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A. #- &###################### * ve * COrmpiled by T HOMAS WERIGHT HUERST, Fronn Various Authorities. CG) PY RIGHT EY THOZVNZRS VV RIGHT HU RST, 1393. Isthmus of Panama, Nicaragua, Canal Routes. Etc. / - Compiled by Thomas Wright Hurst from various authorities. m-w-us * INDEX. X Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Nicaragua Canal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . º e º e s p e º e s & © e º e e º e º e º e e 3 Darien Canal Route. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 A Darien Ship Canal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . - * * * * * * * * * * * * e o 'o e e ... 7 Nicaragua Canal and Monroe Doctrine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Nicaragua Canal. . . . . . • * * * * * * * * * * * . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 The Panama Canal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Nicaragua Canal. . . . . . . . . . . • * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 19 Isthmus of Panama. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... • s = e o e 20 Dr. Caldwell’s Exploration. . . . . * * * * * * e s e º e s = e s e º e s e e e 20 Com. Prevost's Exploration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , e º e º e 21 Isthmus of Darien Ship Canal—Dr. Cullen. . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Capt. Fitzroy, R N, On the Isthmus of America. . . . . . . 22 The Atrato Route. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 The Chagres or Limon Bay and Panama Route. . . . . . . . 23 The Route from Chepo Mouth to Mandinga Bay. . . . . . . 23 Humboldt. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 23 Line from the Upper course of the Tuyra to the Atrato or the coast of Darien above its mouth. . . 24 Nicaragua Canal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • e = * * * * 24 Panama. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . * * * *. . * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * • e s e e s 24 Route from San Blas to River Chepo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Route from the Southern part of the Gulf of Darien to the Gulf of San Miguel via the River Tuyra....... 24 Sra. Wish roads, etc. . . . . . . • * : * * * * * * * * . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 The Concession . . . . . . . . ... • * * * * g º ºs ‘. . e. e. g. a a e e s w w w a º' e * * * * * * . 25 Dr. Edward Cullen's route. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Products of the soil. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 The Savana river. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . a • * * * * • * * * * * * 27 Harbors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... º e º 'º - ‘e s tº e º 'º a tº e º e º e º s e º e º s º ºs e º e e 27 Darien scheme. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... 27 Sr Walter Raleigh. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Cull n’s 1sthmus Darien Ship Canal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... e º s 2 & 27 Panam Canal. . . . . . . . . . . . • * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * > . * * * * ~ * 28 On the Bayanos river Isthmus of Panama. . . . . . . . ... e. e. t e e 29 The Hi tory of Darien and attempts to cross it. . . . . . . . 30 Detres against buccaneers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Don Arisa's projected road. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Darien Ship Navigation—engineer's report. . . . . . . . . . . . 33 S r Charles Fox letter to the Times . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... 38 Port Escoces—Caledonia Bay. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Channel Sassardi—River Savana. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Fuel tº del Principe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Savana River. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . e < * * * * * * * * e s s e = * * * * * * * * * . 42 Gulf of San Miguel. . . . . . . . . * ... • * * * • * * * * * * . . . . . . . ... . . 42 Ti e Atlantic and Pacific Junction Company. . . . . . . . . . 43 ‘’ver Darien–Dr. Cullen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Gisborne's exploration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Baron Humboldt to F. M. Kelley, Esq. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Strºlin's exploration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Prevost’s exploration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . * “.. • * * * * * * 51 Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • - - - - - - - - - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Folitºrial—Sun. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Dr. McD-rmott's letter. . . . . - - - - - - - - - • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 ( ; u f of San Miguel to Caledonia Bay—Rear Admiral - Charles H. Davis, U. S. N. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • * * * * * * * San Blas route. . . . . - - - - - - - - - - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Climate of Darien . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .* * * * * * * * * * * : * * * * * * * * * * 57 Gold mines of the Isthmus of Darien. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 #isborne's Darien Journal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Som Authorities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Panama Expedition—Tunnel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Surgeon l ionel Wafer—1699. . . . . . . . . ... * * *, * * * * * * * * * * * * * 60 R port upon the Survey of the Darien Line from Cale- donia Bay to the Junction of the Sucubdi and Chu- Culhadulå. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • * * * * * 61 Tº ealth . . . . . - e. e. e. e. * * * * * * . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Ni aragua. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (33 Pº hatma . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • ſº tº . * * * * - a e º e s tº e º a º is a tº e º 'º e > * * 63 Offici il report of Commander Prevost, R. N. . . . . . . . . . . . 64 * @rº, Gº & ºr ºt. 4. Tº gº gº # , ſº *T* • º “...i. *A*-*. 25%"º: - ºč PAGE Earl of Ellesmere's address “America”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 The Darien Ship Canal expedition........ ........... . 71 Official report of Milla's expedition—translation 1788. 72 Nicaragua Canal Bill. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . e º e e º e º e, e º a 74 The Maritime Canal Company of Nicaragua.......... 74 The report of the Government Commission U S A.... 74 Panama Canal. . . . . . . . . . . . . * * * * a e º 'º e • * * * * * * - - - - . . . . . . 75 The Inter Oceanic Canal of Nicaragua, published by the Nicaragua Construction Company. . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Isthmus of Darien Ship Canal........................ 75 Scotch Darien Colony. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Dampier. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • * * * * * * * 6 º' tº e s tº e º e s a e g c e º e a . 78 Villages on the Coast. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 Dr. Cullen's Explanation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 79 Report of the Morning Advertiser....... . . . . . . . . . . . ... 79 To Burn Forests. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 The Scotch Colony of Darien... . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 The Population (Granadian)... . . . . . . . . . . . . • - - - - - - - - - - - 81 Dr. Culler-Letter to the Times. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 Sir Charles Fox—Letter to the Times. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 Commercial Advantages of a Ship Canal Across the Isthmus of Darien. . . . . . . . . . . . . • - - - - - - : * ~ * * * . . . . . . 83 Mr. L. Gisborne, F R G S, and Dr. Caldwell. . . . . . . . . . . 85 Description of the Province of Darien or Great Golden Castile (Spanish). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . a . e. e. e. e. g.: º a a s e º a 86 A Former Rough Estimate of Cost of Proposed Ship Canal from the Atlantic at Caledonia Bay with those of the Savana flowing into the Gulf of San Miguel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • * e e s e s e s a ~ 86 Isthmus of Darien (Rear Admiral C. H. Davis, U S Navy). . . . . . . . . . . . . . * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * . . . . 88 Previous Expeditions to Tropical Countries—General A. W. Greely, U S Army. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Report of Historical and Technical Information Relat. ing to the Problem of Inter Oceanic Communica- tion by Way of the American Isthmus, by John T. Sullivan, Lieutenant U S Navy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Panama Railroad. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • * * * * * * * * . 92 Inter Oceanic Ship Railway. . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . > . . 92 Bourdiol Survey. . . . . . . . . . ‘. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... • * * * * 92 Tunnel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 s e º e º e º a . . . . . . . . . * * * * * * * * * * 92 Terrible Experience at Aspin wall on United States War Vessel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 Calms at Panama and Nicaragua. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • ... 93 Ship Railway—Letter of James B. Eads. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 Terrible Cyclone in Tehuantepec. . . . . . . . . • - - - - - - - - - - - - 94 Tides. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . 94 Canal Treaty between the United States of America and the United States of Colombia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 Nicaragua Canal Route. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 Insect Plague on the Isthmus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • - - - - - - - - - 94 Nicaragua Canal Bill. . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 San Juan River. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 Proposed Route of Mr. G. A. Karweise, C. E. . . . . . . . . . . . 95 Panama Canal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 Distance to Manila via Suez and Nicaragua Canals ... 95 Transcontinental Railroads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • * * * * * * * * * , 95 Clayton Bulwer Treaty. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... • e º is a 4 gº º is e 95 Survey for a Canal Across Isthmus of Darien (Com- mander Thomas O. Selfridge, U S Navy. . . . . . . . . . . 96 Survey of Savana River..... • * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * - - - - - - - . 96 Some Difference in Maps and Latitude and Longitude of Explorers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... • * * * * * * * . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 Remarks on the French Panama Canal . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... 96 Remarks on Nicaragua Canal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 Remarks on Proposed Ship Canal Route from Caledonia Bay or Port Escosces on the Atlantic Side to the Gulf of San Miguel on the Pacific Side via the Savana River. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97–98 ă ş . . . . . . . .” .*.* - --~~~ - • L - T --> * * ~ *-* - -ºr -º-º: º, ºr “ws sº - º * : *...* - A. Yºº - . . . . . Aſºº S : \º ſº ſº. . . . . ºf . º ºf A- .N.3" -- - - A2i. 9% º ºz/UYº: A RNS-3 ºr , ſ - - *... ". N - Z% A G-Sº The reader may be aware that for centuries the idea of a ship canal across the American Isthmus to unite the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans has been under considera- tion, and two canals, viz.: The French Panama, pro- moted by M. Lesseps, and the Nicaragua Canal, undertaken by a company organized in the United States of America, have actually been commenced, but by no means completed. I have endeavored in the following pages to give some description of these and some other proposed ship canal routes to unite the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Also to give some account of the Isthmus of Panama or Darien—its products, inhabitants etc. Also to introduce the reader to the Spanish officers, Don Arisa and Adjutant Milla, the brave Indians, the enter- prising Paterson, Dr. Edward Cullen, F. R. G. S., the f daring Buccaneers, Commander Prevost, R. N., Surgeon Lionel Wafer, Lionel Gisborne, C. E. and others who have resided on or explored parts of this interesting American Isthmus. That we should be baffled so long in this attempt to cut a canal across an Isthmus in some places only a few miles wide does not seem much to our credit and I have endeavored to show in the following r pages compiled from various authorities how and where it seems feasable to cut this canal. I also take this opportunity to thank the Press for the use of their columns and also distinguished gentlemen in America and Great Britain who kindly replied to my letters upon his American Isthmus Canal question. THOMAS WRIGHT HURST. TH MUS OF PANA zº # NICARAGUA # º |* CATSIAL FRCUTEs, E.T.C.; * : *** * *SºkºłNaºk &Nº. T. Zººl *Q ^2. \ººts 2A(\ºalſ (S W º “ExECUTIVE MANSION, Washington. *- Jan. 24, 1893. MR. THOMAS W. HURST, 84 LaSalle St., - Chicago, Ill. Dear Sir: I am directed by the President to acknowledge the receipt of your communication relative to the Darien Canal and to inform you that it has had attention. Very respectfully, E. W. HALFORD, Private Secretary.” “2574 NAVY DEPARTMENT, Washington. - * May 10, 1897. Sir: The Department has received your letters of March . . 6th and May 3, 1897, also a copy of your letter addressed to the President forwarded to the Department by letter from the Honorable the Secretary of State, relative to the construction of a ship canal across the Isthmus of Darien, and has placed these several letters on file for future consideration. Very respectfully, JOHN D. LONG, Secretary. MR. THOMAS WRIGHT HURST, 1275 Wilcox Avenue, Chicago, Ill.” “February 9th, 1893. Sir: 2? I am directed by the Lord Chief Justice of England to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 21st January enclosing a newspaper cutting from the Chicago 3. *- : *- - - -*-—xº~~e? - *- -—tºx—º->—-e--t * —-- -º * - -º- ºr---------------------------—% –4 Herald of the same date relative to a proposed new route for a canal across the Isthmus of Panama for which he is much obliged. His Lordship naturally takes an interest in such a project which if realized would tend to the spread of the benefits of civilization and a material increase in the welfare and prosperity of the nations, but in view of the collapse of the Panama undertaking it would seem as if many years were destined to elapse before a waterway for ships between the two oceans becomes an accomplished fact. I am Sir Your obedient servant, EGERTON B. LAWFORD, Secretary. MR. THOMAS WRIGHT HURST, Chicago, Ill., U. S. A. PETITION. CHICAGo, ILLINois, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. To the Honorable the Congress of the United States of America: Whereas we learn that an appropriation of seventy million dollars was voted by the Senate of the United, States January 25, 1895, to aid in the construction of the Nicaragua Canal; length of said canal route stated to be one hundred and sixty-nine and one-half miles from port to port—Brito on the Pacific and Greytown on the Atlantic. - Now therefore, we, the undersigned residents or citizens of the United States of America, do respectfully request the Congress of the United States before they grant any pecuniary aid for the construction of the Nicaragua Canal, to recommend that the Government of the United States do make an investigation and careful survey by competent engineers of the route for a ship canal across the Isthmus of Darien or Panama, in the United States of Columbia, known as the Darien route, and running from Caledonia Bay or Port ESCOsces on the Atlantic side to the Gulf of San Miguel on the Pacific side via the Savana River. The length of the proposed ship canal route has been estimated at thirty-nine miles, and has been recommended and advocated for Some time past by Thomas Wright Hurst, of Chicago, Illinois, who has ccllected much evidence which appears to show the feasibility of this short Darien route which also has the advantage of good harbors on both sides the Isthmus. The reader will please observe from the foregoing letters from General Harrison, President of the United States, and Lord Coleridge, Chief Justice of England, and the Secretary of the United States Navy. Also the petition to the Congress of the United States to which I have already obtained a number of signatures, and the following extracts from the Cement and Engineering News published at Chicago, also the Chicago Inter Ocean and Chicago Commercial Journal that I have for some time past advocated a route for a ship canal across the Isthmus of Panama or Darien, in the United States of Colombia, known as the Darien route and running from