The New York Herald Newspaper, March 19, 1854, Page 2

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THE NEW OPERA H OUSES. The Academy of Masic—Desexiption of the Ballding. > known a which is now i “New of the The magnificent York Academy of M erection on the corner « rte eet and Irving place, will be compleied about the middle of next June. The institution was inco| of June, 18! was laid about a year ag ‘was fixed at two hundre: has been found nece hundred thousand. The amount of capital honsand dollars, but it Nearly the whole of this sum, Mr. Phalen, the President, informs us, has been | subscribed, and the stock is held by two hundred persons. ‘The ground upon which the building gtands was bought about two years ago for sixty-five thousand dollars, by the President, who sold it at its original cost, on condition that it should be pat to the purpose to which it has been applied. The object of the persons by whom the project was vonceived was to furnish a building in which operatic wformances could be given at a price which would c. them within the means of the great mass of the people, who have hitherto been prevented from at- tonding such amusements by the e: sive charges, Jn the New York Academy of Music, it is proposed tto fix the entrance fee at a dollar and a-half a dol- lar; but this may be changed before the building is thrown open to the public. Mr. Hackett, who of- fered to take a lease of it, has, it is said, entered into an engagement with Grisi and M the terms of which both to ap opening; but it i in that he will be the al other propositions have been re- ~ been acted upon. The com- ames Phalen, John Pa, ‘les A. Davis. Ac. cording to the plan adopted by the stockholders and directors, the manager, whoever he may be, will have to pay three hundred dollars'a night for the use of the building, while each stockholder (250 in all) is entitled to a free sea The choice of S$ among those privileged individuals is to be decided hy lot and the tickets will be sferable; so that the ma- nager will thus be deprived of the best places in the house, and the public, by whom the enterprise must be supported, of an equal chance with the stock- holders. The New York Academy of Music will be used oc- wasionally for concerts, balls, public meetings and theatrical performances. It is calculated to hold four thousand six hundred persons; and such is the immense space in the interior that there will be suf- ficient room forthe same number standing in the passages, lobbies and halls. The building, which is two stories high on the exterior, has an extent of 204 feet on Fourteenth street, and 1224 on Irving place, while its height Trom the level of the sidewalk is 794 feet. The style of architecture is the Roman of the fifteenth and wixteenth centuries, and the general appearance of | the exterior, when finished, will be both chaste and beautiful. Four large pilastres, with Corinthian capitals, at the wings, and six of a smaller size in the centre, support the main, cornice and parapet. ‘The mouldings, ornaments and capitals are of cast iron, a material which is coming into more exten- Bive use every day, in the construction of buildings A magnificent balcony, seventy-four fect in length ‘and projecting several feet over the sidewalk on Fourteenth street, will present a cool and delightful retreat in the summer evenings when the heat be- comes oppressive. This balcony will be illuminated by parti-colored lamps, elaborately ornamented, and willform a promenade equal to anything of the sind ever erected in this country. It was origi- Nally intended to construct a similar balcony on he Irving street side, which would at the same ame form a covered carriageway, but this plan jas been abandoned, and a moveable awning gas been adopted in its stead. Thirteen im- ‘mense windows, each twenty-five feet in height, gnd surmounted by a Roman arch, open on the front balcony, and four of the same dimensions on the gide facing Irving place. There are, also, four niches for statues emblematical of the character of the building. The projections of the main front are formed by the pilastres, but do fiotextend more than pfoot from the main body of the structure. The whole exterior, contrasted with the Astor Place Opera House, will be light amd elegant, and will compare favorably with some of the finest structures of the kind in Europe. The body of the interior, or what the Romens would call the cavea—the space appropriated to the gpectators—consists of the parquette, three tiers of boxes, and the gallery. The means of egress are sufficient to prevent any serious consequences in case of fire. There are thirteen doors on the ground floor, including the mein entrance on Irving place, which is twenty feet in width. These lead to the parquette and the first and second tiers of boxes ; but there is, be- rides, a spacious outlet from the gallery, on the north Ride of the building. The gallery stairs are made of | cast iron, so constructed as to prevent the possi- | bility of an accident in the event of a sudden alarm | pf fire, or from any other cause. They are cylindri- | eal in form, and guarded by strong iron railings or | bannisters, while the walls are constructed of fire proof materials, and are three feet thick. This is a part of our public structures to which little attention has hitherto been paid ; we are, therefore, pleased to see that it has received that consideration to which its importance entitles it. It was designed to divide the parquette into two ections, but we believe that this plan will not be ad- dered to, and that there will be no distinctions made vith regard to the distribution of seats. There is one eature ubout this part of the interior which is par, icularly deserving of notice: the floor can be clevat- to a level with the stage by means of screws,and the whole theatre converted into a magnificent ball room, one hundred and forty three feetin length and ninety three in width. In this respect it will be similar to some of the largest theatres in Paris and Berlin, which can in a few mi- nutes be transformed into so many ball rooms.