The New York herald., 1871-05-02

IL
ing previously described the details, OF the ex-
plorations on the Atlantic side 1t win be unneces
survey. Tnes arc almost the same all over. up az
early dawn the party after breakfast De the same
land land Il It IS bad enough II on ahe river il is
worse. Each man carries his pack. and were It
not for the actual s, neces'arles Hv contains
one falls down with lever; then another ana per-
haps third Unable 10 move, they are left behind
iu charge o. one who will watch and care for them
calculated and to.morrow's plans considered.
Fatigued and debllItated, the canoes are hauled
alongside tue banks OF the river, and the men,
out and dizzy from the effects OF broiling sun,
rancho wherein to repose Tor the night Fires are
lighted, bags are opened and the culinary imple-
nasty oae for now as dsxness adds goom a s to
the lonely spot, the insects come forth in regi-
ments me and commence the assault To many, indeed,
the thought OF mosquitoes suggests but slight idea
OF pain-a little, ticklish staD no more. But the
tropical mosquito is ferocious and blood-thrsty as
pitliul to see the brave seamen crawl stealthily
through little hole IN the bottom OF their nets; 1t is
more painful 10 hear them groan throughout the
night Few enjoy one hours sleep without
FITFuL STARTS AND SHOUTS.
some are dreaming o. home aud happy faces, OF
are recounting the scenes they witnessed In far of
lands the JOY they experienced when homeward
room, amid the glare OF many lights when suddenly
piercing poisonous sting elicts sharp shrll cry
oil pain, the bright vision disappears and all is gloom
again. But need not recapiiuate that which has
already beon adverted to. The matter is simply men-
TONED to show tnat, whether the Atlantic or Pa.
cdc side of the lsthmus, the search for the canal
route Is far from beng picnic. One thing IS Ger.
termine the question whether or not q canal route
Is practicable IN this region, judging from the thor
ougn investigation that has been made. Awaiting
the result OF the survey OF the summit 1t will not be
inopportune TO mention few OF the pecuarities-o
the route from San Miguel and the interesting
banks From personal observations 1t can be safely
asserted that were the building even the discovery
miles from this spot the world might wait FOR an.
other deluge, winch we are assured will never come
expedition and your correspondent to be compelled
TO embark from Panama two weeks ago In what Is
called native schooner" Speaking from expe-
rence, would respectfully warn oil adventurous
travellers to give such noble craft very wide BERTH
Apart from the odor OF garlic and other savory pre-
parations-apart indeed, nom the dark nest
leap-a nest as black as midnight, whose
atmosphere fought vigorously for three days with
the mud air OF the Pacific that sought admitIance
apart from these ana many other trivial things this
with an assorted cargo that the oldest green grocer
would iail ,,,, to specify Al midngnt the WIND let
@ ae oe m nrn ocH oq ~ $40 e mIse s
which the ten greasy sailors and the tall captain be-
came very Wrathy. The captain. by the way,
OF twenty tons did not rise to his knee He was
good fellow wltnal, and seemed to be under the I'M
the spacious poop deck-three feet by i've, old mea
surement Any attempt to 60 forward Of the main.
MdSI WIS u Feckle5S iedt COHscienHOuSly aVOlueuf
poo pSs deck chs sAss Of
ing up and sitting down Immediately afterwards:
At times the sun drove us into our hole below, but
a stretch on the sacks OF potatoes afforded little
comfort, and so for hours we kept emerging from
our conceamenta and returning thereto in despair at
intervals of ten minutes. IL was noticeable, more
over that the lug sail was in very fretful humor,
generally venting Its spleen on the wooily-headed
tars. whose precious time was entirely occupied be-
tween eating greasy rice. smoking greasy pipes and
Pearl Pearl islailds looked We very beautiful ut a dis.
tance; the native craft hugged the coast
e May the oIt s %
and what with the irritation produced by day, sand
the tcstlessness produced oy ni2ht, diamonds might
have ralned on deck and lain there untouched. But
the troubles oil this floating pen could not last much
longer, and on the mornng OF the third dav out the
being rowed into the 1uyra river, where after flap
ping her wings and showing some general symptoms
oidrowsnesssn consented to anchor OF the INTEREST,"
ing settlement OF Chipagana. In half an hours time,
that is when the crat had settled herself In the mud
as If for steady sleep OF few weeks canoe came
alongside and having transferred our effects
thereto, we were poled ashore amid the bcwider-
ing looks OF very lay crowd OF loungers
whom nothing short OF an earthquake could
possibly move. There were yet forty-lve miles to
be gone over in order TO reach Pinogana. and as 1t
was impossible to proceed by land and as there was
no conveyance at hand 10 start up the river delay
OF thirfy-elght hours was experienced.
THE SETTLEMENT or CHIPAGASA.
This Is the season when tile india rubber hunters
return for months carouse prior to again going
forth to the woods. The sun was about ITO degrees
in the shade and II seemed If Chipagana SINCE
ing on Top OF q sinoulderng fire. or the 400 lnllab
noon. Some stood In docrways and slepl
some dozed on chairs; many swung In
The sen e n n1ed
with tailors-ceased playing with fish bones. and
rotten vegetation and the lanK and hungry dogs,
with their friends the pigs, stretched themselves at
full length on the hot though humid earth. These
striking symptoms OF progress continued till even.
Itself. Tall, gaunt women and lat, stumpy matrons
lt their cigars and squattns themselves IN 'front.' OF
tae boys returned to the stagnant pools, the men
helped themselves aud Chipaaana was awake. The
dogs and pigs having been kicked INTO m sense OF
Mas made Tor food win yarylng success;
Kept up the ealre night relieved at inter.
yais by the complaining Rrunts OF hunted hogs
gi nave Sas maaS By ne s
when rival chanticleers commenced their upr0arlOus
strains. In truth, Chepagana was left behind with
no regret, and as we stepped into the fol.
lowing morning at haf-past one o'clock, the relief
experienced by the transition ellclfed heartfelt eX.
Of BY dyg, a ne canoe mo- ,hrs mad
| machateros worked with will. As the principal
feature OF the TuYra river and its tributaries were
I'M Unnecessary e " to R Refer T to them again. After an
exceedingly hard days work the canoe touched at
| the settlement OF Zeal de ST. Marla where halt
| was made. Allowing the canoe to proceed to the
headquarters at Pinogana we resolved 10 strike out
through the woods, the distance being much shorter
By land. II most tedious journey, though the
rays or the almost entirely shut out by the
| thick and towering vegetation The steam launch,
In command Of Mr. ]. d. J. Kelley, master, mas been
stationed at PInogana whence provisions are trans
ported to the front. This settlements nearly double
as large as that OF Chepagana, scarcely so dirty,
but with something OF the same dog and pig features
and about an equal amount Of characteristic lazi.
ness. There are In all about one hundred
ana twenty huts, occupied mostly by
| the rubber hunters or caoucheros, as they
are called. Just now they are IN the
turned from the rubber districts For the last week
or SO they have been enjoying their brandy and
cock fights, and Will return to their ordinary pur
suits IN fortnight. Poor fellows they have a
dreary life Of It, but nevertheless appear to be per-
fecuy contented in their
They are subjected to a state OF slavery from
| which II Is improbable they will ever emerge. In
| the first place. there Is what Is known as "the
patron,n who In most cases Is cunning darky,
with sense enough to have scraped together good
| round TO start with. The patron, by
the WAY. generally keens store containing all