Port Escosces on the Atlantic side to the Gulf of San Miguel on the Pacific side via the Savana river. The length of this proposed canal route has been estimated at thirty-nine miles by Dr. Edward Cullen, F. R. G. S., and also has the advantage of good harbors On both sides the Isthmus. I propose in this work to produce certain evidence from different authorities in favor of this short Darien route, also to give some description of the Nicaragua Canal and the unfortunate French Panama Canal pro- moted by M. Lesseps. I may also state that I am not altogether a stranger to the public on this American Isthmus Canal question as a communication of mine on this subject may be found in the Clay Record of March 28th, 1895 (Chicago) commencing page 22, upon the proposed Darien Ship Canal. Also in same paper of April 12, 1895, a letter of mine on the Nicaragua Canal. Also in the Cement and Engineering News, published in Chicago, of October, 1896, commencing page 54, a letter of mine on the proposed ship canal route across the Isthmus of Panama or Darien. Also in the same paper of November, 1896, commencing page 77, an article of mine on the Nicaragua Canal which is concluded in the December number of that paper on page 86. In this connection an editorial appeared in the Cement and Engineering News, December 1896, on page 87, which as it may give the reader some insight into my proposed route I venture to quote: -- the Nicaragua Canal project. “THE NICARAGUA SHIP CANAL. Congress will shortly be called upon to deal with A well organized lobby is at work to secure an appropriation, or its equivalent— a guarantee of the canal company’s bonds by the United - States—of $70,000,000. while an American Isthmus Canal is desirable, extreme caution should be observed before money or credit is extended to aid the enterprise. Grave doubts have been cast over the feasibility of this project by competent engineers. The Cement and Engineering News for November contained the first installment of a carefully prepared article by Thomas Wright Hurst, on the obstacles which exist, and must be overcome, before this route can be made a practical commercial ship canal and maintained as such, in the face of serious natural impediments, lacking the essen- tials of good safe harbors on either the Atlantic or Pacific Oceans. The mouth of the canal on the canal on the Atlantic side being obstructed by constantly shifting bars, necessitating constant dredging to maintain a navigable channel, the entire 170 miles of the channel proper being periodically swept by terrific hurricanes with no shelter or screen on either coast. The line is also subject to frequent earthquake shocks, endangering artificial embankments and perma- nent locks, with a climate loaded down with miasma. Such a region does not present an interesting field for a great inter-oceanic ship canal. There is another route proposed which merits more than passing attention, full of promise, being only 39 miles in length with a cut of only 28 miles, piercing the Cordillera range at an eleva- tion of 1020 feet, while evidence is not lacking of a much lower summit level with several passes that might be utilized, and 13 miles of a natural waterway in the direct line of the proposed cut, with safe, sheltered natural harbors on either the Pacific or Atlantic Oceans, the entire route being through a fertile and comparatively Healthy and well wooded country, with favorable tides for the erection of dry docks. The proposed canal route will be practically self-cleansing. It was first projected by William Paterson, the founder of the Bank of Eng- land, and advocated, explored and minutely described by Dr. Cullen, and merits a careful survey before money is voted for the cumbersonae Nicaragua ditch. The facts canal between the Atlantic and the Pacific. --" - -- - ---T - - and data covering this route were described in the October issue of cement and Engineering News, OVer the signature of Thomas Wright Hurst, and is designated as the Darien route and extends from Caledonia Bay or Port Escosces on the Atlantic side to the Gulf of San Miguel on the Pacific side via the Savana River.” Before going further it may be advisable to give the reader some general idea of this proposed short Darien route. I will endeavor to do so by. quoting a letter of mine which appeared in the Daily Inter Ocean Tuesday, January 5, 1897, page 10. ſ CHICAGO, Ill., Jan. 2. To THE EDITOR:-Will you kindly allow one space in your well-known paper to make a few remarks in con- nection with the subject of a ship canal across the American isthmus to connect the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The route I advocate runs across the Isthmus of Darien or Panama, from Port Escosces or Caledonia Bay On the Atlantic side to the Gulf of San Miguel on the Pacific side via the Savana River, and is styled the Darien route. Length of canal route estimated at thirty- nine miles. It seems strange considering the many advantages possessed by this short route, that it should be overlooked. Clyde's geography page 355 states: “ISTHMUs of PANAMA.—The isthmus contains the two shortest routes that have been proposed for a ship One of . these is by the river Chagris to Panama. This route is only fifty-one miles in length but the other, called the Darien route, from Port Escosces, on the eastern side to the Gulf of San Miguel on the western is still shorter by twelve miles. The height of the watershed is not more than 260 feet. three feet in the Gulf of Panama, whilst that of the It appears that the tide rises twenty- Carribean Sea is scarcely perceptible and that at mid- tide the water on opposite sides of the isthmus are on the same level. This would give a current both ways, running three miles an hour, which would both scour the ship canal and aid the passage of vessels.” Nor are there wanting others who have regarded this route with favor, as I find no less an authority than Rear Admiral Charles H. Davis, superintendent of the - t • * naval observatory, in his “Report on Interoceanic Canals and Railroads between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.” (Washington 1867) commencing page 11: “GULF of SAN MIGUEL to CALEDONIA BAY-The next place in order is the line between the Gulf of San Miguel and Caledonia Bay. We have at both ends of the line harbors spacious and admirable in every respect, and on the south side there is a height of tide suited to the construction of docks for repairs, etc. It is held by many persons that no line of interoceanic canal merits serious attention unless it possesses this indispensable requisite of good natural harbors, requiring no artificial improvements except those for the ordinary convenience of commerce such as wharves and docks. * * * The principal point of interest in this exploration is of course the passage of the Cordillera. The course of this line is exceptionally healthy, while the outlets open upon coasts where violent storms are rarely known. The plains on each side the dividing ridge are of easy slope and readily penetrated. The Savana River itself would form part of the canal. Be- sides Cullen and Airian, there are other high authorities who have regarded the Isthmus of Darien the place where we are to look for the consumation of our wishes. Admiral FitzRoy, who, at the period when he last wrote (1853) had made a more careful study of the whole subject than any man then living, and whose opinions no one experienced in the hydrography of the globe will lightly question, has said: - “A strong conviction remains on all our minds that Darien should be surveyed without delay. The illustri- ous Humboldt declares himself thoroughly satisfied that the Isthmus of Darien is superior to any other portion of the entire neck for a canal.” - - - This route, from Port Escosces, or Caledonia Bay, on the Atlantic side, to the Gulf of San Miguel on the Pacific side, via the Savana River, has also been highly recommended by Dr. Edward Cullen in his interesting work “Isthmus of Darien Ship Canal, with a Full History of the Scotch Colony of Darien. Several Maps, Views of the Country and Original Documents,” second edition 1853. Port Darien, Escosces and the Channel of Sassardi on I find commencing page 14: “Caledonia Bay, the Atlantic side have an extent of eleven miles of safe anchorage in all winds and great depth of water. The Gulf of San Miguel on the Pacific side would hold the Shipping of the world. Excellent natural harbors as above; no locks necessary; no dams required. No such works are necessary, nothing whatever but a simple