— "The entrance to the parquette is by two side doors near the proscenium, and it can also be entered in front. The first tier of boxes will be supported by caryatides, which will give the interior a grand and classic appearance. The chairs will be very capacious, the dimensions of each being two feet by thirty-one inches, and will be so con- structed that the seats can be folded up to the back, fo as to facilitate the passage of persons between them. The prosceniw twenty-seven feet deep having on either side twelve boxes, each containing peats for twelve persons. The great depth given to this part of the stage is to prevent ‘tie sound from reflecting, thus obviating one of the principal de- fects which exist in some of our public buildings. ‘The stage itself is seventy feet in depth and one hundred and fifteen fect wide. The precautions which bave been taken to secure the oudience against fire cannot be too warmly commended. A large iron Bereen or curtain will be placed immediately behind the prosceniom, and will be so constructed that it fan be. Jet down in less than half a minute, thus cut- ting off all communication with the body of the house. Thus, if a fire should happen to break out bn the stage, the audience nearest the orchestra will have time to escape before the flames can reach them. We should also state that in addition to this fire screen there will be a large reser yolr of water onthe top of the building, which may be made available at « moment's notice, and by the aid of long lines of Lose can be brought to bear pn any part of the building. Asthe spread of fire among the scenery would be too rapid \o render this plan completely effectual, a regular net work of perforated pipes has been placed over the stage, so that when necessary, a perfect deluge of water can be frained,down upon all parts of it at once. Due attention has also been given to the proper Ventilation of the house. Frequent and just, com- plaints have been made against the system, or pather waat of a system, of ventilation, in nearly ses ades | Cortland Palmer, Reabea ' every place of amusement in the city; and with one or two exceptions, we do not know of a theatre in | which this great desideratum has met with proper attention, In the new Opera House, however, there will be no want of pure air, if the present plan is carried out. A hot air chamber, with numerous pipes or conductors running from it to various parts of the houre, will be constructed in the roof, and these, acting as force pumps on the lower stratnm of- air, will cause a constant agitation of the atmos | phere in all parts of the house. The impure air will be drawn up through the hot air chamber, while its ary since to increase it to three | place will be supplied with a constant stream of | fresh air flowing in through the windows, doors, and the ventilators in the roof and cornices of the build- ing. | The green room will be situated on the left side of the stage, and the drawing rooms on the right These will be fitted up with more neatness than is generally bestowed on such apartments. The paint shops for the preparation of the scenery, are lo- cated on the same side with the drawing rooms, and arranged to suit the peculiar mode in which the Ttalian, German and English scene painters perform their work. There is, we are informed, a great dif- ference in this respect between the artists of differ- ent nations; for while the Italians paint their scen- ery standing against the wall in an upright position the Germans and English both paint it as it lies on the ground. ‘The walls on the interior of the building, behind the boxes and galleries, wil] be lined with boards, a plan which experience has proved increases, while it mellows, the volume of sound. In the first story | there will be a magnificent saloon, fifty-four feet by twenty, and on each side of it two coffee rooms, and | in addition to these there will be another saloon in the basement. The decorations will be of a superior description, and the scenery of the stage, we are told, will be in | the highest style of art, while the machinery and theatrical appurtenances will be as perfect as human ingenuity can make them. So say the managers; and as we have not as yet seen any of the arrange- ments,‘we merely re-echo their statements in this re- | spect. Mr. Allegri is the decorator, and we under- stand that he has the greatest part of the scenery hed. The drop curtain was completed a few ys ago, and is said to be unequalled for beauty of design and artistic fi Niblo’s Garden and Opera House. It will be gratifying to the public to learn that that attractive and popular place of amusement, Niblo’s Garden, is undergoing extensive improve- ments, and will be thrown open in the course of a few weeks. The theatre will be greatly enlarged, and, when finished, will be capable of holding about four thousand persons. Another tier has been added, and the whole interior will be decorated in the most artistic manner. No expense has been spared by the proprictor to render it the most popular place of the kind in the city, and its central location will always give it a pre-eminence over all others, It has also the rare advantage of being well ventilated, and its means of egress are not surpassed by those of any other public building in New York. Mr. Niblo intends producing the latest and most attractive novelties for the coming season, and, with his usual business tact, has had his agents in Europe during the past month, employed in making engagements with some of the best artists there. With such attractions as he will have to present, he has nothing to fear from competition. THE AMAZON BASIN. The Official Reconnolssance of the Amazon Basin—Report of Licut. Gibbon. ‘The first part of an exploration of the Valley of the Amazon has already been published. The second part, which has just been completed and sub- mitted to Congress, comprises that portion of the ronte of Lieutenant Lardner Gibbon, U.S. Navy, through South Peru, Bolivia, and down to the Ma- deira River, in Brazil. | ‘We have had access to some of the notes scribbled | ‘nthe saddle on the Andes by Lieut. Gibbon, on | his lofty and interesting journey. He says:—— ‘Tarma, o small town in Peru—by Alpha and | Beta Centauri—in latitude 11 deg. 25 min. south, is situated in a rich, well cultivated narrow valley, between the Andes range of mountains on the east, the lofty Cordillera chain on the west. On the 9h July, 1851, the writer turned south cast, accompanied by Heury C. Richards, a native 0! | Virginia, in the United States, and , Jose Casas, of | Spanish descent, a native of Peru. A volunteer mes- ‘zo arriero, With his little son, drove a train of mules, which carried the baggage. The ravine through which we ascend is thickly populated with Quichua Indians. Their houses are built of stone and wood, and thatched with coarse mountain grass. The natives are busily employed gathering the harvest of maize, which is small grained, and of four colors—red, white, yellow, and blue. Potatoes, of which there are numerous varie- ties, are also now gathered. They grow in perfec- tion, though much smaller than their descendants in the United States. The little estates (chacras) are owned by de- scendants of Spaniards, Indians, or mestizos—the latter a cross between the two former. In almost Il cases the cultivation of the soil is performed | oS ' call the table lands—are built much after the same by the aborigines, at wages from ten to twenty cents per day. The Indians celebrate harvest time with merry making. Meals are cooked in the fields, where their kitchen utensils are carried. It is amtus- ing to see these happy people enjoying music and dancing in the barley stubble. When we meet them they are very