The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-04-28
Especial correspondence OF The Globe.l
LETTER FROM AsPINwALL.
Scenery along tho Panama Railrosd-Ths
City Of Pharmacists rks-Easter Services,

PANAMA, April 10, 1875. o
Editor Rutland Globe This Ia the sec d
md Easter Sabbath that have passed on I
he is.hmus, and as church 10 over and
AVE an hour or two before tho Colon =
caves, / am going 10 improve the time by {
otting down few things to send to you
Tor the benefit Of your many readers, and
Tho only excuse that can offer for doing
il to-day is to quote the old saying, 1.-THE
better the dsy the better tho Decd" l have
often mentioned the beautyof the scenery
along the line Of the road, but in one part
Of it, every time when passing 1t, have
thought how much 1t resembled some por-
tions of the country on the line Of the Rut-
land road between Rutland and Bellows
Falls. A, we leave the summit, the high
est elevation OF the road, we come first to
small native settlement called
Culcbra, (the snake) which was
the terminus In 1874, and which
at that time was thrifty settlement boast
Ing three hotels Gall kept by yankees or |
"Americanos," as they are termed by tho
nstiyes). In which have been Informed
three or four thousand people were slowed
away for night. With the completion OF
tho road to Panama the glory of this place
departed, and nothing but two or three
miserable huts now remain to tell OF its
former greatness. Hero the road passes
through deep clay, cutting from twenty to
forty feet IN depth and about quarter OF
mile long. Passing through this cut We
commence the descent to the Pacific slope,
descending a grade OF about 60 feet to the
mile. The first thing that strikes the eye
of the traveller after leaving this cut is the
beauty and grandeur Of the scenery spread
out before him. High conical mountains
are on every side, they being one dense
mass of foliage. Prominent among the
trees seen, are tho nut palm,
from which hang great clusters of bright
yellow nuts, the 'liguum Vita with its
bright yellow flowers, and towering high
above them all being the grand cedro tree.
from which the natives hollow out theiI
bonpos or canoes. The road lies scr0iitl
frequently crossed on iron bridges. From
the appearance Of the country one car
quickly see that the whole region gives un.
mistakeable evidence that great volcanic
forces were instrumental in it's formation.
there is no continuity of the mountain
ranges, all being separate from each other.
About mile from the summit is the re-.
mains OF what WAS once:a huge basaltic
Cliff, which was formerly one of the great
euriosities OF the isthmus, and 1t 10 said by
those who have seen it in its former gran.
deur that 1t bore strong resemblance to
the palisades of the Hudson, and a. it
used to stand it seemed to threaten
the safety OF the trains passing on the
track at its base. The railroad COMPANY.
however, made free use Of it in ballastipg
the road, and all that 10 now TO he seen of
1t are few OF its crystalizations that have
been left, and the remains of an old crush.
or that was formerly used 10 break the
crystals after being unlodged from their
rocky bed.
AT this point We get our fret view of the
"Rio Grsnde' narrow and noisy stream.
ito black and muddy waters winding along
through dense forests far below Tho track
among insumerable varieties Of tropical
wood that interweave themselves together.
We travel along this beautiful scene for
'"'"s 'snuy Va aiaiso (raradIssJ. mo
name Is well chosen, the valley being en-.
tirely surmounted BY conical hills and here
mother Nature seems 10 have expended
her choicest wealth. I canno, better des- |
cribe it than BY quoting In full a descrip-
ton Of this spot As given by an ofrlcer con.
nected with 4 surveying expedition on the |
Isthmus . few years ago. "There is a |
wonderful splendor, variety and luxuriapce |
in the vegetation at this beautiful spot.
The verdure Of the mango and orange
groves, the colors of the flowers, and bios |
soms derive vividness from the trauspa-
rent purity Of the air and the deep serenity |
OF the heavens. The forests are full of |
life, warming with birds Of brilliant plu-
mage, painted varieties of parrots and
woodPeckers create a glitter among the
verduro OF the groves and the humminp
birds rove from flower to flower resembling
animated particles of rainbow. Nor Is
the least beautiful part of animated nature
the various tribes of insects peopling every
plant displaying brilliant coats Of mail
sparkling like precious gems"
TO one only accustomed TO see the
thickly populated country usually traversed
by railroads, and familiar only with the
forests Of our north, such sights az wo Gee
in this valley gives US fine illustrations of q
tropical forest, and those who have only
read of them Can form no idea Of what
they are; nothing but clear view of them
can give tho least impression Of their
denseness and the beauty of everything
with them. have passed this
valley dozen times or more, and vet every
time that l see it something new and beau
tiful 10 presented to my eye, aud have
never yet tired of gazing at it intently
when passing.
Leaving this valley, passing around the
base of conical mountains and crossing
more deep ravines and muddy streams, we
soon reach the low lands and swampy
marshes OF the valley OF the Rio Grande,
one sight OF which Is enough, and we
would fain return to the beautiful spot we
nave left behind US, but speeding on, there
s. soon seen to our left the "Cerro de los
buccaneros," 0he hill Of the buccaneers)
rom whose summit the pirate Morgan, on {
lis marauding march across the isthmus
n 1870 had the first view of the city of old +,
'anama, and whore he encampcd the night
previous to his attack and pillage OF that n
'ncient city. Continuing on we cross two
harrow tributaries OF the Rio Grande, and
Don reach vine undulsting country which
8 enlivened by huts, and fields of rice and
orn. To our right 10 seen the high peak !
allied Mount Ancon, and on our left ruins Il
4 an old church, the walls being complete
y hidden by the mass OF foliage which |