Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1862-03-13
FOREIGN CORRESPONDENCE.
TIE GRAVE OF LIEUT.. STRAIN.
=, =. NORTHERN IL0nT, }
Aspinwall, n. G., Fsb rs, 1852. I

three miles from Aspinwall, New Grenada, /,
IS the cemetery, situated on a gentle rise of
ground called Mount Hope, 1t Is retired
spot and well chosen as the resting place Of |
the dead
While our ship was in port waiting the a r
rival OF the Pacific steamer at Panama, and
having some spare time one af ernoon, l took
a walk hi her to see it could fod my ship
mates grave which | helped TO make when
here Elk years ago. The large mahogany
tree under which we Land him down TO est
that hot sultry morning, soon drew me 10 Il e
spot and thought to see his grave at once
/ ut alas, how changed then his was the only
mound in that part of the yard, but now
find so many others all overgrown with Wild
plsintan and thick jungle grass hat could
not say which was the one had come TO Wis
it, and turned sadly away to he graveled
walk that led winding around the slope OF
the bill TO see what other changes had taken
place since last here. | looked for number
Of plank tab cts, but found them mostly rot
ted away and gone 10 dust. Seeing white
tomb stone of Rutland marble halt hid in the
tall grass, | walked to it and TO my surprise
read in plain cut letters the name of 1>aac G.
Strain, Z. s. Navy, died May 18th, 1851
Below read another, saying that I he grave
stone was erected by hi messmates of the
Sloop of War Cyane. l knew the noble
man died soon after he returned from tue
Danan Expedition, but always thought that
well, where some fond relative could 90 and
she'd tear on the grave OF the departed, but
alas he sleeps on foreign shore, far away
from The land that gave him birth, and where
The hoarss waves of the Caribbean dash in
madness against the coral rocks Of New Gre
NADIA.
For any one 10 know what Lieut., S'rain
and his command Suffered in the tropical
wilderness when on their way from Caledo-
MIA B lay 10 Panama, IS only necessary TO read
the account of his journey which was pub.
lished in Harper's Magazine in the year
1857, by |. F. H.; but as am rather digres-
sing from my subject, l will now return TO
Mount Hope, and farther wander on among
the homes OF the dead, which contain the re-
mains of people from every quarter OF the
globe. .....
But few steps from the last named grave
we've a group of others, and as some had
head stones saw they were officers and sea-
men who had fallen victims TO The sick eli
mate OF Navy Bay when the home squadron
lay here, before the rebellion at home began.
Now turning from where had been standing
for some time in deep thought Of the past and
pres, Mt, saw fine granite monument Ct
tasty structure surrounded by foe iron
fence. At a glance l knew 1t must be the
resting place Of one who had left beloved
friends to mourn, or Else such a tribute for
the departed would not be found here in thi.
equatorial cline. Stepping up TO the side o
the enclosure read the epitaph OF one o.
my best and dearest companions ever kuew
John Gal!!aasar, M. d., Surgeon Chief of the
/ Panama Railroad We lad been shiprate.
together three long years, and during tha
time and after net an angry word ever passed
| His mind wss a store OF knowledge, while hi
| disposition was ever kind and obioing, draw
ing love and respect from all who ever knew
him. As sto, q with bowed head and weep
ing ewes thinking of the day $ that could new
er come back. my sad muse was broken h,
the almost human voice Of the macaW (b
large, bird OF the parrot kind, an,i ot beau
+ ufu plumsge) which had begun 10 pipe th
| ponu down ,t the sun, which warned ne 4
return ere night ret in. moved SLOWLY
away, but stopped few yards distant 10 lin
ger a few moments. as the landscape vie,
had become truly beautiful, and of which
will say few words before returning bac
to my ocean home.
Mount Hope is one of a number Of sma
conical hills that lay clustered together in th
center Of mangrove swamp. Through th
broken forest from the cemetery the blue va
tiers OF the Caribbean are now seen to tn
west, while up the side and top of ano,he
hill to the south are seen some bamboo hui
of the natives, with 6ne patches of banan
and plaintain trees, wit their long wide gree
leaves waving in the sunset; 10 tue east th
scene is bounded by some three larger mour
tain,. partly cleared up. covered with sho
grass aud studded With palms rising in the
s,arellness the classic sheaves of royal beaut
making and giving the landscape view an .
of + ern loveliqess. To the north, exten'
ing TO the railroad track, stands the virgin 10
! est, on the border of which are stately tre
almost covered with vines that creep to Il
top of the highest limbs, from which they the
hang down in gay fesoons made beautiful
, the b, II shaped flowers which are ever se.
| here in countless numbers, looking li>e Il
, morning glory. The last rays OF the s-ttiI
sun were dancing on the tree tops as left Il