cut, distance across thirty-nine miles; greatest depth of cutting necessary 150 feet for scarcely two miles. Canal to be cut twenty-five to thirty miles. No dredging or deepening of river or other work necessary. Can be made navigable for ships of the greatest draughting Proposed depth, thirty feet. Water. Transit could be effected in six hours at one tide. Coasts peculiarly exempt from storms and hurricanes (see pilot books and Captain Fitz Roy) no volcanoes within some hundreds of miles; none have ever been known to have occurred.” Nor does Dr. Cullen, according to his own account, appear to have had any difficulty in crossing the isthmus at this point, as I find he states on pages 18 and 19. “Discovery of the Savana River and the route for the Ship Canal, viz: A feasible route to the Atlantic and thereupon immediately ascended and crossed from Canasas to the seashore at Escosces and back and subse- quently in 1850 and also in 1851, crossed and recrossed it several times and by several tracks the route from Savana to Port Escosces and Caledonia Bay, notching the barks of the trees as I went along with a machette Or cutlass, always alone and unaided, and always in the season of the heaviest rains.” Nor does Dr. Cullen appear to be the only one who made a map of this region of country at an early day, as I find in Gisborne's Darien Journal, the Isthmus of Darien in 1852, page 94, May 22: “I have had put into my hands a map of Darien Isthmus published in New Orleans by Dr. E. L. Autenreith. The interior is filled up with rivers and summit ranges, and so far as I can compare it with coast charts it appears very accurate. It is remarkable that between the Gulf of San Miguel and the Atlantic Coast the internal geography corres- ponds almost exactly with the rough maps given by Dr. Cullen and compiled, he says, from personal observa- tion.’’ - I also find in “Proceedings of the Royal Geographi- cal Society of London, volume 1, sessions 1855–56 and 1856–57, pages 884 and 885:” “CALDWELL’s ExPLORATION OF DARIEN.—During an official expedition made toward the end of last year to the Gulf of San Miguel, for the purpose of reporting - on the facilities for obtaining lumber suitable for ship. building, Dr. H. C. Caldwell, surgeon United States ship Independence, who accompanied it, met with Mr. Andrew Hoseac of Chepigana, from whom he learned the particulars of the explorations made by Dr. Cullen, Mr. Gisborne, Captain Prevost R. N. and Lieutenant Strain U. S. N. in 1853 and also in Mr. Hoseac's opinion, based upon information derived from the Indians, there existed a comparatively level track of land between Fort Principe on the Savana River and Caledonia Bay on the Atlantic, in a direction more northerly than that fol- lowed by Captain Provost of H. B. M. ship Viraja - (Virago). - obtained leave of absence for three weeks and, accom- panied by a sailor from the Independence named Parker, Set out with the intention of exploring this new route and on the 5th of April the party started from Chepi- gana and reached Principe on the morning of the 6th. . The next day the party started in a northerly direction. Captain Prevost's track was also crossed and on a tree was found cut the words, ‘W. Jones, Vorago, December 1853.’ An elevation of 160 feet was reached as near as it was possible to judge without measurement. For the -next three days the country to be crossed continued to be thickly wooded, of a gentle undulation, or almost level character. At evening on the fourth day the Atlantic was seen from the top of a tree through a gap in the hills in a north-eastern direction apparently about ten miles distant. The following morning, the fifth day, the Indians and negroes retraced their steps and Dr. Caldwell and Parker continued their route. Toward evening, on ascending a tree, the gap in the Atlantic range was again distinctly visible, distant about five or six miles, but the want of water and provisions com- pelled the doctor to return and on the morning of the - eighth day he reached Principe. Dr. Caldwell believes that the summit between the two oceans was crossed on the first day's march near Principe and that thence to the Atlantic there was a gradual descent. This agrees with the accounts furnished to him by various Indians in Chepigana and Zavizo especially with regard to the On his return to Panama Dr. Caldwell gap through which the Atlantic was so distinctly visible. This route Dr. Caldwell considers well worthy of being scientifically examined and he expresses no doubt of his being able by following the path he had cut to reach the Atlantic from Principe in four days at the outside.” In conclusion allow me to say that it is evident that a difference of opinion exists in regard to the summit level in this proposed Darien ship canal route and Dr. Cullen's statement in regard to the height of the hills must not be taken for granted until a complete and care- ful survey of the route is taken, but permit me to remark that whatever the height of these hills may be for a few miles that need not necessarily make this Darien ship canal route impracticable as tunnelling would be attemp- ted. A tunnel, however, I do not consider desirable if it can be avoided. THOMAS WRIGHT HURST. Speaking of this short Darien route an article also appeared in the Chicago Commercial Journal of Saturday December 26, 1896, as follows: A DARIEN SHIP CANAL. 's “It is rather strange that such immense sums of money should be spent in the effort to cut a canal across the isthmus of Panama at Chagris when a shorter and much better route is available not very far off. Dr. Edward Cullen, F. R. G. S., in his interesting work, “Isthmus of Darien Ship Canal,” mentions the Darien route from Port Escosces to the Gulf of San Miguel, via the Savana river as being only thirty-nine miles long, twelve miles shorter than the now better known Panama route and as being the only route posess- ing good harbors at both sides. Caledonia Bay on the Atlantic side has eleven miles of safe anchorage in all winds and a great depth of water, while the Gulf of San Miguel on the Pacific side would hold the shipping of the world. No locks he says would be necessary. “No dams required, no works necessary, but a simple cut canal to be cut twenty-five to thirty miles. Greatest depth of cutting one hundred and fifty feet for scarcely. two miles. No dredging or deepening of river or other similar work necessary. Can be made navigable for ships of the greatest draught. Transit could be effected in six hours at one tide.” Clyde’s geography at page 355, speaking of the isthmus, says: “The isthmus contains the two shortest routes that have yet been proposed for a ship canal be- tween the Atlantic and the Pacific. One of these is by the river Chagris to Panama. This route is only fifty- one miles in 1ength, but the other, called the Darien route, from Port Escosces on the eastern side to the Gulf of San Miguel on the western side, is still shorter by The height of the watershed is not more twelve miles. than two hundred and sixty feet. The tide rises twenty- three feet in the Gulf of Panama whilst that of the Car- ribean sea is scarcely perceptible.” Andres de Ariza writing as long ago as Oct. 28, 1781 speaks of this route thus: “A road recently discovered leading from the Gulf of Savana to that of Caledonia. It is level and suitable for wheels as far as the mouth of the Sucubte and from here it is easy to cross to the coast with beasts of burden.’’ Also in the Journal of the Royal Geographical Society for the year 1851, at page 172, Captain Fitzroy says: “We may be justified in repeating that there are seven distinct localities on the great isthmus where a And at page 176: “The illustrious Humboldt assuredly did not state that railroad, if not a canal is practicable.” he was thoroughly satisfied that the isthmus of Darien (not Panama) is superior to any other portion of the en- tire neck for a canal on insufficient grounds.” Charles Toll Bidwell, F. R. G. S. Chapter VI, Page 99: name has been invoked in support of several routes. Again “Isthmus of Panama’’ ‘‘The sanction of Humboldt's What seems to be certain is that he regarded Darien as the true point of the isthmus for a canal and inclined to cut across from Caledonia Bay to the Gulf of San Migue1.” It is remarkable that this Darien route was the route originally pitched upon for a canal across the isthmus. Why it was abandoned for the longer and less feasible In 1695 William Patterson the founder of the Bank of England projected a disastrous one does not appear to us. speculation, which was founded by the Scottish parlia- ment and sanctioned by royal authority. Five ships with 1200 men on board set sail from Leith for Panama on the 25th of July, 1698. tion in four months, arriving in the very bay which is They reached their destina- the Atlantic port of the now proposed canal (in 8 degrees *— 50 minutes north latitude) and having bargained with the natives for a country which they called New Cale- donia, the colonists fixed the site of what was to be their capital, New Edinburgh, and built a fort in its vicinity which they named St. Andrew’s. And it must be re- membered that a ship canal was included in the plans of the far-seeing projector. We have made these few brief references to this long neglected route in order to direct attention to a project which is now being launched in this city to organize a joint stock company to be called the Darien Ship Canal company for the purpose of fiirst making a careful survey of the route and then, if found as represented, to construct the canal. The enterprise is in the hands at present of Thomas Wright Hurst, of this city, who may be communicated He has at hand authorities with in care of this office. and data to satisfy the most incredulous. In order that the reader may have some idea of the Nicaragua Canal as compared with this short Darien route I will quote from The Daily Inter Ocean, Chicago, January 2, 1897, page 11: “CURRENT LITERATURE”—“The Nicaragua Canal and the Monroe Doctrine,” by Lindley Miller Keasbey. (New York, G. P. Putnam's Sons.)—“This is certainly a very timely publication for there never was a period, perhaps, when there was more wide spread interest than This is the first volume to offer anything like a connected history of now in the question of inter-oceanic transit. the various isthmian canal projects. Let us hope that it may not be the last. For in spite of the enormous labor represented in it, which can hardly receive too high meed of praise, it yet has grave deficiencies, which some less partial historian of the future must correct. - Profes- sor Keasbey starts out with two assumptions. First, that the Nicaraguan Canal scheme is fully practicable, and Second, that it is the only practicable scheme that can possibly be offered for Isthmian transit. Facts which apparently bear out these assumptions are dwelt upon and elaborated; those which militate against it are passed Over lightiy and fully one-third of the volume is a special plea for the Maritime Canal Company (which is now beg- ging the government for a $70,000,000 appropriation. 8 Professor Keasbey, having convinced himself apparently, that the construction of this canal is essential to the con- tinued supremacy of the United States on this conti- nent. He declares in the opening of his introduction tkat “the people of the United States have long been convinced that, of all the varied schemes of isthmus transit, the Nicaraguan Canal project is the only one worthy of their permanent consideration.” “A more mistaken statement could hardly be made. Had the people of the United States been at all con- vinced that the Nicaraguan project had the possibilities that its originators claimed for it, the objection to the bill in Congress would never have been heard of, and the Scheme would long since have had all the money that it needed for its completion. Indeed, had even a limited number had the necessary faith in the project (and had the foundations been sound the Superstructure of faith would not have been long wanting) there would have been no need of appeal to the slow actions of gov- ernments—private capital would have completed the In 1851 Commodore He sent Mr. work with expedition and effect. Vanderbilt formed a canal company. Childs, an able engineer, to make a thorough survey of the line of the canal through Nicaragua. Observations were made with compass, chain and tapeline; measure- ments of the water, calculations of the floods, borings of the depth of excavations were obtained but the canal was never begun. Further, Vanderbilt obtained from the Nicaraguan governmeut more liberal concessions than it has ever granted since, including right of con- struction, land for colonization and the monopoly of steam navigation on Nicaraguan rivers; nevertheless, the shrewd projector abandoned the plan because it did not promise profitable return for capital invested. So much for Mr. Keasbey,s claim of unanimity in the Nicaraguan project. Again, Mr. Keasbey declares that the entire isthmus lmas been carefully surveyed in a search for the most favorable route from ocean to ocean. “Every deflection,” he says, “in the crest of the mountains and all the sinuosities of its shores have been carefully examined.’ This is not wholly correct. It is no doubt true that all the line of the coast has been fully traced, but no com- plete exploration of the interior has been made, and on this fact rests the present hesitation of the intelligent public when American interoceanic canal schemes are mentioned. There are miles along the Cordillera range which because of the impenetrability of the forests and the hostility of the natives, have never been touched by foot of the white man. The stories of early explorers and statements of the Indians who now people the isthmus testify to the existence of passes that here and there break the lofty front of the Cordillera range passes which modern surveys have failed to find. The question therefore remains whether we shall urge a more extended survey, having in view the possibility of a way across the isthmus proper or be content to throw aside as of no value the testimony of the native savages and legends of the first white visitors to the country. One of the earliest projected routes across the isthmus was the tide-level canal from Caledonia Bay on the Atlantic side to the Gulf of San Miguel on the Pacific. This had the advantage of offering two of the finest harbors known—all the fleets of the world could cast anchor in San Miguel—of requiring neither locks nor dams only a simple excavation of less than thirty miles. The supposed practicability of dividing the isthmus at this point caused the establishment of a Scotch colony at Caledonia Bay in 1698, a colony which unhappily was not taken under the protection of the home government and was therefor soon dispersed, or destroyed by Spain. Again in 1788 the Spanish settlers projected a military road across this narrow neck of land and were driven from their project, their records declare, not by impassable ridges, but by the hardiest and most fearless tribe of savages that they had met with in the new world (whom they well called ‘the Bravos') and who by their unyielding hostility forced the Spanish monarch to sign a treaty to abannon their country forever. Why has this project of two hundred years ago thus far wholly failed of realization, even in the face of modern enterprise? This is a very interesting question and deserving of far more attention than Professor Keasbey, his mind filled with the rose-colored mani- festos of the Maritime Canal Company of Nicaragua, has been inclined to give it. The most thorough investi- gator of the Caledonian route was Dr. Edward Cullen, an Englishman, who, while resident at Bogata in 1845, had his attention called to the reports of early explorers of the isthmus and was so successful in verifying their statements that he laid the result of his inquiry in a long and carefully prepared paper before the Royal Geographi- cal Society in London, in July, 1850. This report we are convinced the author of the volume before us has never read, or he would not dismiss its careful and con- sistent detail with a mere scornful mention as he does. Still less does he seem to have investigated Dr. Cullen's later writings—his book on ‘The Isthmus of Darien Ship Canal', published in 1852, and ‘Over Darien by a Ship Canal’, a report on the mismanaged expedition of 1854, which was published in 1856. stress on this latter expedition under Lieutenant Isaac Mr. Keasbey lays much C. Strain of the American Navy, and yet Strain himself did not regard his misfortunes as conclusive evidence against Dr. Cullen's statements. He admitted that he and his companions were litterally “lost in the woods” that because of their feebleness in numbers, their im- perfect outfit, and the terrible difficulties and dangers that beset their every footstep they were wholly unable to mark any way for others to follow. He states that he distinctly heard the evening gun of the ship Cyane, lying off the Atlantic shore, after he had crossed the divide and