civil, modest, and unassuming in manners. The men carry enormous loads of barley or wheat on their backs, while the women drive the loaded ass, and sling the chikiren over their own shoulders. Horses, mules, sheep, horned cattle, pigs, and dogs, are all admitted, together with the family, into the harvest field. While the father reaps and mother gathers, the boys tend the flocks, and the elder girls take care of the babies, and spin woollen yarn by hand for stockings, a pair of which | was offered for sale at twenty-five cents, nearly long enough for trowsers. At the top of the mountain not a house or tree was to be seen, and no sign of cultivation. On tufts of coarse mountain grass a flock of sheep were grazing. some of them good sized merinos, Wool is sent to Lima, where it is sold to be exported around Cape Horn, to the manufacturers in the north. On our left we see the remains of an ancient Pe- ravian road, used in the times of the Tneas. It is mid that good roads are marks of civilization; could my mule Rose give her opinion she would certainly decide in favor of the Inca road in preference to those fonnd in Pera at the present time. These re- | mains show a width of thirty feet of rock pavement, with well-placed curb-stoues on cach side. Where | the road has considerable inclination, rows of stone are placed across higher than the general level of the pavement, so that it appears like a stairway on the side of a hill. That it was not a coach road is no argument against it. It was made before the horse, the ass, or the cow were introduced into South America from Europe. It was constructed for the Indian and his lama, who are the surest of the sure- footed; aud therefore the improvement speaks well for the but a traditionary record. Upona plain on the mountain top was a cistern by the side of our path, where water is caught dar- ing the rainy season to supply the thirst ia the dry. The wet season commences here about the middle of September, sometimes later, and lasts six months; the remainder of the year is dry, ‘To the east isa snow-peaked mountain, and as the moon rises, as if from tl followed by a cold north y have sunk fn the Pacifle sea, shade of night, where not a liv seen, except a black eagle returi place under overhanging rocks. of al peak our littie tent was pite gage piled up and covered at the door; the mules let tree for the night to feed upon the monntain grace oxound us. A fgg was kindled and water from he sun seems to g us under the ng thing was to be | view of the great valley of Iuaja, stretching aw: y | south, The snowy peaks are represented ina sketc! | | tion of those times, of which we have | asmall spring heated; tea was made. Jose pro duced bread and cheese from his saddle wallets, which he placed upon aclean cloth over a trunk, and looking into the tent, he says—‘ Senor, la hora de cena” —Sir, it is the hour of supper. Both men and beasts seem tired, after ascériding all day, and the first day’s travel is always the most harrassing. Our arriero, Francisco, is @ small, slim built man, with respectful manners; he and his little son Ignacio, keep watch by turns over the mules. The night was | clear and cold, the moon shining brightly. The world is not so silent in the middle of the ocean, I do not think I heard anything. I almost listened to hear the globe turn upon its axis. Long after the people were asleep, I heard little Ignacio singing to himself, wrapped up in his homespun poncho, as he followed the mules. At daylight in the morning we found heavy frost and ice about us, with the thermometer at 24 deg and wet bulb 30 deg. The mules were loaded, break- fast over, observations made, and we were off soon after sunrise. This is the way to travel at an eleva- tion where we find no inhabitants. The mountains are becoming more rounding, and | ovcred witch a fine sort of grass. Sheperdesses are following thousands of sheep and lambs. The girls spin wool and chat together, while the dogs follow lazily after. Here comes a cheerful party of Spanish Creole la- dies and gentlemen on horseback. As we pass each | other, the gentlemen take off their hats, and the la- | dies look prettily under their white straw ones. Their figures show to advantage in riding dresses, and they manage and sit their horses well. The | cool mountain air gives them a fresh color, which contrasts well with gazelle-eyed beauty and long black hair. I thought their dresses rather short; but asight of the foot of one of them, small as it was, reminds one there is proof positive against the pro- priety of a man’s travelling through this world alone. Crossing a small ridge on the east, we camein fall from our camp near the town. Tuaja has a population of about twenty-five hun dred inhabitants. I say about, because there is no such thing as a census knownatthiselevation. The houses are built one story, of adobe wall, or of unburnt bricks, and tile roofs; the streets are we! pares and run at right angles with eachother. The ndians come to church and market at the same time —Sunday morning being market day. A drove of horses are miserable little rats; the horse of the low- lands and coasts are much their superior. Men live to a good old age in this climate; seven- | ty, eighty, and ninety years, are common; some have | arrived at one hundred and twenty and one hundred and thirty. Iam under the impression that the In- dians live longest. Mestizo and Spanish Creole , girls have been known to bear children at eight and nine years of age. | José’s wife and children came to the tent, and brought us supper, and lucerne for our mules. One of the sons, a fine looking boy of eighteen, volun- teered to go with me. José desired I should let him go, and I had no objection; but when his mother came to ask me if I was not satisfied to take her husband without taking her son and only protector, Treferred José and his son to her. She settled the | case in her own way, and gave me her Blessibe, | Silver mines exist three miles to the east of Iuaja, | in the Ande range, but have been abandoned. Some. contain water, while others have been exhausted | ‘Wool and eggs are the principal exports to the sea- | ort of Callao; the latter are passed round the coun- ry as current money or coins, some time before they are sent over the Cordilleras to be eaten. Three fresh cape will buy sixpence worth of anything in the market of Iuaja, while the same number of bad noes bring a shilling in Lima. Coarse cotton and | woollen cloths are retailed among the people at enormous profits. The Indians prefer bluc and scar- let ‘colors. Our road lies through a rich valley, often four miles wide, and level as a floor. Gangs,of Indians are engaged threshing barley, which is separated from the straw by the tramping of oxen and horses. The grain is cleaned from the chatf by be- ing poured from the top of a man’s head on a windy day; many of them suffer with inflamed eyes, and even lose them