhcet ma'~'eii-
in Europe, and viewing, arranged ia inr'"dr ORDER
whatever the protuse nature Oi the tropical zone pos
sesses TO surprise and to delight
About two O'Clock in the afternoon ~ camped on a
sandbank close 10 the forest and consGI-d ira -"i
neal consisting OF biscuits and tea. We were pro
yided with provisions for about ten DAYS but the yands
consisted solely of tea, sugar rice sni meatblscult,
tie latter tie invention OF Mr. Gal Borden, North
American.
This pulverized substance contains 50 much nutrI-
ment that two spOOnuls of cooked IN boiling water
is sufficient to make dish of excellent strong soup
The mpat-tsculf mas over all OthcE hbitH "a
the great advantage OF convenience, rs ~ compare
tyely snail might carry III )nths provision,
and although viii not deny that TN box OF pre-
served meat makes delicious lo.cst meal. still
We would recommend the Gail Borden neat-oscmt, IN
preference to ali travellers wo by che" or necessity
spend much time ia places where tie! have to take
their provisions with them.
Quite close to us, our three rOwers, negro an In
dian, and Spaniard, were occupied Ia preparing their
own dinner. 1t was not ess frugal; consisting of biz
Cd lDlp pt oh
more like piece of rope than Ike human food. The
negro and tie Indian were Of al extraordinarily mus
cular make and wore no dress except small shirt,
which served, alternately, apron and as coat.
The SpaniaId, who sitting at the nd of the canoe
and stored were a rough linen dress and little straw
hat.
In tie afternoon, when the was hottest, the ne
gro as well the Indian covered tAer heads the first
with cap OF European manufacture the latter with
an old Panama hat. IL was strange 20 these two
naked barbarian with their headdresscs of civilization
the one standing behind the other, upsht upon \
plank pushing the boat with long poles the shall
lows. All cur bOatmen were remarkably tlmid and
their aE Of snakes and aligators, ana even oi mus
LtO bites, great that they very sd0m dared to
20 shore.
Tie higher we ascended the river the scenery be-
cane wider and more tropical; more frequently did
all kinds of parasidicai Piants insects birds
and quadrupeds. Very often We saW bird nests
hanging On the tees Ike cocoanuts moved By south
EN- breeze They not unlike lon pieces OF brown
network swinging on the green branches. In the al
teruCon We shot heron (ardea minor,) which Ne
Lad already encountered on the Deer Island near
Biloxi in tie State Of Mississippi and whose passage
extended therefore, over than twenty degrees Of
latitude.
On ,andbank on the right shore. Of the river, we
spent the fret night. The poles and paddles Of the
boat were now sunk deep in the supple ground audi
covered witl blanket, aud piece % ol-cloh, they
served Mid o shelter against the INCONSISTENCY Of
tie weather.
We had hardly finished our supper of tea and bis
cult VIXEN suddenly without any warning XVII! gt the
uatt broke in, and impressed on the Mid scenery
around stiil stranger esVect The pointed, mu,isr
ous haVes Of oldgieantic forest trees appeared like rU
ins of tie Pact Ground which young reen IRE en was
creeping. city of the spectacle produced in our
mind excitement 80 agreeable that instead o. sleep
inc we spent most oi the night in contemplation and
meditation. i,aies, dancing Ike Aricis in the air,
vere aeon .6r above tie tops Of tn taest trees.
falling star shot across tie azure sky Sud
denly. q cloud barely larger than Rams hand,
was visible n TIE distant horizon At nrst IL was
80 small that supposed IL 20 be TIE smoke arising
from tie chimney of backwOOds hut But it rapidly
increased ia size. In few minutes the bright clear
HEmaIeut assumed black and frownng aspect. The
rain desceUdCd in torrents Fortuna ell for Us. how
ever, il not one Of those storms by which the
naturalist Is often tahen By surprise IN tae home
mountains Tie air here, Is so balAnIic and mild, the
lain refreshing. Tie di.cLasginS clouds rapidly
pass ay2} that tie eject Is quite dacren: from what
j. felt tier leayy rain in the northern hemisphere.
l. j. Ike tePd shower bath that fall. in drops from
tie e., etis hight, and with bat little care one has
nothing TO rick for tie health from these natural pine
nomena which are Of such frequent occurrence M
der jhe tropics.
IN less than half an hour the Ky was az beautiful
aid star Iar-cd; before, and the southern consJea
tor OF tie me ha-he!anan clouds and the vessel
Ar-o presented themselves IN all their brilliant SPLEEN
dcr 70 tie y.-W o. the asl0uisAed "au leEer vino lying
iaueuidy lie ground, Is looking VII eye aud mind
IL Tie Bright smiling 10y ABOVE him
o. tie Wild inhabitants If tl- tropical forest. We saw
les tLan We expected after what We LaL heard and
read On tie tect Neither ia-ulrs nor pumas
Ictler boa-coustrctors alligetors, disturbed by
tLeir appearance our nightly rest. Nothing but the
c-ski.-c immense frogs. the screcchu- OF ccades
and tic cAVL- Of binds sounded from tie gloomy
dertLs oi tie primitive forest mixed HtL the roaring
Of c,Lcos isima snculus,) which Increased IN viva
city - IN approaching rain and Row and then was
Leard the lonely Wourniul tune oil some unknown
C,LtralAmcrican least. Although, however, the ii.
gers aud alligator old Lot come among Us, We Were
lot undisi uTjed Tie tresome humming. and tho
painful singing of sWarms of musket0s gave Us M
Glance Of repose II was sad proof Of the weakness
Of human nature that individuals, strong and bold
enough to venture combat with the widest monster
Of tie forest were not able to protect Themselves
against the importUnities OF little flies
At length, towards e o'clock, the slIn arose am r.
lcased us from THE painful situation Oar mutua
moluire saluia,ons wcfc mingled with czecratons a
tie iu ,eltr.r Of fie lr. pc. rT t1 ls'.r1