Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1855-10-10
Correspondence of the North Carolina Standard
A TRIP TO CALIFORNIA.

L
observation-disclosures and Chief City,
Cause Of their Decline-NaturGl advantages and
Scenery-lNiLitaqy Troops Compliment to Visi-
tors-Departure--Arrical at, and passage Of, the
Sam Character Of the Pacific Codst-Fura at
Acapulco-Aaa old Wreck-LQtty 1Nountains-
Golden Gate-Speed Of the Trip-POljtical a.
lusions.
voyage upon the Ocean, particularly in steam
err affords but slight material for letter diary,
unless made up of commonplace matter. Touch
ing seldom at any of the intermediate ports and
rarely diverging from the accustomed track, the
voyage is usually barren of that diversity of incident
which might be supposed to crowd coast-wise pas
sage around the Horn or Hope, in regular clipper.
But in the journey to golden Ell Dorado,
either Isthmus after paying the customary tr
butte to Neptune, whcha wrestle with the storm-god
off Hatteras is to exor the traveller scarcelygets
his mind, much less his stomach, we'll settled the
booming of the iron war-dog in the bows of the
steamer announces the arrival at the Isthmus
AS the hour for departure O'clock P. NJ, of the
9th and Goth of each month approaches, "Me noise
and confusion upon the pier and the steamers
docks increase till in comparison Herewith Babel
were calm. Late eoners by the midday railway
trains hurry up the gangways breathless with APP
prchension of being left behind, followed by sweat
ing porters with heavy trunks which before compile
ton of the McAdamzed road and the substitution
of coaches for mules, costly and cum6rous ap-
purtenanceS. In one corner of the ladies' saloon is
a group whose firm intergrasp of hands, silent lips
and fearful eyes betoken deep sorrow at the ap-
proach so of the hour of long separation
That noise the quarterback is from bevy of fast
boys, who hastily imbibing parting drink with
one, of whom their last "reminiscences may be those
shouts of unthinking revery.
At length " all aohO are not passengers are reques
tel to go ashore hurried and convulsiVe adieus
are spoken-the gangpanks bend under the rush
to the pier-the hawsers are g let go and "h0uled
IN and the staunch and fleet Northern Light,
this Goth day of July, 1855, with slow and
seemingly reluctant pace into the stream amid the
roaring of the heavy gun, the waving of handker-
chefs-not aW linen nor silk-and the stentorian
cheers from the crowds which blacken the wharves
and the sides and rigging of surrounding shipping
Now we are moving towards the broad Atlantic.
Soon a Gordon is thrown across the extreme after
part of the steamer said Gordon formed of the bod
les, extended and interlocked hands of several
gentlemen from 4 frica. In front walks the infex-
iblc purser, who, unwilling that any should ride
to the lsthmus free, examines our tickets, pockets
one, returns check, the Gordon opens and we pass
to the Meanwhile, during this sitting process,
the steamer moves slowly down the Narroxs, till
at the Hook where the veteran pilot without whose
services thus far our insurance policies would be
void, is discharged and taking into his boat a half
dozen tcketless and pennless worthless denomnated
skutkeTs is soon bearing all sail for the Battery
The powerful engines now work faster, and
night closes upon all, and in the morning the shol es
Of Jersey and our ship are in fog. Another day
dscoscs the proximity of Hatteras by the rising
winds, the plungng of the strong ribbed ship, and
the numerous processes of eiectment which
swered from many undukNting stomachs
The voyager upon the Ocean does not realize it's
extent, from the simple fact that all around him is
water-for the of Ocean actually visible is
smal-but it Is the continued, onward progress of
the Shlp-tcer onward towards horizon of water
with no land in sight-which gives a conception of
the vastness the immensely, the eternity almost of
the
Passing the Lesser Bahamas reminded that
one of the group, thong h barren and uninhabited,
is yet rich in historical associatons-for on that
sterile spot first appeared the light Columbus and
his discontented crew on the evening previous to
landing on San SALVADOR and though not first trod-
den by the foot of the Great Dscoverer it may be
said to have been the first land by him west of
the Canaries.
few nights hence descry far away over the
sea, at Port Royal, Jamaica, rejoicing light which
now rises slowly above, and then sinks beneath the
dar> waters, and passing up the arm of the sea at
early dawn, towards Kingston, the gorgeous beauty
and the splendor of tropical scenery meet the eye
on every side. The horizon either hand is boun.
ded by mountains, which rise in majesty and grand
eur till their submits blended with the azure of
torrid Cline
Here we are at Kingston. But let US pause mo-
ment before going ashore to witness the novel spec
tacle of swarm of eaaomcipdted cOored comlen and
girls, who with tubs ofcoal upon their heads throng
in Indian file, up OF the after gang-ways sing
ing their old plantation airs, and employing their
loads of Anthracite, return by the forward plank
thus making a total eclipse of the wheel-house.-
Most OF the passengers now leave the ship to pur-
chase their clothing, fruit and not .Jcao g Old Ja-
m0icd, " and to see this city of decay.
For upon spot of earth, probably does the
hand of decay and ruin rest with firmer or more
tenacious grasp than this beautiful island and its
once prosperous Chief City The plantations are in
waste-their former workers living life of indoent
and dissoute freedom more beggariy and degraded
than the Lazzaroni of Italy Kingston is colIec-
ton of dilapidated and rotten buildings, and the
only season of thrift CLEAN of prosperity is the
arrival of an American or British steamer.
The cause of this wide scene Of decay and ruin is
simple-emdncipdtion and the attempt to substitute
free labor in the cultivation of slave products in
torrd climate.
The secret, mottre poaoer in British West India
emancipation is dscerned not in the labors and elo-
quence of a Wilberforce, Fox, and Clarkson, but
in the cupidity and se!tishness Of the East India
Company, who knowing that the introduction of
free labor would be followed by speedy pecuniary
blight and ruin to their western rivals, sought to
build up their own ACKNOWLEDGEMENT on the ruins of
those gems Of the tropics" And believing that
Britain's example would be initiated by the French
and Spanish Governments, and expecting to supply
from the plains of Hindostan the worlds demand
for cotton, sugar and rice, that Company which die
tated to the throne laid their behests on a supple
Parliament and the world rang with loud acclaim at
the humanity () of England.
The sequence to that measure is the financial and
squaed poverty, the evil and crime Of her liberated
population affords a fine commentary the policy
and philanthropy of indiscriminate and general
emancipation.
The ruin of British West India is complete; but
the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT O. her more powerful siraL in
the anticipated monopoly is less apparent to this