New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-08-02

eredulous by the traces OF bsod GU our .-ss
car COURAGE bad caused the ofu'es W "I Va:
"secspd.best" As however, tie bru;es ~ou'a not %
"a uesn az 10 tell hes about U.s. we did not deem u
worth cur While 20 degrade ourselves oenea'H V'u'
heed by sls nderng them. ., az.
Between eleven and twelve o'clock we PAsseo .u9
Rancho Guemsdo-a single empty sned ces.'s 49,,
Of the trks Of forest trees and covered with palm
leaves IL sometimes serves q shelter 10 tfa'e,crs
besghtcd in tie woods. Having refreshed ourss.'es
with drink Of cold water from neishborng spring.
VIC proceeded our journey. The hllis now 'n-
creased in hight and steepne-s | ccald not refrain
frsm sdmring my driver. His dress consisted OF
.krt long kuie, and pair Of light pantaoons. with
out sBy other protection either from the sharp rocs
and stones in the earth beneath or from the varaoo
climate above the earth. be walked si my side tho
whole way.
Alta Virgin. the first settlement, We arrived early
in The afternoon II ISIS small, neat paim-.hatehed
b.u.e on cleared eminence. A woman, strong,
hestby.lookng with darn brown c'mPieNon ana
ccnen;ed aspect stsCd in the doorway ana sdated as
We entered A Young, pale. weakly boy was lying on
wooden bench on which there WIS nether sco'er
ror a cushion | asked the hostess VIVA aiieu niui
She answered in careless tone that he was anicted
With the csllaturs-the native name ivr emu 'e'or'
This disease il appears, is very prevalent mere 'no
beginning OF the Vet season. IL seldom pfo.esasi
Two other little boys surrounded US with gay
and chi-like curiosity After bringing US gas OF
water they placed themselves opposite 10 my cha'1 ~
very louneing attitude. Hands in pocke'-eyes on
me Our every movement was watched with moro
than Parisanpolce solieitude
We partook u very frugal rcpast. We procured
With difficulty few eggs, froies, tortillas aud cup
of csa,e Tootas aud Il Joles are the chief rational
dishes of Central America An account oil them,
therefore cannot tail Ia be interesting They form
Part O. every meal frequently no o'her dsh is oHered
or is 10 found. =
Tortillas are round iat cakes of Indian Corn IL
ia the only Kind Of bread consumed by the natives
A. your fair subscribers may wish to COOK alsn Oh
torilss send them the receipt IN ITS native Pn-
rity: Smash the corn between two stones ihVo
Kind of dough then with your tar hands Aneao" uo
round thin cakas Roast them slighti! she ca@es,
fair one not thine hands)-on an iron piaSs o''o'o
an open nre. 80 -. 49,.
natives be ever furnished with II the, undersood INC
art of manufacturing their country maze mt" inuan
meal and of cooking it when thus converted, rs veil
rs is understood by the people ct the southern oes
of North America. by the present mode OF manaiac.
turing and preparing maize, tortas taste lke dried
paste They are hardly as coed as the presd Oh lns
Hebrews. ard are much more indigestoie some Ia
tiyes eat from ten 10 twenty OF these cakes daily
Friioes are black beans boiled, (Ph. vulgars) and
taste like cooked sawdust .
These two dishes form the Princ'Pal-alnost the *
elusive diet of the labcring classes They seldom eat
animal food
At first one is inclined TO admire the frugaiity ana
the simple habits OF the people OF Costa hlca. put
alas these virtues rendered OF no a'a py inc ao
sence OF that energy and ambition when cnaractes
/
the present advanced state Of civilization Is princi-
/ rail-, to be attributed Temperance, honesty, si"p,-
city of habits and manners are undoubtedly mos. val
liable national qualities, bat without ia'ohSe"e 81"
terprize they will never give to a nation standing
! among civilized States. An increase oil mteiigeht
emierants would probably have all Improving efect on
the habits and customs of the Costa hcans frooaoy'
/ adopted fellow citizens might induce them W use
knives ard forks In their costumes 700 ana ~ 'net
outward life, change would eventually be effected
ITpop the whole however, AM inclined to think that
their success would amount 10 very nslgnncahe ie-
formation In my opinion the social rise and progress
of Central America win date from the day on when
the intelligent and industrious exles 0utnumDer tho
ndoent and IGNORANT natives and when the destiny OF
the differ, nj dwarf Republics has rmer foundation
than the rresouton Of Spanish coffee trader or he
selfshness of his egoistic French Secretary,
After iatiguing ride over steep hisn h',,s we az
rived az about three in the afternoon at San hanoh-"
forestsurroundeJ solitary hut, by whose proprietor
we were very Hospitality received. At the different
places along the Ssropquroad the traveller seldom sees
more than q solitary cottage Deceived ~ tneir ca"
steal and sacred names the Traveller III o''cn uissP
pointed when nste,d Of city he sees one miserable
hut. 90, ,u,,c.
As we hoped to be able to reach San Miguel before
piahtian where we cssld more easily OBTAIN mules
than at San Ramon, we we're lar from oes lncnca W
STAY over night here. But neither love- money nor
threats coud coax our driver 10 continue the Journey
TIE natives dread being benighted ia the iorest.
Whenever there exists the slightest doubt of reaching
their destination before dusk no motive not even an
offer of a large amount OF money, wiu ihoace oPan-
lard To proceed He is too timid too indolent, 700
lazy TO expose bmseh to any thing which LOOKS hAc
hazard The hacienda or farm at which we passed.
the night was the property Of wealthy inhabtant OF
eredis the thid in size and Importance 10 tho
Republic lie had cleared large tract OF land for
the purpose of cultivation
II had happened that the proprietor himself wasprs
sent a. the farm when arrived but had we not oeeh
informed BY the muleeers OF the position winch senior
yanseca occupied the social scale, we should ratncr
have taken him for poor tenant who bad not paid his
rent for many years and now going 70 DC as
trained The hut was almost empty, there was only
few wooden benches, and very small broken 'a0e.
About dusk brown woman put some old cheese,
a email piece of beef and some tortillas on tho
table, but neither plates knives nor 'ofks were
served Each of our table companions took ono
piece in bis hands and tore it with his teeth into
more digestble bits Knives and forks are still
very seldom seen among the natives, and even tho
wealthiest families make OF the spoon only during
their meals which they generally take IN the kitchen
There was little pot too filed with black coffee for
general use On the table, which round like the
ale cup in genuine German hedge tavern. Bu, iar
be il from find fault with the quality Of the dishes
presented not chat is offered, but hop this is done
decides it's value piece Of bread and drink OF wa
ter may compensate a hundred fold by the hearth
with which they are given, for the most samp
dinner with stiff etiquette aud tresoHe formay.
The division Of social classes was kept up even in
the primitive forests Of San Ramon II was some time
after We had finished our poor supper before the peoss
o the hacienda and mueteers received IN corner
OF the tOrtas and coffee. As s0On as it
dark all the inmates Of the house went 10 sleep.
Candles almost no where in use but when stretched
on the gr0IDd- floor or on hard wooden boxes and
benches the Teposing companions talk for awhile IN
the dark till they are overpowered by sleep, and sni