New-York daily tribune., 1854-08-24
COSTA RIGA.
~ = roR,;ER BRiTIsr consul

Tel AZ TIE tldcc HneTe Ns Sc
in comparative comfort the harishPs OF the SsraPla
road. There is one nov, however. which Is AePs b.
Epglishusn. and is called the Natvnai Hotel. II
one of the rooms Of which. OF 40 evening, the mem
bers Of club under the PreteIt Of reading tA'
rewsfsPers, but in reality to gamble.
We had fondly aud f,olshy hoped to have sleep
Dg in the house of al En.lishwoGan who Resides
in San jose but found the already occupied b!
two travellers with whom We should have had to share
il. Til. was exceedingly unpleasant, and We there
fore le the house iu quest OF another sleeping place.
At last room was shown US, where nigh be
alone at French wOman's. We Immediately retained
IL snd had cur luggage brought there. The room.
which was divided into two compartments by pa rti
ten was in the YARD against he wall of the sreet anl
built of cedar wood. most barbarously whitewashed,
with three little oval windows, without glass that
closed by sliding shutter; the floor was OF stone the
whole very dirty and could not help thinking what
q uice stable the place might De turned into Two
beds one of which common folding canvas bed,
old and broken. table, wash stand, az which
took turn. and three chsirs were the sumptu-
Gus furniture of cur difficulty obtained apartment
for which and our board agreed 10 pay SiO per
month This was to b. considered cheap, and more
over We had our kennel to ourselves there We might
speak with freedom and make ourselves al home aud
that wss Quite victory. Ii the room was small and
not oyer-cean the dinner coed, so we completely
revived and shook each other by the hand ny way OF
corpratLlation on our extreme good fortune As even
ne came on We lighted candle and settled ourselves
comfortably on three chairs 10 tah over our ad-
ventures aud recall the memories ot absent friends
We were conveIsng merrily when my eye, which
wandered along the walls and ceiling caught sight Of
,pider snd Of another, aud another. and another, un
til counted fifteen. Ii was, in truth, host of
spiders, large black, hairy, which crept noseessy
from each croyice Of the roof aad walls, and then
rested, to all appearance, astoDshed at the temery
Of our Intrusion. For moment we looked ON the
disgusting insects. and were revolving in our minds
what we had better dO when my friend started TO his
feet ard paced the room, utterng what am sorry to
Say was fearful string Of oaths and execraOns the
country. nearly laughed myself into commissions
when lie informed me that large tatbelled spider had
just fallen from the ceiling and grazed the uP OF his
nose. The evening tine though cold but our long
exposure to the open air had Injured u.s. so we walked
into the yard where we puIed our cigars and gazed
up into the deep blue sky and resumed our tances OF
the Past, until it the hour for retiring to sleep.
When We Teentered our room we still found our new
acquaiBtauces on The walls but they too aumer
Gus Tor our interference and our only chance being
not 10 disturb theEi we made up our mind 10 forget
their presence and having carefully examined our
beds to make that lurking scorpion there,
laid down and were soon tar gone into the land OF
dreams.
The wooden roem, which neglect and uncleanliness
lad converted into nest of spiders and of every
ous insect be found in the far-fsmed and much
valued tropical climates had once been pretty room,
before it's frame of cedar wood was bsbarousy hidden
beneath coat of dirty whitewash. Ii was erected
by French gentleman during the disastrous earth
quake Of ls4l to serve as bedchamber to bis pretty
Young wife, when encente Of his only daughter, nova
lovely girl OF twelve, whose sparkling black eye flashes
merry and roguishly in the midst of her admirers
she laughingly plgs Oft one against the other.
made their acquaintance in the latter months Of
my stay in Costa Rica, and must say that found in
AaI. IL lad Of
sense ard graceful manners, that wo1d have charmed
any one even in the best circles OF Europe. From her
heard the details of the dreadful calamity and will
ngy admit that her graceful gesture, flashing black
eye and expressive countenance, as she related the
narrowing story, caused me so much pleasure that
had bat htle pity left compassionate the terror aud
sueIIgs experienced at that time by the Costa Rcans
Tie earthquake began in the night Of the second Of
s. epember and sudden shock, which was felt all over
the country oyeIthrew the town OF Cartago; but
less destructive at San jose. For three dreadful
oBb bs the earth continued to quake at short Intervals
with loud suberraneous noise which gave warning of
every approaching cOmmotion. The inhabitants would
then in distractng terror issue from the houses
with outstretcbod arms imporng Divine mercy; others
lay PROSTATE with their faces to the ground mutterng
prayers, and many would sit in mute despair their
hands casp.d and their eyes fixed upon their totterng
dwellings; even the beasts of the field eOngregated
and sought the presence OF man. During those dread
iul months burst sleep under his roof Huts
of straw and leaves erected in the yards and
the square in the fields and the Costa Rcans slept
thus exposed to the damp cold foggy air and continuous
rains during the whole Of the wet season. Numbers
died in consequence. The last tremor Of this
usually long earthquake was felt in the month OF April
following Mr. de c. had, to preserve his wife from tho
danger Of sickness and from death either By exposure
or by the earthquake built as have mentioned the
room which eley years after we occupied.
The morning after our arrival We strOled from our
den to visit the town, and aswe wandered about the
quiet streets felt very disprted and silently look
ing into each others faces read there plainly the
thought, "ls THIS to be our future
- home 2"
The town ia built on rise Of ground between
two mountain streams the Torres and the Marie
Aguar. The payed streets are straight and at right
angles The houses are constructed OF adObeS a
compound of earth and straw cut into square blocks
and dried in the sun. They low, with on y one
floor raised about two feet from the surface; they
generally have no glass windows and some no WIZ
dows at all receiving the light through the open door
The center Of the town is occupied BY large square
on the cas-. side of which there is cathedral aud on
the north side the barracks for the militia on duty
the other two sdes being occupied by private houses
We lad soon done visiting the town, after which
We called at our new acquaintance, MI DE -, VINO
presented us 10 his partner an English gentleman oi
a most pIepossessing appearance, with whom be-
cane later very intimate. He received us most hos
pi,aby and invited US to visit his coffee estate Oh the
following sunday.
Tie Sunday came, and a. we were still ar breakfast
two saddle horses arrived, which Mr. Joy sent u.s.
We hastily drauk last cup of coffee, aud mounting
joined the party which was already waiting for u.s.
The day was beautiful the air cooled by the north
breeze the road sufficiently dry to be pleasant without
being enough so to generate dust away We trOtted
in high spirits. The horse | rode wss snail pony,
with quick easy pace sort of shutting trot which
leaves the rider unmeyed, that he might with little
effort Of imagination believe himself SEATED in bis arm
chair. After an hours trot we arrived at the estate
which lies at the e of the highroad which mites the
two capitas the old town Of Cartago aud the eOmpsr