New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-08-10
tended with Oil its natural charms at our feet This
point 10 called by the natives, Buena VISTA and it's m
deed the finest view one can ace The whole large val

pOibt u called the naHves, buend Nlfta,
deed the finest view The whole large val
ley Is embellihed by cultivation, and almost 70 the
top Of lie hills appear the traces OF human industry
TIE climatic conditions Of this valley of almost e;er
Dsl spring, favor the cultivation of the most d-
feTen natural productions The cereals OF the North
as well as the fruits OF the South prosper here to-
setber in the most delightful luXuriancy The princ
pal cultivation s, however confined 10 maize, beans
and coffee. Paintens and sugsr.cane are in general
only cultivated for home use as in the green gar
dens Of Europe the vegetables are planted for the
kitchen Wheat is almost entirely wanting aud
nnds therefore bread merely in the principal towns Of
tie COUNTS? and then only article Of luxury for
The few foreign families who cannot forge. the home
baked bread While | admiring the richness
and fertility Of the SOIL and enjoying the loneliness Of
the atmosphere, could not help feeling admira
ton minging with the regret that such luxurious soil
was not cultivated BY more skllfUl hands, and with
more practical advantages.
In the fret hacienda which we reached in the valley
l found at length a few things to satisfy most
urgent appetite, four eegs and one glass Of turned
milk for three persons. More the inhabitants did not
posses In the lOgwood house covered with heavy red
tiles there prevailed the appearance OF poverty
as in all the former settlements passed on the road
the whole furniture OF the room consisted in kind OF
bench, fixed along the wall. covered with cowhdes,
which during the night served for touches for the in
mates, end now used to take our meal upon In
a corner OF the room burnt an open fire, on which
brown woman Of very negligent dress toasng tor
tilas whilst young Indian girl was playing in the
vicinity with q naked baby. II is strange Gus
tom OF the country, that whenever a traveller stops
ID a hacienda and asks for bis bill he never re-
eeyes any decisive answer. The landlord then
commonly besitates for long time, then arise, in
his breast struggle between generosity and ava
rice 5ud as the latter propensity in the weak human
mind commonly carries away tie victory, the pay hap
pens generally TO turn out superior to the food.
We employed the time Of our moons repose 10 put
different questions to our drivers, relating to the sew
era places which passed the road, and to make
other inquiries on the plants, and those animals
which had attracted the most OF our attention during
the recent journey but although these live
tinuay in the bosom Of nature yet they had but little
knowledge Of the vegetable and animal life Of their
country, aid unable 10 give us the Spanish
ntnes Of the commonest trees plants and insects
well ftbe hills, valleys and rivers which passed.
They knew the road to San Jose and the denonina
tons Of the few villages they bad to pass and thought
in their backwOOds simplicity that this would be
than Gle could reasonably expect OF driver and his
mule.
Four hours ride brought saieiyus TO Heredia. The
night had now entirely set in and al hope being lost
ofproceediDg on the same evening to San Jose, il was
our next anxiety TO find place where to stop for the
night.
Although Heredia is a town Of about 5000 nhabi-
t8nts yet there exists not the least inn Ia ern,
where a stranger could stop without difficulty. The
traveller in these backwoods countries remains there
fore reduced TO the hospitality of the natives and as
ths not to be the most predominant quality of
the Spanish character he is frequently exposed to the
most disagreeabe Inconvenience.
1t was a fearluly dark night, the rain fell in
heavy drops, the houses closed the streets de-
serted and we were still riding up and down the
gloomy place, looking in vain for shelter. We had
already made ourselves intimate with the idea Of
spending the night in the open air, sleeping
blankets upon the green floor of hosptsble nature,
when our driver remembered, that the family of
Kind landlord at San Luis lived in town, and proposed
10 Ms 10 ride up to Don Manuels mansion and knock
at the door. This proposition was carried rather
nOisy into execution and after the usual exchange OF
common ciyilities and short relation OF our depora-
bic situation we were asked to descend and TO en-
ter the yestibule, the general reception room OF
Spanish houses. After while woman presented US
some chocolate and eggs, aud the landady herself
reused a servant of the house, who had already
gone TO bed, from hiJ couch Offering me without
changing any thing il, to the same place for
NV own rest. The poor fellow frightened up from
his first sleep rose, puzzled by this sudden inexpica
bic disturbance but soon wrapped himself again OUT
city into his wooden blanket and laid peaceabiy down
On some wooden which stood in the vicinity, to
continue more his nightly repose. There were in
the place several persons snoring but the room
receiving its faint light only from poor little talow
candle, which was standing in the parlor next to 1t
we were unable to distinguish anybody and wrapping
up in my own blankets soon lett to reveries on
the ring uar adventures OF "A travellers life
On the 9th of May rode at length on old mare,
for the two hours of which had to pay one dol
lar and half to the capital of Costa Rica. little
boy Of about years of age who served ire guide,
sitting close behind on the horse, erampins
himself with his little hands my loathern belt The
roa was very muddy, but led continually over gay
green plains and between rich coffee plantations to the
capital The pastures round and the hills in the dis
lance were covered with the most luxurious yerdure,
and it appeared singular enough, that season in
which nature gtters in its most brilliant dress, should
be called by the natives by the rough of Inverno
winter.