New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-08-15
b di&culfy from falling


By means Of a long stick. The ground became more
srd mere r,arshy. until at last stood shove
lDees D the mud, ard fairly thought that we had
uiss.d the wsy. advised NY companion TO FIRE
signal slot; this he succecded ~ dcmg .. o1 VARIOUS
16fectual s;;tIrpts. the powder being damp. To
crest relief Q shout answered rs, arc We pushed or
with renewed vgor in the direction 1t Indicated. At
last We rejoiLed the mules and resumlng our seats
continued our weary travel arriving AT Ii me after
neon at the last station-shed-"the Desengano.
Tie Dtstnc3n0 Is - hight CT S,OOO feet above the
level # the a tie ar was cod and the night prom
sed 10 be exireIae.y We resolved therefore AFTER
dining tie remainder OF eur prov!slOns 10 Journey
On and ,ndeavor to reach warmer climate, Ignorant
Of the danger Of hen- everteken by the night IN 'ne
perilous mountain passes. We now descending
tie Cordleru, bat the mud rendering the footing OF
tie mules Insecure, could not progress SO qulcA!
Sc desired, AID liz ht overlook US before We couId
frd shelter ard. with the night, the most furious
rain had ever seen or endured. The darkness grew
go intense ard mpenetrsbe that We actually could not
see the mules riding, and that though follow
IL close upon each other, were only made aware
Of cur proximity ~ an occasional shout. The mules
were evidently frightened and stepped cautiously, with
their the ground. TO smell their way AT last
We arrived. after hours OF such march, at some
race ipdgtinguisnable from the darkness, snd were
led under cover. farling rushght was lighted, and
oxhde )fhuge proportions spread on the groundior
our joint benefit NefOund in corner some sugar-cane
refuse with which We made fire. and thus We passed
the last night our mountain travel IN discomfort and
cold amoug The pigs and Chat had also taken rel
uge there from the weather. while our cunning mule
teers had quietly lef; u.s. aud ensconced themselves
snugly in the neighbOring house.
IL might Lave been four o'clock in the morning when
We were disturbed from uncomfortable rest oy
several men entering the she'd and was in the act OF
tanning over ON the other (apainiul operation rom
the hardness of the coucl) to resume my sleep haii
aUDbiing at the disturbance. when suddenly most
freLtiu Uproar just behind Us made me stsrt TO my
feet and shrek Z" hat wasthe matter But all was
dark az incomprehensible The noise was well cal
culated to make sleepy nan crazy Ii was the
ereskinC of wooden uDgrt ased wheels. cursed our
torturers TO NY hearts content but to no purposes nall
fTsutie crossed NY arms in despair, and waited I'M
rstiently for the dawn When daylight came at last
we discovered that the cause OF all this noise WAS the
"trspiche' (wOoden sugar-mill) which mad oeen Pu,
in motion. dirty Indian was walking round ana
round at the head Of yoke of oxen, every now ana
then utterine shri cry and giving the animals poke
with the stick be carried his shoulder, musket
fashion while womsn filthy still, was thrust
ing the sugar-cane between the cylinders ana ntte
child naked besmeared with dirt and moiasses, Win
an swflly protruding abdomen was dipping his fingers
into the strip as tell into the reservoir beneath, and
licking them afterward with apparent RELISH
We quickly made our preparations for departure
and left the 10 inhospitable plantation.
The weather beautiful az, on the lith oil De
cember. Is52 we rode at a gentle trot down the
slopng hills stopping every hundred yards to admire
tie enchanting scene. At our feet lay the valley OF
San jose completely encircled by the Andes In the
east rose maesticaly the huge Carriage rearing Its
crater-bead 5000 feet above the valley; IN the west
the Aeuacate Mountains below us, the unduatng
plain with lis towns and villages, its green fields and
solitary houses. After troubles and mlserles In
the mountains everything had charming appear
ance the air was bamy and scented with the odor OF
flowers, aud our spirits rose bgh as We tFotted down
those hills aud passed through the fret town OF Costa
Rics named Bsrta.
We were informed at Barba, where we took some
refreflment that there at the next town called
Hereda, a great soemny; and that the President OF
the Republic ard its ministers were to be present
We therefore thought ii advisable to change here our
travel stained clothes for clean ones which we dld 10
our infinite comfort. As We approached lieredla the
siaht was certainly gay very gay to men VINO Tor tne
last fourteen days Lad seen no other beings out the
wild parrot and chatterng monkey and heard no other
voice but that of the wilderness, with the occasional
shr CRY of the muleeers bark urging on their beasts
or the savage bark of the congos. From every house
the Costa Kcan flag waving to the breeze; there
vas music with shouting and daughters and men on
horseback with their wives or sweethears 81 ated IN
front of them and supported in their arms all gay and
happy. all trotting briskly toward the town. we
looked at every body and every body looked atu All
smiled as We passed and touched their hats. Their
conte nttd faces communicated to something OF the
feeling. and racing and shouting like many school
loyf, we approached the silent and for that day
deserted streets of San Jose the capital of Costa Rica