Delaware State journal and statesman., 1862-11-21

ical scenery along the route and the great profu
sion of flowers aud plants OF great variety that
skirt the road on either side,
The depot at Panama is situated in the out.
skirts Of the city, Immediately upon the bay, and
is II very convenient building, attached to which
is the freight house and near by is the engine
house und other necessary buildings, Imme.
liately in front Of the depot is long and sub
stHntinl covered wharf, with the tlacks extended
thereon, alongside Of which the small steamers
and lighters liz and take on or discharge the
passengers aud freight Of the large vessels an
ohcre1 IN the bay, us the rise Gnd fll of the
tide is SO great (About twenty feet) that vessels
dannot lie 1T tho wharf.
The city, proper, was formerly enclosed by a
very strong heavy wall, part Of which has been
removed aud the remaining PORTIONS are erumb.
ing to pieces in many places that part imme.
dialely fronting the ocean, which washes its base
IS yet in very good condition and gives one the
best idea of what the whole once was. 1t is snid
10 have cost so much money in its construction,
that the Queen of Spain was led 10 ask " -ire
fhfy building il of saeer." Upon this part Of the
tamparts stands one of the many old guns. that
stood sentinel there for many, mauy years, with
is old cumbersome carriage, almost failing in
pieces with age, this is left, | presume to rive
visitors an idea Of the batteries that protected
their city in nlden times, but which, fear. woull
be Of little avail in this age of rinel cannon and
bomb shells, From this point you have n yery
fine view Of the lay with the beautiful islands Of
Ftantuco, Pcrco and lslnno lying about two
miles TO tho westwirl OF the city, the Joint pron
perty Of the Panama railroad md the pa,iic
Mail steamship Companies, aud occupied by them
ms the rendt 2vuus Of their steamers, where they
eau lie in safety. The islands abound in wood
anl iinc springs of water.
| In the western part Ut the city aud immed.
atrly nnd,r the ramparts is the prison, consisting
nI several apartments nhiut forty feet long and
twenty feet wide, with u large iron grating window
in the front OF eaeh, through which may he seen
the prisoners some of whom nre lOnnging about
while others are cngiged in making the well
known PananR hat" or little trnkets of coena
mt shells, &c, winch they olar for sale to visi
tors. Those confined here are generally Spani-
ards or negroes, but am sorry tu sny there are
several Americans cobiurd there, one for murder
and one for robbery, both for long term ut yeats
believe,
The streets of the city are narrow and the
houses generally high, with vcrandaha extending
over the narrow sila walk, thus shading the
street from the very hot rays Of the SUM- aud of
course making the air much cooler; tho sire, IL
are alsO kept very clean by the chain gang. whose
duty 1t seems to BIZ II attend to this important
measure particularly There are several Old con,
vents and eaihedrals here, two or three nf which
are nos in ruins, md are quito interesting places
W VISA ~ lNNtla VI llllHulllt
The inhabitants number about ten thnusanJ
principally Spanish and half bie ieels aud many
Jamacans, though there are some American nnd
English residents who comprise the leading CON.
inefeial houses of the city and who are generally
successful, | believe. Since the completion Of
tue rarond and the establishment Of the several
lines of steamers from this point, the business or
the city has improved considerably, yet it needs
few more Of our pnlerprising and energetic
I M p..iu "a -
The principal hotel is the " Aspnwall House i"
kept ON the European plan, The chambers are
large and well furnished and the table nbOunds
in NIL the good things the market can produce
AMI the bar furnishes the best Of wines and
liquors, aud must here mention that the gYcaf
AmercIh mixed drink, Brandy Cocktaiw is
here Connected in superb style.
A pleasant walk, towards evening, OF about
one mile bnck Of the city, brings you npon the
rufus OF an old convent, near to which is located
their cemetery. consisting Of an acre or two OF
ground enclosed by n wall about eight or ten
feet thick anl about the same height forming IA
hollow square, into which you cutter through an
urched gateway, and instead of witnessing the
little mounds and VARIED tomb stones, ms ia like
places at home, scattered over the surface Of the
ground, We notice the atchod ends Of three tiers
OF vaults, one above the other, within this wall
ana extending around the whole Each of these
wants or chambers is about three feet vide Mt
its base ami about seven feet in depth into
which the colin is placed aud a stone slab
placed at the end and sealed with a kind of
cement, with the date of intermcnt inscribed upou
it, was there informed that all Of these cham
hers were occupied and that when one is required
for a new occupant, they opetf the one bearing
the oldest date aud take thereirom the coffin and
its contents and replace it with the new one and
if the remaus, removed, belong to families
who can afford the expense, they are placed ia
small box aud inferred in the Cathedral in the
city, where n slab OF marble or stone marks the
spot, otherwise the collin and contents ARE thrown
into "A small square opening in ench corner OF the
place, where Noticed quite number Of cof1ns
and skeletons piled prOmiscuousy upon each
other.
was quite fortunate in being there during
the interment of some poor creature and saw the
whole operation as above described, but assure
you il was not u very pleasing sight to witness,
and was quite surprised to see the lack of solemn.
ity ON the part Of the few persons attending the
dead to its resting place,
The sloop of-war " Lancaster." The flagship Of
the Pacific Squadron, arrived at Panama about
the LIST of October ! visited her some dnys
since aud was very much pleased. She is in
deedn beautiful vessel and in line order. Among
her officers, met our fellow townsman, Captain
j. II. Jones, of the Marine Corps, whom found
in good health and with whom had IL pleasant
Chat The slu0p-ol-wnr " st. Marys" also
arrived there within few days,
The ShrauaG' having been lying there since
our arrival here in February. has just sailed for
Acapulco, whence she will proceed to San Frau
cisco, probably touching at the intermediate
ports. Some two weeks since, Rnnr- Admiral g.
II. Bell, Of the Pacific Squadron, visited Aspin-
wall, and while here came on board of us, where
he was received with due honors he expressed
himself as being much pleased with the nppear-
ance of our little vessel and crew. Upon his
leaving the side we honored him with snlnte of
thirteen guns.
Since last wrote you, our crew have suffered
very much from this hOiril fever, though | am
glad to say we have lost none, excepting our
gunner's mate, who was killed by a fall from the
yard into II boat lying alongside. lie was quite
All old man anl much esteemed by ALL The
officers and crew have subscribed over two hun
dred dollars for monument to be erected over
him in =" Mount Hope" cemetery.
We received, with pleasure, by the last mail,
the news of the successes Of our arms in Ken
lucky aud Tennessee, aud We earnestly hope the
good work may continue until this terrible re
bellion is entirely crushed.
We are heartily tired of this station assure
you, and are patiently awaiting our relief, which
we expect to arrive daily, when We will proceed
at once to Key West" to join the Gulf Squad
ron.
Trusting you will be successful in eleetng
the whoie LHiot hcket in the coming election.
aud thus plnce the government of our little State
in the hands of men aud patriots,
am very respectfully,
Yours, &c,
u. va.
The Prasidante Qaoant C.no.o1 AL,