sometimes by a shift of wind, which blows the barley beards into the eyes. Black cattle are numerous here and at the foot of the mountains; so are white churches, which stand in the midst of a thick population of Indians. Tax therers are going among the threshers with silver ecaded canes, receiving measures of in instead of contribution money. They are old Indians, very well dressed, with standing collars and broad brim- med hats. It is an active time with the Relcots also, | who go abroad among the farmers for tithes. | The valley is all activity, and many are the peo- ple—women are visiting about from Sad to place, | astride of plump little jackasses. This is a plenti- | ful reason. When the ei fail on these table lands, the suf- fering among the Indians is very great. Seed time is in September, just before the rains commence. | If there are hard frosts in February, the chances are _ that famine follows. The mestizos are shoemakers, blacksmiths and | saddlers; they seem fond of music and dancing, and | aseume_the pride of a superior, and lord it over the honest Indian. | The mountains on both sides are dry and unpro- | mashed bp in So Liked Aig! ee yer ay ce placement of earth is very uring the rainy season the mountain torrents come down from the summit loaded with soil. The decrease in the size of the mountains from the time of their creation to the present day, and the filling up of the basin, naturally leads ‘one to wonder whether the present | valley was not once a lake. _ The Tuaja river, which takes its rise in lake Chin- | chaycocha, to the north of Tarma, flows sluggishly and serpentlike ts the whole length of the valley, and creepin; rough the Andes, suddenly rushes off ata rapid rate, as though sensible of its | long journey, by the Ucayali and Amazon to the At- lantic ocean. “These waters descend over 11,000 feet before they mingle with the briny deep Ap- ple trees are the size of raspberry hes; flow- ers give the valley a fresh appearance, but the san is very warm as we pace along a dusty road. There are few varieties of birds in the valley; some pigeons and doves keep the table pretty ‘well dtiplis . All the towns on the “ Puna”—as the Spaniards fashion, and of the same material; the only differ- ence in their outward appearance being produced by the cultivation of foliage and flowers, where the climate and soil permit. When this is not the case, the town presents a stupid, uninteresting as- ect. Children, dogs and pigs, earthen pots, and ds of straw, surround a smoking fire on the ground floor of a one-roomed house; the smoke es- capes through the doorway, the only opening for light or a change of air. During storms, or at night, the doorway is closed by a raw-hide; one peep inside satisfies the North American he can find no rest there. The affection the different species of animals have | for one another on these heights is remarkable. The | dog, in any other place, will sometimes kill and eat | | the sheep; inere he protects it by night amyl by day. | The pig forms an attachment the jack ass, who | leaves it at this season of the year for the fe- | male of his own kind. The ram becomes intimate | with the hore or a bull, and it is with difficulty whe | can be separated. The lamb follows the Indian girl, | in direct disobedience and neglect of its mother’s call. Domestic cats are few; they cannot live on | | high elevations, | roves of jackasses pass, loaded with small raw | hide bags, filled with quicksilver from the mines | | of Huancayelica, on their way to the silver mines of | | Cerro de Pasco, | Descending the river, we came toa beautiful white- | washed new stone bridge, with one arch, thirty feet above the stream. Paying « toll of a shilling per mule, we crossed the Iuaja, into the small town of | Iscuchaca. Near the river there are patches of lu- | cerne and peach trees, in blossom. A native of Co- pete en, in Denmark, came forward and invited us | to his house. The people had told him his “couutry- | men” bad arrived. He was a silversmith and apo- | thecary, but had been employed by the Peruvian go- vernment to construct this beautiful stone bridge, | which he had finished, and married the first pretty girl on the street leading therefrom, daughter of a | retired officer of the Pernvian army. Iscuchaca is pleasantly situated amidst wild moun- | tains, which seem to lock it up. The Tuaja winds its way towards the Atlantic, while we climb a stee} towards the Pacific. There is no part of the terri- tory of Pera more densely populated than the valley of Inaja. Mut fine mules are dashing down the narrow road. | The driver tells me he is from Ica, bound tothe Cerro | de Pasco mines, where he trates mules for silver. We ascend the top of the mountain and see perpe- | tual snow in all directions, overhanging with heavy | black, cumulous clouds above, which the cirrus shoots | upwards; in the zenith, the sky is clear and of the | deepest blue. Spring water 44 deg., air 45 deg. | White wild geese and black wild ducks speckle a | lake of pure snow water. Tadpoles, but no fish, are ' to be seen. Lamas are pasturing ani giving birth to their young close under the perpetuut suow liae. Alpacas and huapacos, aspecies of the lana, are ia aumbers also, ax occupy the useful position, amuag te abortginal race of Sonth America, that the camel does to the wandering man in Arabia. These ani- mals carry loads of one hundred pounds over roads too dangerous for the mule or the ass, and ¢lim)) in vitn- tains difficult forman, They are principally i conveying silver fromthe mines. When one lag: be hind or lies down onthe road, the Indian tallc. t» it, end persuades it to op its fatigue and set up again. They hang little bells about their g aceful necks, and decorate the tips of their ears with bits o. colored band. Their dispositions, like that of their masters, is gentle and inoffensive, except when | the administrador, a tall, smallpox-marked mestizo, , this two hundred and twent; years, Santa Barbara | hun | the loma, like what our hunters call “‘ buffalo clips.” Our Callao Correspondence. Caxxao, Peru, Jan. 25, 1854. Our Past and Present Trade with the Qhinchas— The United States Conswlate—Mr. Marcy's Cir- cular Again—The Gold Discoveries on the Amazon —~Peru: Her War, Rebellion, and Trade Difficulties Quinion of Americans—Catherine Hayes in Callao and Lima—A Marriage—Sanitary and Shipping Reports. Previous to the discovery of guano on the Chincha Islands, the port of Callao possessed but little im- portance, so far, at least, as trade with the United | States was concerned. But at this time our trade here is so extensive as to be exceeded in not more than half a dozen foreign P seit | Liverpool, London, Shanghae, Havre, &c. During the too much hurried; then they cast saliva at the In- er ee . require verylittle food, which they pick up on the moun- tain, and are much more temperate than their drivers, rogearing vay little