New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-08-04

citv. which lies Cd level ground, with ,na
A high sugar loaf" mountain, near u. In tbe
the surrounding country IL rather P'"."n "a rrI.
hay are several Islands. The people arr M c. Tho
titude, fond of roc ana iun anu VIII, we term
restraint and forlnenty which surrouhu "h1' We WIN
civilized life. -. ,o mo ,yas the
greatest curiosity ] saw in Panama had Ieau uo
eripticns of buTiapI1ces IN spanish A,l, fa,nd
inc never seen one went to the cemetery. iSuna
I'M tuo acres incOsed with stone wall about M
ten seet in hight with rather an imposing gateway
for an entrance On the inside were about SIX nun
drcd vaults. These were arranged IN three uers one
above the other around the entire wall except at the
corners where left vacant space about ten feet
sousre The vaults were arched with brick Ike an
oven and the front Of those unOccupied we're open.
learned that these vaults Were let to whoever de-
sired them and whenever the friends ceased TO pay
for their uFe the inmates were taken ont and ther re-
mains burned in the vacant space at the corners which
have alluded to- is the custom to dress the dead
in tie clothes WEIGH they usually wear, and saw IN
these corners old garments .cus aud pieces OF collins
which lad not been consumed. All this looked re-
voting to me, the doubtless, because never
had seen any thing Of the kind before.
Tie distance from Panama 10 San Francisco is
about $500 miles. The best steamers make the trlp
in twelve thirteen days which includes stoPPase
Of Tvs elve hours Of Acapulco, which - LAW hles up
the coast rendering it sort OF hah'"a! hoarei lno
Liob ROCKY coast for considerable portion of the dis
lance il in sight In entering the harbor OF Acapnc"
you pass through narrow ehasm, turn round point
md there YOU are completely sheltered from the sea-
seemingly on beautiful little lake surrounded By
n ountains. Tie town lies at the waters edge, and
presents beggarly appearance. There are no build
iurs Of any importance and the people are little better
than indiana who live from hand 10 mouth, with no
thought for the future.
Let me return 10 the Nicaragua route. The sailing
distance from New.YOrk TO Greytown is the same as
that 10 Aspinwall. Their steamers also stop on the
outward passage frcm New-YOrk at Kingston 10 coal.
At GreytOWn you step on board light draught steam
boat with wheel in the stern which carries you up the
River San juan some - miles. There are one or Two
changes 10 make On The river at different rapids which
the boats cannot pass. This Inconvenience IL slight
When within about 80 miles Of Nicaragua Lake you
change to q larger steamboat, which CONVEYS you to
and acros the Lake to Virgin Bay, about 100 miles:
Then YOU have only II miles TO travel over good
acsda1uzed wagon road TO reach the steamer on the
Pacific side The time usually consumed 10 make the
trims from one ocean steamer to the other IS near
" three dave. Theie Is greater variety OF scenery
IN this crossing than by that to Panama. The banks
OF The San Juan River densey covered with ioi-
age If a great variety and although there is same
ness 80 reir appearance the whole distance Thought
Some of the views as were passing down the river,
were the most beautiful of the kind had ever seen.
Tie scenery near Virgin Bay is grand The Onotepe
rises out Of the lake about Fix thousand feet, and
another mountain similar in appearance OF nearly an
equal hight To person fond OF romance and regard
might be made paradise. But that il a matter much
easier to fOM about than to reduce to practice The
natives here thought superior to those further south
Some of the scnoras looked well, and had they been
dressed after our fashion they would have been called
handsome.
And now word concerning the kind and price of
passage and the bet route. When the Panama Rail
way is completed do not think there will be much
difference in the routes though in going from here to
New-York | should prefer that by Nicaragua. At
present the Panama lines have the finest steamships.
But whichever route You take avoid if possible
passage when the vessels are crowded. Ii IL I'M
possible 10 have anything like comfort on crowded
ship at At suck times everything is likely TO be-
come filthy and nauseatng, and there is general lack
of attention which, after having paid literally for your
passage. you have right to expect but which you
can seldom get From what have seen think that
some of the prOprietOrs of the California lines oi
steamers care very little about passengers except TO
obtain their money. When their vessels have been
crowded they often are those in the stecrage have
been treated like brutes. There four prices Of
passage and should advise all persons to take the
best fare their means will allow, as the risk aud de-
priyaton too great for any decent person to bear
In passing through the different ATTITUDES from heat
70 cold, should be taken in the change OF cloth
ing. with the view TO keep the temperature of the
body Us even as possible a person coming from the
Isimus to San Francisco al any season of the year,
should put on suit of wooden ch0hing when he
reaches the Gulf of CalifOrnis None other is com
Portable TO wear.
But what YOU will ask has all this to do with Cali-
jcrnio as IL is Not much, | admit. OF that, how
ever with the patience of the reader will endeavOr
to furnish description in future letters. W. f.