, 1865-10-17
AN OVERLAND JOURNEY.
The H0meward Voyage.
Cont of Mexico and Central America
-CrosHfnE tllc Isthnlus. DC.
Tucferrci Corre=pondente.1

On Saturday morning, Sept. I'd, the tim,
arrived when We must bid goodbye to th.
hosts OF very dear friends we had made II
San Franclseo. In parting with them we als<
left California to return, IS We hope, five, al
most, eight years hence, when the Pacific Rail
way IS completed. This may seem to be very
short time to build so great work but ir
our Judgment the nation owes It to itself and
to the civilization and tho commerce OF the
world, 10 complete it within that period
And What can VIC say at parting with friends
to whose untfring goodness We owe so much
Nothing At all commensurate with the obliga-
tions we feel, and the kind memories VIC
shall ever cherish towards them. For
two months We have been the gucs.s OF the
Pacific coast-madc 60 by that princely hospi-
ta1ity which every here seems perfectly Char
through the beautiful valleys Of California,
Oregon and Washington Territory We have
been whirled over tie magnificent mountains
Of California at rnilToAd speed for days VIC
have mused amid therlories Of the 70 Semitic;
We have Eazed upon the cascades Of the Co
lumbla; but wonderful as are the scenery and
the resources ofthese States; vast ns il the
commerce they now do and hereafter are dcs-
tined 10 control; the hearty, noble hospitality
of hct people Is more wonderful and cheering
than them all. To the very last moment when
our magnificent steamer cast of her lines from
the dock, our friends were most polite and as
slAuous In their attentions, and hearty cheers
and best wishes for bon voyage for Mf. Cotfa1
and his party, added but another to the
many oTAtions We had here and everywhere
received.
But Capt Brudbury is at his post, the sig
nal guns wake the echoes OF the Hills, and tho
Golden City slowly swings from the wharf,
nd orrtfH fHot 4f1n tov <,f Can
cisco-one Of The largest and certainly one OF
the finest harbors Ia the world. The city,
though only fifteen years old, stretches away
Tor miles in ali directions, and her hundred
Thousand people, and her immense steamers,
ehips from al nations, and her ynst commerce,
fully vindieate her position as one Of tho Ton-
ders Of The world. For siI mflas ne steam
out through the "Golden Gate" when We
foat proudly upon the broad bosom OF the
Pacific. The coest OF California, for four
hundred miles to the south Is high, rugged,
and forbidding, giving no promise Of the Hcll,
fertile valleys that lie Inland. Day By day
there Is very little variation in the scenery
day VIC crossed the Gulf Of California. The
wind was fresh ahead, and the sea being
somewhat rough, many Of our passengers
were forced to pay tribute to old Neptune !;
but he failed in Ills efforts on Mr.. Speaker and
lis party, for they all llrelnalnel perfectly well.
On reaching the southern side Of the gulf,
and In fact for day or two previous, We ran
TINT Of California by the denser vegetation
which crowned The mountains. From tho
Golden Gate NIL the way down 10 Acapulco, u
distance Of 1870 miles, there ara rery few
signs of civilization on the coast. This old
town, the seaport Of the city Of Mexico on
the Pacific, we reached on Saturday about
sundown, but too late to "do the city" by
1Str1,k t1S-yv 11snn+ rFv
ourselves an1ong the number, went ashore,
determined to see what we could Of
ACAPULCO
Capt. Phelps, agent Of the Pacific Mail
Steamship Company, whom VIC flrst met
when In command Of the Benton, flagship Of
Commodore Foote at Island No. 10, received lis
most conrteously. In the coarse OF the cyen-
Gen. Alvarez, the Governor Of tl,e Mexican
State Of Guerrero, and kindly introduced and
acted rs interpreter for our party. The Cor
crnor received US with genuine courtesy, and
soon the conversation turned upon Mexican
affairs The General and Ills friend, q men,
ber Of the Mexican Congress, seemed to re-
gret that our Government, Us Mr.. Colfax re-
presented It's purpose, was determined not 10
interfere, certainly at present, IN Mexican
Affairs; but they were apparently satisfied
with the reasons presented for not at
once enforcing the Monroe doctrine.
The General assured us that Mexico
would never submit to French rule,
and that whatever time it might take,
and that no matter how many lives 1t might
cost, Maximillian would surely be driven from
Mexico. The Governors patriotism will soon
be put to the test, Tor on Thursday We passed
a French man-of-war, which Is understood to
be on her way to take Acapulco. We learned
lhat the conmandant has orders to retire
with his forces to the naighboring mountains,
tort15 tho passes, and Leave tho French to
the bare possession Of the city. A few men,
It is said, can defend these passes perfectly
and what benefit the miserable Old town can
It can only be an expense, without ono parti-
Gle Of profit.
And what Of Acapulcoe Of course VIC
could not learn much about II bv lamp light,