water. Their loads are | taken offat midday, they may feed, beat nata- | rally d to eating late suppers. Tam told that | even when the driver neglects to give them time | during the day, be will not take food at night. They seek the cold regions of the Andes; nature has provided a warm fleece of wool, and they need no shelter. elon they are feeble animals, their usual daily travel is about fifteen miles; but after three or four dave journey they must have rest, or they perish on the road. ‘The motion of their heads and necks as they cross the moi crags may be likened to that of the swan as i¢ floats over smooth water. The wool makes good coarse cloth of various colors, seldom of one color. year more than four hundred and fifty American Huanacos are known by being rather larger than | Vessels visited this port. The Chincha (or bed bag) the Jama. They are said to be difficult to train, | Islands, lay one degree to the southward. Vessels even if taken young. They never gives up their | trading there must frst call at Callao to obtain their ideas of liberty, and will regain their companions | permits, and after loading return here again to whenever an opportunity admits. clear for the homeward voyage. The al is the smallest, with the finest lon; It is very singular that the consulship here has wool, body resembles the sheep, with the he: been so long overlooked by President Pierce’s ad- and neck of the lama. Like the others, the meat is | not very Lape Alpaca wool is known in the ministration. The emoluments of the office must be many thousand dollars yearly, and they most markets. South Peru and Bolivia, great num- | likely far exceed that amount. e present incum- bers of these New World camels are raised. bent is a Mr. Richardson, an h @ After a long and tiresome descent, we haltedin | Scotchman by birth, who has the office for the main plaza of the town of Huancavelica, in front of a small op on the corner, near the cathe- dral. Drawing out a letter of introduction to the owner of the house, given to me by my Copenhagen “countryman,” I handed it toa very pretty young nearly four years past. He was the clerk of Mr. Johnson, the last eee appointed Consul, who, upon leaving here for California, gave him r to act as vice consul. The Americans Tosiding here are much dissatisfied with the course of our woman seated in the doorway, sewing. She invited | vernment with regard to the office. They tl me in, and I followed to the bedroom of her hus- | and very justly too, that a sul of Great Britain band, who was napping. There were 0 many | is not a suitable person to hold the office. His feel- female dresses hanging around I was obliged to be and ies are thoroughly English, and he seated on the bed. The husband shook hands, | ap] tohave little it of our people. Then thought he has employed in his office a Peruvian, to whom he is paying high wages, while at the same time there are many Americans here out of money and employment, who would be glad to obtain the sitaa- ie This much for Mr. Secretary Marcy’s instruc- ons, You will very much oblige the American residents of this place by calling the attention of the adminis- tration to the above. Tell them to send us any Americans, and we will be satisfied. We will not to enquire whether he be hard or soft, State ight or ‘abolitionist, democrat, whig, or what not: we will be content and happy. Like the distin- panee and faithful squire of Don Quixote de la Mancha, we will “ bless the giver, and never look a to tartaropers inal aa discoveries of gold far as regal re iscoveries of gol on the head waters of the Amazon, there is no relia- ble data upon which to base speculation. Certain it is, however, that parties of Americans are leaving every few days for this point. It is said that a quantity of gold dust was pees down from the mountains a few days since, but I place little reliance upon the story—one reason of which is, that there is no direct inland communication between this place rubbed his eyes, gaped and then laughed; said he was very glad to see me; that everything in his house was mine. While I was resting, an officer, with gold laced cap, gray trowsers, and a half buttoned military jacket, came in and inquired from. whence I came; and as he was a lieutenant of police, he would thank meto show him my passport. In return, he was asked whether in his opinion the world was not suf- ficiently civilized to pees the people to pass with- out such documents? It is very certain the Lieu- tenant never had such a question put to him before. I told him to call when my baggage was unpacked; but never saw him again; though I heard that Don —— had told him that North Americans required different treatment from those of some other parts of the world—they did not know what passports Teh HOR MANE they were a very intelligent people. e town of Huancavelica has a population of | about 8,000, and is situated in a deep ravine, amidst a cluster of aoey peaks. It is the capital of the department, and was named by the Incas. ‘he town is divided into two parishes, counts six | churches, a hospital, and college for young men, in which physics, chemistry, and mineralogy, are and the re placers. The route from here is by taught. The boned is adorned with a fountain of | the English steamer, or by sailing vessels, to Huan- stone; a cath stands by the side of a mountain chacho, two hundred miles to the northward; from of cinnabar, which contains the celebrated quick- | thence by way of Truxillo and Cerro de Pasco to the silver mine of Santa Barbara. Aieep up this | eastern side of the Andes—distance about three mountain we came to a doorway, fifteen feet mee | hundred miles from the ‘ormer post. and twelve wide, carved in the sandstone. The | What with the late difficulty with the American entrance on the southeast side of the peak was | ship Defiance, the war with Bolivia, and an internal like a railroad tunnel. The eternal glaciers are at | revolution, Peru has about as much on her hands as this doorway; icicles hung overhead, and sheets of | she can well attend to. The war with Bolivia, how- ice spread under our feet. ever, is more child’s play than anything else. But Sooty-faced, rough-looking Indians trundled | the rebellion, of which Senor Elias, a former. Presi- wheelbarrows loaded with quicksilver ore. When | dent of the republic, is the head, is giving the gov- ernment great uneasiness. The insurgents al said to me, “We are ready, sir, to escort you through _ have possession of the cities of Arequipa, Punra an the mines of Huancavelica,” I must have felt like a | Tacna, the former the second city in and impor- man soxtenced to be buried alive. We entered this | tance in the country. dark hole, about six hundred feet below the top of | Americans are closely watched here, particularly the mountain. As we left daylight I thought of | those coming from California, They are Rokea upon home; then we heard a dreadful crash, which the _ as adventurers, ready to engage in any undertaking, mestizo informed me was the upper part of the mine however hazardous, which promises excitement and falling in. A hollow sound was followed by a splash danger. 