Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1854-05-03
MISCELLANY.


A correspondent from Darien writes an inter-
ssting account for the New York Evening Post,
In which he describes the Isthmus and its people:
Among the common people. marriage is scarce
" ever soemnized. The parties live together as
man and wife, each reserving the right to leave
the other as interest or caprice may dictate
Now and then case occurs where the parties
continue faith 'ul to each other for life. These,
however, are exceptions to the rule. In great
minority OF cases, women are left, after 4 few
years, with brood Of pless Children to meet
the vicissi,ades OF life as best they can; and the
chances Of children SO situated, to become repu-
table men and women, or useful citizens, is small
indeed. I have seen women with two, three, or
more children, who, when asked, IL the father
of your children liyiag!" answered, Yes; euch
child has father living"
II is only very recently that marriages perform
cd by others than ecclesiastics have been legal,
and the fees established by the church have been
81 enormous as to place them beyond the reach
OF the poorer classes. 1t Is doubtful, however,
whether the people will avail themselves of the
recent law--thcJ prefer the present arrangement.
Along the line Of the railroad, as well as of the
Chsgres river, and about all Of the principal
towns, the inhabitants are made w Of motley
assembiage Of West India negroes and natives of
Central and South America. These people are
generally dissipated filthy treacherous, untrust-
word There are, Of course, exceptions to this,
their general character. From this class .! pop
uIation come most OF the dcsperadoes who have
perpetuated thefts, robberics, ind murders, along
the route between Navy Bay and Panama.
Most Of the boatmen upon the Chagtes river
are of this class, and so also are tho muleteers
end guides with whom the traveller meets and by
whom he 10 imposed upon in crossing "the
Isthmus."
As'we recedc from the great line Of travel and
approach the rural districts, there is much more
marked tendency to rredomnahce of Indian
feature: and the population of these rural districts
are regarded as much more honest, faithful, kind
and obliging, possessing, however, very little en-
rrgy or Industry. They are =" simple contented
temperate, and with few wants, and those easily
pupylied." Many of the land holders in this
country lay claim to enormous tracts, often sew
eYalsmiles in extent and without any definite line
of demarcation or neutrality-suspicious. no sigr
ofany clearing excepta few acres about the res
idence Of. the land lord; and yet no person is al
lowed to pasture cattle or erect any sort OF edl
fce on this claim without permission from thu
psetended owner. 4.aa
-There are no fences, and have not seen TWEEN
ty rods of the road that carriage with more thai
one wheel could pass over, Independent of tn
railroad.
The use ofthe plough unknown, the machet
serving as axe, saw, hoe, plough and sickle, a
well as weapon of warfare. ,..,,.,.'
The native, with his machete clears tn
timber from the land, and with its point make
hole in the ground where he deposits his seeds
using the same for cutting down weeds, as wei
asfor harvesting the grain. III asl I.
.ThessoiI in most parts of the country is OF anna
zing fertility, and capable, when well tilled,o
sustaining mmense'c crops of aii sorts Of tropica
frdits. aud gsains. The fruits that grow almoi
spontaneously are cocoa nut, orange, plantair
bdnanay lines. lemons, etc, etc. Indian Corr
cotfessfics -sugar.csue, ydrns, melons, etc, etc
have been successfully cultivated on sITaa
.S.t.tFAsaesA - 'saA'fs 1N"aF~
Many Of these landholders have immense herd
ofeattIs roaming over their possessions. hav hs
seen several hundred claimed as sthe, property
one man, the only expense or trouble attendin
tAs ownership being that OF herding them once