was well down on the Pacific slope of the Cordilleras, proof positive that there was some low level in those frowning, forest-clad heights, though he had been unable to find it. While interest was still strong in the subject in 1857, Admiral Ammen of the United States Navy, then a young man, begged permission of the government to be granted funds and authority to Not until 1870, however, were any government expeditions undertaken follow up Strain's imperfect survey. and then Commander Selfridge crossed from Caledonia Bay westward. He found no depression in the mountains lower than 1000 feet, declared that a canal was not practicable unless, a tunnel of from eight to eleven miles in length be driven through the mountains, and there- fore reported boastfully that he had “pricked the bubble of Dr. Cullen's Darien route.” We might, as Professor Keasbey does, accept this claim of Selfridge as conclusive were it not for the fact that the report of this officer it- self gives the reader the impression of incompleteness and of the advisability of still further surveys of the region before all the secrets of the ICordilleras, still guarded as of old by the dauntless Bravos, to whom the name and presence of the white man is an abomination, may be regarded as fully known. Perhaps the most striking instance of special plead- ing in Mr. Keasbey’s book is the manner in which it deals with the report of the board of engineers which after a complete examination of the Nicaraguan country along the line of the proposed canal there, reported to Congress last March. This report was decidely adverse to the Nicaraguan Canal scheme, finding in it many difficulties that the reports of the projectors had wholly ignored, and strongly urging that no further work should be undertaken upon it until preliminary investigations had shown the extent of labor necessary to complete the water-way, and had fully decided whether its results would pay for the enormous cost involved. All these objections however are dismissed lightly by the writer as mere matters of detail, referred to in deference to the historical plan of his work, while he carefully avoids the impression that they interfere at all with the “manifest destiny” of the scheme itself. Evidently future events must be appealed to for decision as to the Soundness of this author's judgment, meanwhile his work as one of the most noteworthy contributions yet made to the literature of a subject of vital concern to the history of the entire world.” The reader may learn some of the difficulties to be encountered in the construction of this Nicaragua Canal by a perusal of a communication of mine upon the sub- ject to the Cement and Engineering News published at Chicago commencing in the November, 1896, number, page 77, and concluded in the December, 1896, number. “NICARAGUA CANAL. Chicago, Ill., Nov. 10, 1896. I ventured to advocate in this paper of October last a route for a ship canal across the Isthmus of Panama of Darien from Port Escosces or Caledonia Bay on the Atlantic side to the Gulf of San Miguel on the Pacific side via the Savana River. Allow me to quote from ‘Interoceanic Railroads and Canals’ by Rear Admiral Charles H. Davis, superin- tendent of the Naval Observatory, commenciug page 4. 10 ‘There has been a time when the travel from ocean to ocean, on a line following the river San Juan del Norte either in its bed or on its banks crossing Lake Nicaragua and thence to the Pacific, has enjoyed special favor and attention. From Greytown to the lake the mode of pro- It has included the improvement of the river San Juan, where ceeding has been the same in most of the plans, possible, by excavation in its bed and by the construction of dams which with the rapids of that river were to be passed by means of locks and canals. But from the lake to the Pacific outlet various branches have been proposed. Three of these pass through Lake Managua, a fourth terminates at Brito, a fifth at San Juan del Sur, a sixth proceeds to the Sapoa River to Salinas Bay, a seventh, keeping in the southern part of the State of Nicaragua, proposes to cut from the river San Juan through the State of Costa Rica to Nicoya Gulf. Only two of these routes have been carefully surveyed, those terminating in Brito and San Juan del Sur. “There are so many difficulties attending all these routes which detract from ‘relative' merits as practicable lines for a ship canal’’ that I should feel authorized under ordinary circumstances to pass over this region in a few words; but so much has been said and written about it by eminent authorities that I feel called upon to present some descriptive details. “A variety of circumstances have concurred to concentrate public opinion and favor upon this route. I refer particularly to the accidental settlement of Grey- town, to the establishment of a transit through Nicaragua; the actual navigation of the San Juan River and of Lake Nicaragua; the connection of eminent names, including that of the present French emperor and the agricultural and mineral wealth of the Chontales region; and to these circumstances may be added the advances seemingly made by nature in offering the water communications of San Juan and the lakes which reduce the isthmus to one- tenth its whole breadth. Extravagant expectations have been fostered and hasty schemes have been formed, in- cluding extensive plans of colonization—schemes that never have reached maturity. , The late Admiral Fitzroy, in the first paper he presented to the Royal Geographical Society, on the Isthmus of America, entered into a careful examination of this line and its branches and maturely considered the value of the statements made by its advocates and the feasibility of the project with reference to the natural difficulties to be overcome. The conclusion at which he arrives was unfavorable. I take pains to cite the authority of this distinguished hydrographer because it will be received with the highest respect by all who are acquainted with his useful labors and great abilities. It is not worth while to follow him Over the same ground to discuss the statements of Mr. Bailey or the data of the French Emperor, or to dwell upon the unfavorable conditions arising from climate, earthquakes, volcanoes, etc. I will base what I have to say upon the report of the survey made by Messrs. Childs and Fay in the years 1850–51 for the American Atlantic and Pacific Ship Canal Company. The map appended to this report numbered IV, contains a profile of the line surveyed, and this profile may be regarded as a type of the whole region, embrac- ing all the branch lines mentioned above. It is not at all probable that any other of the proposed routes would find either a lower summit level or easier cuts. The line selected by Col. Childs proceeds from Lake Nicaragua by a short and easy route to the harbor of Brito. It traverses the lake directly to its outlet at Port San Carlos. It employs slack water navigation on the San Juan River for a distance exceeding ninety miles, and then pursues a canal independent of the river to the harbor of San Juan del Norte. This plan of operation requires fourteen (14) locks to descend from the lake to the Pacific Ocean, and fourteen (14) locks to descend from the lake to the Caribbean Sea in which last enumeration are included light locks at dams on the San Juan. There are seven (7) dams on the river. Costly improvements possessing the character of artificial harbors, will be necessary at the two points of departure from the lake. The sea ports of Greytown and Brito, at the two ends of the line, will require costly and extensive improvements in the way of excavations, The total length of the line is a little more than one hundred and ninety-four (194) miles. piers, jetties, breakwaters, etc. It may be safely asserted that no enterprise presenting such formidable difficulties will ever be undertaken with even our present knowledge of the 11 American isthmuses. Still less is it likely to be entered upon while such strong and well-fonnded hopes are entertained by the promoters of the union of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans of finding elsewhere a much easier, cheaper and more practicable route for a canal in every way suited to the present demands of commerce and navigation.” The relative merits of the Nicaragua route “a practi- cable line for the construction of a ship canal do not require further consideration.” I have taken Childs’ survey as a standard. I will therefore mention that it is regarded by Squier and other competent authorities as the