1’. Belcher Kay, a man well known in your in the deep waters somewhere below; then came city, was recently ordered away from the country. suddenly a strong smell of sulphuret of arsenic, A | He left in the last English steamer for Valparaiso. little further on I saw a ae of eyes through the | President Echenique, however, takes matters darkness, I called to Richards to hold his torch- | very coolly. He is now rusticating at Chorillos, light; we were travelling east-northeast by my com- nine miles from Lima, seine aps ie is time to the pass. The eyes belonged to a little Indian boy amusements of the cock-pit and bling room. standing on the side of the mine, with a load of ore He is said to have made three millions of dollars on his back, while we passed. Hehad come through | since hik elevation to office. & narrow passage, called “ Take off Your Horns,”on | ‘The frigate St. Lawrence, Com. De Lancy, is lay- his hands and knees, and had raised a choking dust. ing directly off the castle. She has not yet saluted After refreshing ourselves at a spring of water of the Peruvian flag, though she has been here over 60 deg. temperature, we passed into a plaza, where | four weeks. A mi took place on board on the market women sell to these men, who seldom _ Sunday, the 22d inst. The were an Ameri- leave the mines. On one side of the plaza, by hold- | can Faeveg and a Peruvian lady. According to ing the torches over our heads, we see a beautiful the Catholic faith the marriage is, of course, illegal. ge, and beyond it a stairway leading into utter Miss Catherine Hayes gave a concert in this place darkness; on the other side a lake, the opposite on the night of the 23d inst. On the following even- shere not in sight, thongh the sound of a hammer , pert she sang in Lima, for the benefit of the hospi- | floats over its smooth waters. As we move along | tals. She was assisted by Madame Biscaccianti and among red brick-colored columns, which suppor the | Mrs. Barrilli Thorne well known ia New York. immenee weight over our heads, we see a torch Shy ellow fever has made its appearance here in by the side of the workman, seated with his hammer The poor people are, of course, the and chisel cutting away and honey-combi the | worst sufferers. i Andes. The administrador tells me we are half-way | The clipper ship Hornet, which made the shortest through; if I wish to climb up stairs we can get | om recort | between San Francisco and this near the top of the peak; turn which we will _ port, left on the 18th inst., for Hampton Roads, with we find a road to travel. Ttold him to be pleased to | a full eargo of guano. Cosmorouits. keep as near on a level as possible. After bumping | our heads and walking doubled up in a most tire- some position, with great want of fresh air, we final- stood up in the San Rosario Church, which is | 7%» pyeather at rotunda-shaped, with a height ‘of one hundred feet | to the ceiling. Over the altar was carved, in solid cinnabar, the pear Mary, with the infant in her arms. As the Indians , With hat in hand, they turn, and, kneeling under their heavy loads of ore, | say a short prayer, cross themselves, and pass on by the light always burning at the altar. The laboring | Boog Fhe oi iene ope Cente se ance of clear cold weather or of the white mantle when the churc call, and offers w ayer Tor protection from the dangers of the mine- en fn Parnes tty domrecs Our Canadian Correspondence. Qvesec, Feb. 27, 1854. Quebec—Departure of the Premier, and Speculations as to the Cause—Removal of the Parliament House—Horrid Murder—An Execu- tion set down for St. Patrick's Day—Interesting Breach of Promise Case, §c. §c. We have no reason to complain of a short allow- mn Sunday evening, in this rotunda he meets his A earth Gk Wik ce ac opeteee te RTT n Ree hoe Tate lake; they tell of seeing Nef a at the point of the have yet had. In the city some streets were so chisel, far overhead, instead of driving it further to- | blocked up that people had to get out of their wards the bowels of the earth. | houses by the upper windows; and the roads in the ‘The cinnabar is 0 narrowly separated by layers of country are so filled that the , Which usually sandstone that the peak may almost be called a solid mass of quicksilver ore. At present there are one hundred and twenty Indian men, women, and boys employed in extracting the metal. The work of those who cut out the ore is not without its dan- start al 5 A.M., are ah (2 P. M.) en route. Our Prime Minister, (Hon. Francis Hincks,) is now on his way to England. As a matter of course, the on dits cting this movement are legion; some asserting that Mrs. H., who is now in London, rs. As the compass is never used, the ignorant * indian often ‘chisel away the proper support, when vey peste reactreet ne peso bs jlo great, heavy masses cave in. band; others zo! a that it is quite settled After a walk of two hours, we came into fresh air on the north side of the mountain. The ore is car- ried out on both sides of the peak in bags of raw hide, slung over the backs of boys, and then wheeled to the furnace near by, where men break it up into bits, while women make small cakes of the dust. These are laid in the bottom of a large iron grate, sufficiently open to allow heat to pass, and over them the ore is filled in to the depth of three feet. A fire is made underneath, of coarse mountain grass, a strong draught carries the vapor from the cinnabar through a retort of earthen pipes slipped one into the other to the distance of five or six feet, where it condenses,and the quicksilver lodges on the floor. After the ore becomes well heated, which generally are now located in @ large honse in St. Anne street, takes eight or ten hours, the doors of the furnace while the Sheriff has shifted his quarters, and is are closed, and for three or four hours the distilla- now in ssion of the City Treasurer’s rooms. tion continces, After this, the glace re is “ie 94 The jude " ‘bar and Prothonotary remain in statu into pots, washed in water and dried, when. it It is not intended to disturb the latter func- ready for the market, and is sold here at one dollar onary, at all; but it requires an act of Parliament per pooh , i is sent off in all directions to the sil- to displace the two other bodies, and accordingly Ver. suihes oF Pera. | Parliament will meet to a bill for that By this rude method of mining and smelting the | and then adjourn for a few days. sree geni loss of mercury is great. The joints of the earthen |. There is some little excitoment here about the Ju- pipes are luted-with clay, throng which the vapor | lien murder case. ‘This young man, whose wife had escapes befure it has time to condense. It i: