The New York herald., 1871-05-15


The majority OF the natives being indolent and lgno
rant are readily imposed upon BY some Of the more
willy OF their sable companions. They work JusS
sumciently to provide for the comm0nest neceSsa.
ries. content with the anticipation Of prolonged
carouse, after which they become penniless and
must work again. merely to repeat the dose and SO
they live rom year to year, almost without knowing
the object OF their existence In point Of cleanliness
or department. tney are assurediy Tar beneath the
Indians, whom they affect to desp:se, ana whose
territory they invade IN search OF india-rupDer:
and times wnen are ns two rabse T5ee
hunters abandon themselves TO the full swing
OF their barbarc amusements, the principal
tney iolned by the women, VINO, lieu OF sing
Ing. scream until they are hoarse. Chpagana IL,
health is concerned, well-regulated penltentiary
would be the more preferable. Tne huts are all
huddled together, the atmosphere is sitting ana the
swamp at the eastern END, through which the pigs
gambol and grunt Is
SUFFICIENT TO CREATE PLAGUE.
The monotony Of the day occasionally varied by
the spectacles presented in the narrow lanes.
little naked urchin mounts a 2ood-sized hog OF his
own eDony color which, perhaps, frightened at lne
encumbrance, starts on AT q good pace. Then the
hali-starved cur dogs, by way OF irohc. but In
reality 10 dispel the thoughts OF hunger JON IN pur
suit. yelping ut q great rate. AS general thing
the hunt Is maintained with spirit until the boy
mmbles INTO the gutter. where his watcnul parents
oltentimes md him asleep Bongos arrive at inter-
walls from Panama with provisions, Tor which the
natives know now to charge good round sum. Tnere
ing Chlpagana until santa Maria IS reached the
next beng Moleneca and the last Pinogana. They
pec and are totally devoid of interest except ior
the old associations connected with them. Here and
there the remains OF an old Spanish fort may be
seen, but time and the whitening influences OF the
climate have rendered them so many irrcclaimable
WRECKS Those regions were never sought in the
first instance to render the wealth Of the soil
s1be and available by permanent Improvement or
the means OF internal communication, but TO hastily
rake together by any means, however violent or me-
farous, SUFFICIENT OF the precious metals 10 purchase
a lie OF luxury and Incidence In the Old World. The
gold hunter, the man-kiler has been here; the puc
cancer has cut his desperate path lis rugged
businesses; the Spanish solder has fought and died
to preserve the hidden which bis coun-
try claimed the right the schcmer has led hther mis-
victim TO perish its tnhospitabe shores, but all
have left the region OF ruyra river as wild and DESC
late as tncy found il But whether by
this route or any Other the time has come
when the dream OF centuries must be realized
The barrer across The istnmus must BE- broken-an
enterprise which not only the demands OF commerce
but the voice OF the hurricane winch howls around
importance and necessity 1t Is only by the earnest
labors OF such an expedition as that now engaged
in the present survey That the country can become
known. Should 1t appear that the route by the
Tuyra river ana up the Cue Is smpractcabe for canal
settle the question: 80 far as tins portion of the 18TH
mus Is concerned. The investigation has been OF
the most complete description, but If the route does
not exist ny way Of the Paranchita river from the
Atlantic tt Will be something TO know 1t. Even
though the mncn-taKed-of divide" should turn
out to be more tnan four hundred feet which Is not
unlikely, there are those who would Offer strong oD
ectons to this route because OF It's length and more
especially on account OF the " st sum That would be
required to complete the work. Undeterred, now
ever, by the
VARIOUS EXPRESSIONS OF OPINION
which his exploration has given rise to Iom-
mander Seifrdge has worked 2ealousy since the
commencement, In the hope that a route does exist
In tins direction. An important result or the eXpe-
diton VIII be the Ieilable knowledge rs to this
section OF the fstnmus 1t Will ImDart to the word.
press, beneficial or otherwise, upon lts Wild ana
tangled surface. 1t remains the same uncieared,
mnclnyated, unwhoesome district Tor centuries.
The forests still thick, impenetraole iungles OF
huge trees ana matted underwood, swarmlng with
venomons reptiles. 1t Is certain, however, that the
Spaniards were we'll acquainted With the shortest
road from ocean to ocean, and that III fact that the
country better known two centuries ago than IL
Is AT the present day. But all well-organiaed eXpe
ditOns contribute SO much TO the knowledge as to
the shortest the most feasible and the cheapest
route across the isthnus.
on the e1st ull., as already mentioned, an open
launch, rigged as sloop, set sail from ,hpagana
ior Panama IN charge q Lieutenant curtis to con-
other passengers were MIR. Crawley, captaia's clerk,
the ecoioglst and your correspondent together with
q crew OF four The distance 10 Panama was
about l20 miles. With lair breeze the little craft
scuddea down the river in good styles but once into
Ing, when the launch vas lnpeed by gentle wind.
on Punta Lorenzo not ripple was to be seen on
until O'Clock IN the morning when we again got
under way. Tnc beautilut Pearl islands were
the launch did not arrive at Panama until the 24th.
Much speculation is INDUCED in mere as to the re-
suit OF the expedition. Those who have been Coz
posted themselves thoroughly upon the subject OF
canas, are not inclined TO regard the present sur
vey with much favor, and contend, perhaps with
some excusable degree OF prejudice, that the shortest
and only feasible route across the ishmls is by way
OF the Chagres river. the entrance to which Is now
beng sounded ana examined by The officers OF the
United states steamer Nipsic The Resaca Will leave
Chpagana about the 10th nst., and after landing
The oucers OF the expedition at Panama. viii proba
by proceed 10 Caila0. The United Stares' 'storeshp
Guard now lying IN The Gulf of Darien, has orders
TO be IN Aspinwa before the 18th ins on or about
which date she will clear for New YORK.
mhese are The stare OF facts mp to the present date
Il.Ah
be success while that by way OF the 1uyra and Cue
rivers does not warrant the bright expectations pre-
viously formed OF IL, Judging BY the intelligence
yeyed rom the mountains nearly month ago IN rela
tion to the height Of the elevation. The rainy season
Is close at hand and before many days the operations
of The expedition must entirely cease.