The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-10-14
FROM NEVADA.
Interesting Letter from Hon. Chas.
E. Flandrau.
New York to AspinyyalI..-Panam
Ashore at tAcapulcO--..San Francis
co..-DescriptiOn of the Condition
and Prospects of Nevada

CARSON CI1Y, Nevada, Aug. 8. 1864.
To the Editor Of tie Pioneer:
You seemed so sorry to take leave OF
me when set out for this country, that l
am emboldened to believe that you would
like to hear something concerning the land
of my adoption, and how / get along in it.
I will therefore give you few items on
those and other subjects.
AsPINwALL-
Passing over the voyage from New York
TO the Isthmus, which was, like all other
sea voyages, wet and monotonous, the
first object of interest and novelty was AS
pinwall. The town itself is a dirty little
collection of hotels and wine shops, re-
lieved to some extent by some neat dwell
ings in the upper part, fenced in, and en-
livened with flower gardens. Some effort
is made in this part of the town to cleanli-
ness, but the business portion OF 1t is 1lthy
and disagreeable beyond endurance. Halt
naked niggers and Indians, vending stale
fruit. and fiocks of buzzards, make up the
principal part of tie visible population,
and render the place unattractlve to
stranger. The surroundings, however, are
picturesque and interesting. The vegeta-
ton is all of that luxuriant tropical char
acter so charming to the Northern eye ac-
customed to less bountiful exhibitions OF
natures fruitfulness. The most graceful
of all trees, the cocoanut, is very frequent
here, and some of the buildings are stu
ated in the midst of groves Of them. There
we're many kinds of trees and shrubs that
I was unacquainted with, but all OF the
same exuberant growth that seems to gush
out of the earth.
ACROSS THE ISTHMUs.
The trip across the Isthmus is delight
full. The road is good, and the scenery
constantly changing. Mountains, valleys,
plains covered with palms and cocoanut
trees, and series of neat dwellings,
occupied by the employees of the road,
render the journey one Of exceeding in
terest to stranger. regret we did not
have an opportunity of visiting Panama.
The ferry boat was waiting for US, and we
we're compelled to embark at once. The
harbor here is fine, and in it we're lying
British and an American man Of-war, each
probably watching the movements OF the
French on this coast, and each other.
They are so apprehensive of rebels there
abouts, that they make the passengers
give up their weapons on embarking, but
the way they manage it would leave room
enough for party to take sufficient arms
aboard to capture dozen such ships. l
had rifle and one hundred rounds of car
fridge, and revolver, which escaped their
observation.
UP THE OOAST-ACAPULCO.
The run from Panama up the coast of
New Granada and Mexico is uninteresting
till you reach Acapulco. The course is
almost all the way within sight of land,
but too far off to distinguish objects. At
Acapulco we coaled, and many Of the pas
sengers went ashore, myself among the
number. Here were two large French
frigates, and one little q. s. steamer. The
French were in possession Of the town,
and had recently landed about $50 troops
from France. They were the celebrated
Turcos, who fought so gallantly at Ma
genta, Balaclava and many other celebra-
ted battles. They wore the Zouaye dress,
and looked very picturesque. Some of
them were jet black, and of immense
stature, and they ran from black through
all the degrees down to the color of new
saddle. Some we're white. They looked
like fighting fellows
The French have held Acapulco in a
state of blockade for some time, but the
Mexicans had turned the tables on them
when we were there, and had them block
AIDED in the town, with all supplies from
the interior cut off. thought the Mexi-
cans rather had the best of it. The town
was in a state of almost starvation. and
the French on board of the ships got
some provisions from us to help them out.
we looked the town over for a dinner, but
could not find anything until we got to the
New York Hotel" where the landlord