diffj- | been removed to her father’s residence on account of cult to regulate the heat by the dry mountain grass, | his (the husband's) intemperate habits and vio- which blxzes up and passes away in 4 moment, 80 | lence, became 80 incensed at the father’s refusal to thet the doors must be kept open, @ man constaatly | gjjow his daughter to go back to him, that, after re- that the eminent financier in question has gone home to be knighted, (not at all unlikely;) while others say that railways have taken him across the Atlantic. Some of our young citizens are of opinion that he is the bearer to the home government of an offer of ten thousand Canadians to assist in the Russo-Turkish struggle. However, he will soon be back again, for the meeting of the Provincial Par- liament cannot be postponed beyond the 14th June, and Ministers have accounts to settle together be- fore that time. As I have already informed you, onr present Court House is to constitute the next Parliament buildings. The City Fathers have moved out, and 1g 5 * | ‘the nie faearned by the government, and leased | Pear at iain eatotion oe ad ae nee 0 « company, who keep secret its annual zee The | into o house where the farmer had paint d in on his laborer’s wages are never more than fifty cents a way home one evening, and, extending his hand as day. They are sappliad by the company with al! | i¢in {riendship, stabbing his victim to the heart with they requiie from the shop—a sort of purser’s store | 9 chisel, inflicting a double wound to make sure of 1ocin—altogether a profitable business for the com: | hie pur . ‘The usual plea of insanity was urged jany. It often happens that when the day of | on his behalf, but notwithstanding the efforts of able jaborer is in debt on the books 5 jeckoning comes, the of his employer. He is then obliged to return to the mine and work. Cinnabar is said to be found at the distance of ten leagues, in all directions, from Santa Barbara, and the Incas knew of and made use of it. Re- mains of small ovens, in the shape of retorts, have been discovered. ‘The Indians used it to paint their faces. ‘The only account found of the annual yield of this celebrated mine was from 1570 to 1790. During counsel, the verdict was “ guilty,” and he was sen- tenced to be hanged on the 17th March. The aged father of the murderer has without difficulty pro- cured numerous signatures to a petition for a com- ciety have formally protested against the infliction of the extreme penalty on St. Patrick’s Day, and have etitioned*for a yg It is said that the Attorney jeneral is averse to capital punishment, and that the administrator of the [ah capece has ag omg decided upon commuti ig the punishment into im- nisonment for life in us, although the law pronouncesd death to be the murderer's doom, the Attorney General, in a case in which not the slightest extenuating feature pre- produced 1,040,469 quintals (100 pounds) of quick- silver, or an overage of 47,204 pounds per annum. The price during this period varied from filty to one drea dollars per quintal, according to the tariff of Sad fixed by the Spanish crown. ‘eople wear thick cloth her known is mountain grass and and repeals the Iaw—for what ciitvinal, however dark and odious may be his offence, can here- after with justice be made to suffer if this cold- blooded assassin is permitted to escape 7 We have lately had an interesting breach of promire case, in which the jury awarded $4,000 dam- ages, the full amount demanded, and expressed their regret that they could not mulct the defendant in a heavier sum. He had excused his refusal to mairy the plaintiff, (who is a very pretty aud amia- ble woman,) on the plea that she had proved to be lewd and immoral, &c., but he failed to prod@ve any evidence in support of his charge. is very strong against him, por to leave the place. The only fuel d droppings of Huancavelica is on the inland ronte between Li- ma aud Cuzco, distapt from the former seventy- three leagues. This, although not the shortest dis- tance to the coast, is yet the best road at the present day, leading to the best seaport. The roads are very narrow and rough. It would be impossible to draw a piece of artillery over them in their pest condi- tion, Cargoes arrive from Lima in ten days; rail boxes on mules travel the distance in six days To Ica, filty leagues, cargoes take eight diys. ‘The Pretect of the department was very kiad o: attentive. He gave me passports for al) the | nants of police in South Pern, and called upon as good citizens to assist me; besides, Mered ine private letters of introdnction to ris friends ou my ronte. He expressed the opinion that My. Gisvou ‘was Probably goin to Cara! for the purpose of aecertaininy ether the gold there was not “ ve other end of the Catiforats vein.’ u | Lolically cleaving the air above. my head. A target is erected upon the ice, in the direction of the Isl- and of Orleans, and every day, for two or three wok. sents itself, taker upon himself legislative power, | t | practically at the mercy of American a‘iventurers, should mutation of the sentence, and the St. Patrick’s So- | Provincial penitentiary. | | Spain may Took out tor aqua tos | As] write bombshells from the citadel are para- | honts, the gunners of the Royal Artillery are exer- | cived at this practice but there is no reason to be- | lieve that they are preparing for Constantinople | New Books. Mesers. Virtue have sent us the Apocalyptic Sketches and the Voices of the Day by Dr. Cum- unas. Every one knows the great popularity these works have already attained on both sides of the water. Dr. Cummings is by far the most popular of modern religious writers, His Apocalyptic Sketches are probably his best work. Messrs. Virtue’s edition is neat and creditable. A work that will be gratefully received by the reading public is Dr. Kanz’s account of the Grinna Expedition (Harper Brothers.) Our limits will not enable us tosay more than that the extraordinary man who has already, in the vigor of youth, lived. more than most sexagenarians, and earned great fame as a soldier, a sailor, a traveller, a surgeon, and & philosopher; has not injured his reputation by adding to these titles that of author. The Harpers have done their work well. The book is got up, and many of the plates are striking and graphic. Joun Livinaston has published another volume of Portraits of Eminent Americans now Living. Most of our readers are aware of the character of the work; and it will not be necessary for us to do more than recommend them not to purchase it. Were it obnoxious to no other criticism, elegance of typogra- phy and steel-plate engraving would not redeem poverty of idea and disingenuousness in narration. . Three little volumes of poetry lie together on our table. One is entitled An Epic of the Starry Hea- vens, by Tuomas L. Harris. We learn from the introduction that Mr. Harris isa spiritualist, an@ that he “spoke” the poem