Delaware State journal and statesman., 1862-11-21
LETTER FROM sourI AMERICA
'0l eors'p0odenc' Of tile journal and 'tlleomAu

III NY lever 10 you oil August I'D,
promise to give in my next some remarks about
the city of Panama, aud the pleasing ride thereto,
which promise will now attempt 10 redeem.
The regular passenger train leaves Aspinwall
uh'ut o'clock A. NJ daily Sundays cXccntcd.
aud cousis n generally of the baggage car one
passenger and numerous freight cars.
Leaving thus early in the morning, when the
nitis cool and pleasant, together with the fresh
appearance OF the many beautiful flowers and
protnse vegetation along the route filling the mir
with their fragrance, aud the numerous varieties
II beautiful birds OF gay and varied plnmnge ily
iuR and sing from tree to tree, adds very much
t. the pleasure as well as comfuIt OF the ride
Immediately after leaving Aspinwa We cross the
arm of the bay which forms the island OF Mau2a
nil over all artificial isthmus about two hundred
ynrls in length on either silc Of the track here
ma he seen long piles of fire wood, which is
gathered by the natives, cut ia proper lengths
an brought to this point in their little cauues or
du! outs, where ii is corded ready fOruse. This
wod is generally very small and, in the States
would not be thought worth gathering hut il has
Que great advantage over other aud larger wool
TIM might he procured, particularly in climate
whtre there is so macl rain, mud that is il burns
equally ns well when wet as when dry, | heliryr
1t Is from the Mhngr0ve bush Or tree
milo or two more brings us TO Mount
llOle" Cemetery, better known here hy the name
OF Monkey Hill, owing to the number of these
ANNALS in its vicinity. 1t is located unon quite
higl ground Immediately by the roadside and
coud be made quite pretty spot in time but
at PRESENT it presents very wild and deserted
appearance from the rapid growth of the ycpet,
tiop, though the railroad company, who have sole
uhage ot It, hive it cleared very frequently .
tho1gh there have been very many persons bu-
RE here MS yet there are but few monuments.
amcng which are several over the graves of Off
Ger, OF our navy. The lamented Strain, Of the
i'll fitted Darien Expedition, lies buried here.
Ne next come to the Gatun Station, located
up1h the eastern bnnk OF the Chagres river. which
is about h'ty yards wide ut this point, with n
rhpll current. A large two story flame building
about forty by thirty feet aud surrounded by
piaisas, Is the residence ot the superintendent Of
this section There arc similar buildings AT mn
the stations along the route, most OF which are
netly painted, aud surrounded y large gardens
hllel with various beautiful flowers and planta
quit inviting to the traveller. Ga the opposite
shOie, is the native town Of Gutun, which il som
posed Of some forty or fifty huIs Of cane and
pain, the roofs Of which me thatchel with the
leaves Of the latter Previous to the building of
the load, this was the principal stopping place
for iefreshments, By California travellers On lheir
way up the river III the bongos aud canoes.-
| Agan we proceed on our journey. and now cross
the datum river a small stream emptying into
the Chagres, over u neat iron tiusa eirter nUnut
one lundred feet span, and we are very soon at
" Lien llll' Station.
IutLis vicinity il found That rare and heauti-
iu bwer called EYiriW SaHfo, (lloly Ghost \
In iom it resembles the tulip and gives forth an
odur lot unlike that OF the magnolia. its color is
white Al single glance QUE would not nutiee
anything peculiar or striking ia ii, but upon ex
am'nlt N, you see within the cup OF the flower
the llifct image of Il dove, lying upon lis back
with is beautiful wings hanging lifeless from its
sides. the head bent gently forward with It's tiny
bill, ipped with delicate carinine. almost
touching the snow-whte breast 1t is most fro
quenty found in low, mlrshy ground. The
plants are often six or seven feet high showing
out hioad lanceOlate leaves by pairs The flower
stalk prngs from the bulb, is destitute uf leaves
and o'ten bears cluster of ten or fifteen flowers
it blooms annually in July, August aud Sentom
ber Many of the plants are carried away by
travellers, but ! have understood that they eel
dom bloom in our climate.
Continuing our beautiful ride along the base
Of IL clnn of high and densely wooded hills. we
pass tie station called Bayo Soioddio, ("Soldler's
HONG near which is an excellent aunrrv Of
fteestne, worked by the company, aud we nre
soon Upon the little native town Of Buena Vista
{" beautiful little yiew,') consisting of some
thittyor forty rude huts skirting tia track ON
either side. A few miles beyond, we approach
the high banks of the muddy Chagres, at oBar-
bacoas' nnd cross the river by n wrought iron
bridge 625 feet long, standing about 40 feet
above he water, upon large stone piers about
100 ied apart, and said to be one of the larp, 81
aud finest iron bridges in the world
Passing the stations of "San Pablo md
"Mamei" aud the town of 's Gorgona. another
stopping place in the early days of Chagres river
travel, we arrive ut " MAtaohin." On The left
Of the town flows the river Chagres, and the
scene p the right is bounded by group of con
ical hills, covered with short grnss aud studded
with palms. lie may lie seen tho most beautiful
specimens Of the Royal palm tree adding much
to the beauty of the scene The completion of
the road in 1856, was here celebrated with ereat
eeremmy and rejoicing, and the corner stone of
monument TO its Originators aud constructors.
was erected upon the summit of the highest of
the hills above mentioned There are several
turn-outs here, this being the usual place of
meeting Of the trains from either end of the line.
Upon he arrival of trains, the natives-men,
wUneni aud children-tOck around the ears with
various kinds of fruit, cakes, boiled corn, &c.
for sale. The oranges OF Matachn are generally
very limo. After a few minutes delay here we
proceed along the course of the Obispo river.
crossing it several times and passing the station
Of that name, from whence the grade is ascend
ing at the rate of 60 feet to the mile until we
reach the summit, few miles beyond the high
estelevltiOu OF the road. Here commences The
Pacific slope of the rond with like grade as on
the other side, where we notice u change in the
SCENERY, being now more bold and picturesque.
the road now lies across steep rocky spurs with
deep rGvnes between them and along their pre-
cipitou7 sides with frequent high embankments
aud heavy cuttings.
About mile from the summit we pass large
basaltc cliff. overhanging the road, with the
n n ~ tails nl.a 4.
SIX to twelve feet in length, lying at an angle of
about forty degrees So regular and beautiful
is the cIystaizalion that one is struck with won
der and admiration of these great works of ma
ture The company have here, also, stone
mill, and lnrge number of hands are constantly
employed in quarrying and breaking up the stone
for the balasting of this section Of the road
Continuing over deep ravines, aud sharp
curves around the base of frequent mountains,
we pass the station of +" Pardiso' PARADISE so
called from the beautiful scenery around it, thence
into the low lands aud swamps of the valley of
the lilo Grande, where we pass the station of
that name, which, we leave to the eastward
where the country again becomes undulatine.
enlVened by nntiVe huts and a few cultivated
fields. On our left rises the - Hill Of the Bne-
cancers" from whose summit the pirate Morgan
had his first view of the ancient city Of panama
aud where be encamped on the night previous to
his attack and pillage Of that city, in 1870, and
in the distance we see the high bald head of
Mount "AucOn," whose southern base is washed
by the waters of the Pacific.
But the long shrill whistle of the locomotive
now calls us from this beautiful scepe and we look
ahead to sec the cause, where we have before us
the long roofs of the several buildings of the rail-
road company at the Pacific terminus of the |
road, and little beyond to the right, may be |
seen the Cathedral towers and high-tiled roofs
and dilapidated fortifeations OF the city of Pan.