Muscatine journal. [volume] (Bloomington, Iowa) 1849-185?, 1854-02-10
Written for the Journal.
Trip Across the ISthmle.

! Written for the Journal.
v Trip Across the Isthmus.
Emtarkation at San F aneisco-Iacaents at Sea-
\ San Jaan-Tr iref by Nus Conpeyar ce-T Tropica
| ehnate and fScsncr ,--Lakz Nicaragua-R Rire,
| San Juan dc Nicdragua-Psssage.to Nnc York
! &C., &c.
MuscArlSE, Iowa, January, 1854.
D'ar reader, have the kindness to socompsny me
on this one more journey, then I am done.
Twas the first day of December, 1858, that l en-
barked on the steamer "Siera Nevads," bound for
homo. If such thing possible, the streets of
San Francisco were more than usually thronged
with busy, bustling crowd Of psopIe-and why ?
The steamers sail to-day" At ii O'Clock A. NJ,
ths"Wineld Scott sailed, with over 800 passengers
and the mails. All have heard Of her melancholy
fate. An hour later, our lines wers cast o-slowly
the pondereus engines begin to play, and We are
"backing or from "Paciic wharf," Good -byes are
spoken-Wishes for safe journey, &c Then went
up deafsning cheer from the dense mass of human
beings that crowded the spacious wharf It was re-
turned with equal spirit from the deck of the noble
snip Gaining steerage way, the engines are stopped
the signal gun booms out over the still waterapap
the engines are in motion, and we are of. Az We
swept past the city, continuous salute was fired from
government cutter, lying at anchor. few mir.
utes, and San Francisco is lost to view. Farewell to
the city which has risen like magic We were so, n
beyond the headlands, and fairly lauxched on the
dark blue sea-"
There in all near 700 passengers on board and
more mixed multitude could not we'll be imagined
Men from all parts of the United States-sld men
who had spent almost the last days of their existence
deiving for the precious ore, going home with
little of the "pelf" and enough bad health and bro
ken constitution to give employment to two doctors
and three nurses and early job to the undertaken.
One poor fellow had lost his eyesigh in the mines
for whom contribution was raised among the pas
sengers to help him on his way to his home and fam
lily in the far-of woods of Maine. There were mid
dls-agsd men, young men, and boys-yes, and few
ladies and children. All are going home, and all
bueyant with hopc.
The weather pleasant and the sea comparatively
smooth, everything went on swimmingls, and after
couple Of days very monetonously, the horrible sea
sickness had worn off, We were out of sight of land
and all were "dyng" for some excitement, Sunday,
the 4th,) spoke two whalers, snd saw another at .
distance. They sent boats alongside for papers,
books DC. They hailed from New Bedford-had been
cruising for near three yearssad almost full cargo
and designed returning home soon.
The vessels passed and the consequent excitement,
things resume their wouted tedious course. GulIs
were almost always lowering around the ship CT Gut
tering and quarreng OH oct that was thrown
into the water. Occasionally we saw flights Of SMALL
birds but little larger than wrens; they would hover
near few minutes, and then dart away from sight.
We frequently passed vast shoals Of porposes and
On shool of ~.
would start seemingly race with the ship; keep
ing alongside they would dart through the water viii
the velocity of for few rods then leap into
the air to considerable hight and several feet ahead
when they would again dart ahead scarcely beneath
the surface of the water Sometimes hundreds could
bs seen ia the air at the same moment. This chase
they would keep for several miles sgan the little
flying fish, so brd-like and airy would rise from the
water dart away to the distance Of hundreds of feet
and again plunge into the waves.
Oh those dull days The cry Of "a whale! .
whale !" would cause rush from all parts of the
ship to the particular SPOT from which the sound
came. After long, anxious lock in all directions
some enc very iunocsntly asks "where r'-but by
this time the only person who is supposed to know the
whereabouts Of the whale may bs seen on different
part of the deck, looking with sdecng glance at tho
anxious group and seeming to enjoy little quiet
laugh all to himself. But the gasers soon "smell q
rat" and, with a laugh, dispcrse only to play the
same part, or similar one, two hcuIs later.
9th-Te are in sight of land, and opposite Aca-
pulco. Weather very wsrm-thermometer at 30 IN
the shade. S, tie time dragged along; the days ex-
cessvsly warm the nights deciously cool and pleas
ant, and so beautiful! The gentle brssse, just rung
the water; the sky $, high and clear; the stars 20
b,ight and the moon-how maj ,stically she Iursues
her AIRY path, directly overhead, then north Of u.s.
After passing the gulf stream of Tshauntepec, tha
air and water became cooler and the weather more
pleasant.
l4,h.-At 10 o'clock A. NJ, We droI ped anchor in
the bay of San Juan del Sud, having made the run
q 800 miles) in IL days ard Is hours. About day
light we landed.
San Juan Bay, or cove, is slight indenture in the
coast Of perhaps three fourths Of mile in width and
depth. TIE entrance is from tbs west on the north
and south, rough rocky hills rise to hight Of Ave or
Elk hundred feet to the east, or rather southeast,
the shore rises with gradual slope away to the hills
beyond. Here is built the villags-San Juan, (pro-
nsunced San Won.) 1t consists of some half dozen
American built houses, kept hotels, large build
ing occupied BY the agents Of The Accessory Transit
Company" as an ofise, and thirty or forty native
huts, scattered along the beach.
Dispening among the hotels, we procured an sx-
esllent breakfast; then made our way to the Com
pany's off se procured tickets Good for enc animal
and sailed forth to select from the thousand and
skeleton, shaggy, rat-like mules and ponies that
crowded the opea space on the beach, that animal
These animals were caparisoned each with kind OF
rough Spanish pack-saddle and lariat, pisce Of
oord ooped around the nose in lieu Of bride. Each
vas led by sxarthy, half-naked native, his owner,
anxious for . customer. Az you pass near them they
enter int lengthy harangue, showing forth the par
tcular merits. suppose, of the scare-crow he may
hav. in tow.
After long search for the best one, each selects
what be afterwards swears ID the rorst one Of the
whole lot, and being duly mounted We are off, chip.
hin hurrah, boys! now for fun Thank heaven
we ere clear of that cursed old ship again, and safe on
terra ANN 80 And there il fun, net little, to see
the thousand little mishaps. Now ono fellow, whose
head don seem exactly steady, pitches over the bead
Of his mule again another II thrown from long
cared rascal Who seems "feel his oats" although It
Is yery obvious that be never the article in hs
life: then We pass one fellow who was 30 thoughtful
A to huy an umbrella before starting, to keep Of the
rain on the Isthmus, but now as il does not RAIN 20
uses his protection for another and very different pur-
pose-i Q. belaboring q very lazy mule.
| "How beautiful I" every one exclaims; and who
or,d Ga d;darent1 Trees SO large and graceful /;