pow published “in the course of fourteen consecutive days, being in a trance state during its delivery :” also that “the precise time occupied in communicating the whole was 26 hours 16 minutes.” Horace’s poet, who could write ever so many lines in an hour, standing on one leg, is thus surpassed; but then he had not the advantage of spiritualism. The epic as a whole, is wild and unintelligible. There are not wanting passages where vivid imagery and gracefal rhythm strike the reader; but common sense and connection are sadly deficient—Mrs. Mary E. Hewrrr has published a volume of Poems Sacred, Passionate, and Legendary. We chanced upon several pretty stanzas in the book; and classing it as belonging to the L. E. L. order, slightly dilated, like it well enough Another little volume entitled Cut-flowers, by the late Mrs. Suzrarp, will also re- pay a glance through its pages. Simple, unpre- tending, and womanly, Mrs. Shepard’s relics will pes her friends, and provoke no unkindly criti- The Old Brewery (Stringer & Townsend) is the title of a series of sketches published by ine Ladies of the Five Points Mission. It isa pl contrast to the work which has recently appear- ed on the same ocay and kindred 3 and can safely be read by the of both sexes. The. tales are interesting, and the moral invariably sound and obvious.—Carlington Castle, (Bunce Brother,) is a furious anti-Catholic diatribe in the form of a novel. Those who like to hear the Jesuits abused should read it—Emerson BgnNeTT’s novel, Kate Clarendon, is in his usual style, which is v captivating to the hardened novel reader. It of course disgracefully issued on blotting paper with bad type, by Peterson of Philadel We have received Senor Soupan’s report to the ernment of Peruon the Penitentiaries and the enitentiary Systems of the United States. Senor Soldan came to this country some time since, ex- pressly commissioned by his government to study and inquire generally into our m of peniten- tr iriecns hale aview ror ae oa into Ape —t we may be permit form our judgment work that lies before us, he has perieet difficult task in a most satisfactory manner. @ man of studious habits and a discer mind, he described with great accuracy minuteness of detail the best penitent of the ’ ‘ the , his United States, without nt etd or 01 any dud aid it in establishing a good penitentlary system. ani ing a pe 8 iy ly consulting aS Pree a] wba oped thors who have written on this si he has not only made himself acquainted with their doctrines, but appears also to have applied their theories with considerable tact and al to the purpose of his commission. His plain and easy lan- ~ guage is, moreover, i ecles with and candor, and a mind is enth to the civilizing object which it to pro- of action, the number of votaries in favor of prison, reforms; a f Fie ideas of Senor daldan cite ene aoe meet, al e Perw with the reception Ceara ledge the receipt of the Sixth Annual Re of Inspectors of Rate Prisons, which fae the usual amount of useful information. Our usual mont for rehome an excellent nmr, conta watos than ithout dulness. We think the will find bn aa fag ooh of the same materials as ; steals 8: bad wood cuts ag Putnam’s does ecombeaiin aoe makes its debut in the world on as bad Graham has to answer for. Its leadit atticle who could have guessed it tthe the Last Minstrel, by one Walter Scott.—' lates of the Art Journal as much as aston de Foix is insij Val St. Nicola has an in Pioneer, a monthi; cisco, California, is a-very creditable that region —The Practical Mechanic’s Journal, and Practical Draughtsman’s Book of Industrial Design are as carefully got w — by their publishers, nd e ‘a0- Stringer & Townse have only to Quai (Fowlers & Wella) the ‘Medi- ‘owl cal Monthly (Putnam & Gon) N. Y.. Medical — for March. The Catalogue of the Great Exhibition (Putnam & Co.) has just concluded, and is now complete. We can safely pronounce it to be one of the most remarkable works of art, so far as wood ~ ee tte ae that have ever in this country. It is not likely that the can ever repay the ex, of the engravings: and while all praise is due to C. E. Dopler for the admirable man- mer in which his share of the work has been formed, Putnam & Co. are entitled to'no less penile. gratitude for the enterprise they have soi and the manner in which their work Leen achieved. Tur Case oF THE Back Warrtor In Wasn- INGTON.—If we can believe our ears, there is no little pro- dability that, on receiving official information from the President, annow: the facts in the steamer Black Warrior's case, =e as le a ta the new ors, Con- gress author! chiet trate of the ‘United States to suspend our neutrality lawa* with reference to Spain, by proclamation, if the steamer and ate 4 not released by the Spanish au- thorities in Havana ina few hours after news of that action of Congress may reach Cuba. For the time being the anti-Spanish fever be with great violence. . Even among members regarded as free sullers, we hear appeals for letting the filibusters work their will on Spain's Px. er in Cuba, at the first summons from the Creoles of the * island, We know that some of the knowing ones have actually wagered that in sixty days our neutrality laws willbe » thus ‘suspended. s he Captain General, by his hiqh-handed outrt has struck a cord which Promises to vibrate anything but agreeable music in his ears—that’s certain. In one month after the President may be compelled $o issue such | 4 proclamation, one hundred thousand armed Americana nijght easily be landed from various points on our coast on the Island of Cuba. ons At present France and ic have their honds quite full at heme, leaving the island Congress tay the word, Under the existing state of exas- perntion, heightened immeasurably by the too favorablee Reason of the prise, ” . ‘The fact that not a vote gainst the resviution of inquiry pro- > shows that the House are no ‘oceed at once to the subject mat- ‘ashington Star, Mareh 11. pr'unities for the chea: was cast yesterday posed by Mr. Phill Freans fudisposed to ter in a procticnl way.— Excursion or tae Leqisnature to Urica— Many members of the Legisinturo, the press, and several ladies, left this city Saturday morning for Utica, on an invitation to visit the state Lunate Asylum near that city. ‘They arrived there nt about 11 o’elock A. M., and oceededin carriages to the Asylum, where they wero welcomed by Dr. Gr y, the gentlemanly acting euperin- tendent, and were conducted through the various depart ments, after yarcaking of a rich and bountiful repast. ‘The guests and a number of the inmaies assembled in the chapel previous to leaving, where eloquent addresses yore delivered by Dr. A. L. Malthle and Mr. Beebe, a - mates of the institution, and Hon. Benjamin Jay, of Assembly. The guests returned to the city about tem, o'clock Saturday evenin .—Allany Register, March 13, admire the

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