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Show 394 PERSONAL ADVENTURES seek relief by perching after the fashion of our galline predecessors. T~ put a climax to our miseries, 've were packed together as close as '"e could lie; and the smoke from the fire underneath puffing up in thick clouds, between its pungent influence and the caloric evolved from our bodies, we ran imrninent risk of suffocation. Amongst the persons subjected to this fumigatory process were three officers in the United States navy, and an assistant-surgeon belonging to their vessel. Although accustomed to perch aloft in all sorts of weather, I question whether they had ever encountered such a hard niO'ht's 0 service as they were compelled to undergo on the bamboo spars of this detestable cockloft. Such shifting and turning, and restless feverishness, alternated by the n1ost pitiable groans and the 1nost ludicrous maledictions, it has never been n1y lot to assist in; and I need not say that, when morning broke, we were but too happy to swing ourselves down frotn our unco1.nfortable elevation, and, after a scanty and hurried meal, to bid adieu to a place of entertainment 'vithout a parallel in the discomforts of road-side ad venture. Entering our canoes soon after dawn, we rowed down the river to Chagres, and arrived there after a passage of between six and seven hours, during nearly the whole of 'vbich tin1e the rain poured • IN CAtiFORNIA. 395 down in torrents on us. Of all the filthy towns I have ever seen-and it has happened to me to visit many in different parts of the world-I must accord the pahn to this place. The population numbers about one thousand souls, and consists aln1ost entirely of negroes, the dirtiest and most indolent of the race. It is impossible to walk through any part of the town 'vithout sinking up to one's ancles in mud. Such an impression does the appearance of this place rnake on the majority of the Americans, that I was told, as rather an amusing illustration of it, that t\vo persons who bad recently sold off their property in the States, 'vith the intention of settling in California, had no sooner set eyes upon Chagres, than they detertnined on returning home, one of them declaring that nothing on earth would induce him to cross the Isthmus. There are but few Americans settled here, the clirnate being in general fatal to foreigners. I had scarcely arrived before I began to feel the effects of it on my own frame, in a general lassitude and depression of spirits. A good deal of this may be attributable to local causes, susceptible of 1nodification, with improved habits and greater attention to cleanliness on the part of the population. The ouly object worthy of notice here ir;; the fort at the tnonth of the river. It is situated on |