authentic and reliable survey of the Nicaragua route, and further that in March, 1852, his drawings, reports and estimates were submitted to the examination of Colonels Abert and Turnbull, United States engineers. Squier’s language in regard to the survey is very emphatic. He says Childs’ survey is the only one to be accepted as conform- ing to modern engineering requirements. Childs' report was further submitted, by the Earl of Malmesbury, to English engineers, who also questioned its author personally. They reported that, presuming Colonel Childs data and statements to be correct, the harbor of Brito is in size and shape unworthy of this great ship navigation. I also find in Bancroft’s “Central America” Vol. III, commencing page 717: “NICARAGUA. As the survey of Colonel Childs is the only one which can conform to modern engineering requirements it will be enough to present the detailed result to which he arrived. The line proposed by him and on which all his calculations and estimates were based commenced at the little port of Brito on the Pacific and passes across the isthmus, between the ocean and the lake, to the mouth of a small stream called the Rio Lajas, flowing into the latter, across Lake Nicaragua, to its outlet, and down the valley of the Rio San Juan to the port of the same name on the Atlantic. The length of this line was found to be 194% miles as follows: WESTERN DIVISION. Page 722. He contemplates a canal but seventeen feet deep. & Page 724: Length of proposed canal. The total length of the line proposed by Colonel Childs from San Juan del Norte on the Atlantic, to Brito on the Pacific, is 194% miles as follows: Canal from Port of San Juan to its point of intersection with the river, near the mouth of the Serapiquí. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28.505 Slack water navigation on the San Juan River from the above point to San Carlos at the outlet of the lake. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90.800 From San Carlos across Lake Nicaragua, to the mouth of the Rio Lajas ei & ſº e º e º e º 'º gº tº ſº º º 56.500 From mouth of Rio Lajas to Brito. . . . . . . . . . . . 18.538 Total as above. . . . 194.393” I also find on page 714: “The question of interoceanic communication by ship canal across the Isthmus of Central America occupy- ing as it does general attention, I have concluded to append hereto information on the subject by several competent authorities, namely the British explorers, Dr. Edward Cullen and George E. Squier.” Bancroft then quotes a number of pages from Cullen’s “Isthmus of Darien.” I also find in “Isthmus of Darien Ship Canal,” by Dr. Edward Cullen, F. R. G. S., pages 13 and 14: ‘‘NICARAGUA. HARBORS–San Juan del Norte, on the Atlantic, of insufficient capacity and depth of water. Brito, on the Pacific, has no title whatever to the name of harbor; artificial harbor at Brito necessary; twenty-eight locks necessary, fourteen on the Atlantic side from San Juan to the rapids of Castillo and Toro on the lake, and four- teen on the Pacific, from the lake to Brito; seven dams on the river San Juan necessary; artificial harbors, piers and embankments necessary at each end of the lake, the approach to the shores of which is impracticable owing 12 to shoals and sand-banks; distance across 194 miles; summit level of 128 feet, to be locked upon each side; length of canal necessary 47 miles; length of river to be deepened and dredged, 91 miles; total length of work to be done, 138 miles; could not be made navigable for large ships, say 1000 tons burthen; proposed depth, seventeen feet; time necessary for transit from sea to sea, through so many locks, six days and ten hours at the quickest rate. Colonel Childs’ estimate of seventy-seven hours being calculated on the supposition that a vessel would be in course of continuous transit both day and night, and that she would only spend twenty-eight minutes at the passage of each lock. Tornados and papagaros, or violent hurricanes in neighborhood; volcanos in a state of activity along the route. Disputed territorial boundaries.” I also find in “Report upon the Survey of the Isthmus of Darien for an Interoceanic Ship Canal” by Commander Thomas O. Selfridge, U. S. N., page 7. “NICARAGUA. This line has long been looked upon with favor as ultimately the one which would be found the most available, but it is entirely impracticable for a canal without locks, which if possible is the only construction Undoubt- edly for a lock canal it presents the inexhaustible supply that will answer every demand of commerce. of the great lake Nicaragua, but it is entirely destitute of harbors. It would require no less than thirty locks, and the climate on the banks of the San Juan is one of the most sickly in Central America. Should subsequent explorations prove unfavorable for a through cut it may be necessary to have recourse to the Nicaragua route as possessing a sure means of crossing the Cordilleras with an abundant supply of water; but the great amount of excavation necessary will, I think, be found equal, per- haps, to deeper cuts and a short distance in other localities.” I also find in “Nicaragua, Past, Present and Future” by Peter Stout, Esq., page 202 and 203: “That a canal is practicable from the mouth of the Rio San Juan to Lake Nicaragua, I do not believe, save at an enormous expense. A canal company will fail here; they will reap losses and their employes will die F- in the morasses after two months exposure in the wild luxuriance of decaying and decayed vegetation.” I also find commencing page 340: “I have weighed maturely the various suggestions of those interested in this canal, and if I mistake not, Mr. Squiers expresses doubts as to the navigability of the He also deems the The difficulty of ship transit never occurred to me to arise from any of San Juan for vessels of large size. Castillo rapids a formidable objection. these, but solely from the nature of the base of the river and in a measure from the nature of its banks, they being so yielding as to add greatly to the alluvial The bottom of the river is flinty rock and an incalculable amount of labor deposits during the rainy season. and money would be required for the construction and completion of the great ship canal.” I also find commencing page 342 relative to the cost of such a canal: “Could it be constructed for two hundred million Eight out of every ten laborers sent there would die; dollars would the trade guarantee the outlay? provisions could not be obtained only at exorbitant prices. * * * In many localities on this river it rains every day in the year, while heavy fogs lie over the tree tops, producing a close, damp, choking atmos- phere, markedly oppressive. * * * At times during the rainy season they can barely carry their load of passengers, and I have known the river boats to run aground on sand-bars, formed within twenty-four hours, and exposing their living freight to the most insinuating rain. * * * To those who dream of a ship canal, I only add, be no longer befoggled, and to those capitalists whose experiences are merged in vessels and foreign trade, I would suggest the railway as equally feasible.” I also find in a very instructive narrative styled “A Ride Across a Continent,” by Frederick Boyle, F. R. G. S., Vol. II, Chapter II, page 51: “The lake of Nicaragua is without any exception the most dangerous sheet of water I ever sailed. The Transit Company has already lost seven steamers in it, every one of which was simply blown ashore or swamped. Winds gather behind the volcanic peaks of Osnetepie, Madera and Zatapero and sweep with whirlwind violence 13 from half a dozen points at once. A calm is rare, but a storm or tornado is the commonest thing possible, and within ten minutes the waves will reach their highest fury. Well may Captain Bedford Pim cry he will never despise a fresh water sailor after cruising on Lake Nicaragua. I never saw sea or ocean that could compare with it in violence or treachery.” Page 294: “About twenty miles from Greytown we re-embarked and paddled seawards. * * * At sun- set we entered the long flat wilderness of purple weed * The bar was even more dangerous than at the time of our arrival, for surrounding Greytown harbor. * * a very few months make a very great change in a harbor so utterly worn out. While we were up the country Greytown bar absolutely closed the river mouth and the people had to open it with spades. Three days our steamer lay off the town before the passengers could, be landed, but at length the weather moderated.” Page 296: to be taken on board. On reaching the bar they landed “At length we entered the Carib canoes us upon a longspit and poled themselves through the channel, taking us upon the other side. The water was barely two feet deep. To such a condition is reduced Greytown harbor, which was described twenty years * * * Thus it is with all the rivers on the Atlantic seaboard. The ago as one of the finest in the world. land gains steadily upon the ocean. First is a broad river, then a low bar which protects the harbor, then a surf dangerous to cross and finally the same stretches right across the mouth and changes the harbor into a lagoon.’’ Page 297: “Although the steamer waits six days off the town, passengers have been carried back to Aspinwall Owing to the impossibility of crossing the bar. With freight this has happened several times. Such accidents must now become more and more frequent every month. In fact as the people themselves say, “Greytown is played out ’’’ I also find in “The Inter-Oceanic Canal of Nicara- gua, Its History, Physical Condition, Plans and Prospects,” published by the Nicaragua Canal Construc- tion Company, New York, 1891, Chapter IV: “THE PROPOSED CANAL. San Juan del Norte, or Greytown, on the Atlantic and Brito on the Pacific are the termini. The distance from port to port is one hundred and sixty-nine and one- half miles, of which twenty-six and three-fourths will be excavated channel and one hundred and forty-two and two-thirds miles in lakes, rivers and basins. The sum- mit is necessarily Lake Nicaragua, one hundred and ten feet above the sea.” I also find in the “Chicago Herald” of January 21st, 1893, page 9: “UNITING THE OCEANS. The Nicaragua scheme is still prosecuted, congress having under consideration a measure to guarantee $100,000.00” ($100,000,000) to help it to completion. Gustave A. Karweise, a civil engineer, now in Chicago, claims that the Nicaragua Canal cannot be built and Successfully operated for double that amount. Mr. Karweise has studied the subject for thirty years and speaks from practical knowledge of the locality. * * The Panama Canal is abandoned, and I don’t think there is money enough in the country to finish the Nicaragua Canal. Including the passage through the lake it is 169 miles in length. There is always a risk of the water going out in the lake in dry season. * * * Mr. Karweise has held several important positions. THOMAS WRIGHT HURST. (To be continued.) This article was concluded in “Cement and Engi- neering News” of December, 1896, on page 86. * NICARAGUA CANAL.” (Continued from page 77). I also find in “Congressional Record, Maritime Canal Company of Nicaragua,” speech of Hon. David Turpie, of Indiana, in the senate of the United States, December 17, 18 and 19, 1894, page 5: “Many difficulties lie in the dam at Ochoa, in that vast mud desert of San Carlos, in that harbor at Grey- town with an inch and a half of water on a sandy beach, and in that so-called harbor at Brito, which is an open roadsted with no shelter, no shade, and on the shore of the Pacific,” 14 sº I also find page;6: “Mr. Cornelius Vanderbilt and His associates in New York, in 1851, knew as much and more than any person connected with the Maritime Canal Company, as to what could be done with spot cash on the line of the Nicaragua route. The survey was made as this survey is, answering every requirement In the survey of 1851 Colonel Childs not only took the compass of science which is referred to in this survey. and chain and the tape line, but he made borings to the depth of an excavation; he made measurements of the water; he made calculations of the floods, everything in the most careful, the most accurate manner. They were all submitted to Cornelius Vanderbilt. Now it is officially reported here that this canal can be built for $65,000,000. the Nicaragua Maritime Canal Company—$5,000,000 That is the official report of less than the sum named in the bill. Senators, if this canal could be built for $65,000,000, Cornelius Vander- bilt and his associates could have constructed and completed it in five years from 1851, without asking this government, any government, or any person to indorse or guarantee a single cent. They had the money; one of them had the money to have built it, but the enter- prise was subsequently abandoned. Cornelius Vanderbilt and his associates had a concession; a most valuable one, a much more valuable one, as it was likely to be, than that granted to the Nicaragua Maritime Canal Company —much more favorable. It ran the same length of time three lives, ninety-nine years—but the enterprise was abandoned.” & “The annual rainfall at Greytown is 300 It has reached that. Page 7: ins.—25 feet. about 275 ins. The average is The Suez Canal runs through a rainless The Manchester Canal is located in England The Corinth Canal, located in Greece, has a rainfall of about 34 inches. region. with a rainfall of about 38 ins. There has never been any canal constructed with the That which is excavated, or to call it by the name given it in these ordinary materials in the tropical regions. reports, the ordinary dump, cannot be used within the tropical rainbelt for any purpose of construction.” Page 13: should be made by a government upon the opinion of “That an investment of $70,000,000 one man, whatever maybe his capacity, is, I think, rash and unreasonable, almost incredible. In the history of the world I doubt if there is an instance where credulity has paid such profound and costly deference to science, and this vast liability which is sought to be imposed upon the people of the United States is for the purpose of aiding a corporation scheme having every indica- tion of being a gorgeous bubble, the most stupendous ‘snide’ of the nineteenth century. I should think that the first step to be taken before we can make any invest- ment at all, would be under the auspices of the govern- ment and through the officers of the government, a survey of the practicability of this route and an estimate of the cost. That has always been done.” I also find in “Congressional Record,” Washington, January 23, 1895, Commentary page 1450: “Maritime Canal Company of Nicaragua,” speech of Hon. David Turpie, of Indiana, in the Senate of the United States, . Tuesday and Wednesday, January 22 and 23, 1895, page 1457: “I have here two accounts of travel in Nicaragua. One is by Peter F. Stout, late vice-consul of the United States, four years a resident within the territory of the republic of Nicaragua, and whose book shows that he I wish to call the attention of the senate to what he says about Lake ‘The Lake Nicara- gua is about 110 miles long by 35 to 60 miles in has traveled all over that territory. Nicaragua. I quote from page 19: breadth, and every variety of depth may be here followed. This sheet of water is the most beautiful of any I ever saw, and yet within its depths the rapacious shark finds his way along and the timid mariner witnesses waterspouts and experiences the most sudden dangerous squalls met with in any water on the globe. Its sole outlet is the Río San Juan. During the months of October, November, December and January the prevail- ing winds are from the northeast and the waves of the lake sound angrily on the beach, dashing the spray broadcast in refreshing showers. At such seasons travellers desirous of journeying from the south experi- ence much difficulty in getting off in the small schooners heretofore exclusively used between Granada and the ports south of it—San Jorge and Virgin Bay. Indeed I 15 have known parties who have been delayed two weeks, yet endeavoring, perhaps, frequently during the day to launch their boats, but ere their sails would fill the breakers rushing shoreward would drive the boats High and dry upon the beach.” In conclusion, Mr. Editor, allow me to say that after consulting such authorities that I have quoted, it is not without reason that I fear the Nicaragua Canal, even if completed, might prove very costly and unsatisfactory, and that it might well repay the government of the United States of America to investigate the route I advocate for a ship canal between Port Escosces or Cale- donia Bay on the Atlantic side and the Gulf of San Miguel on the Pacific via the Savana River, and so highly recommended by Dr. Edward Cullen F. R. G. S. in his interesting work, “Isthmus of Darien Ship Canal,” and also mentioned in Clydes' geography, page 355. I find “ISTHMUS OF PANAMA. The isthmus contains the two shortest routes that have yet been proposed for a ship canal between the Atlantic and the Pacific. One of these is by the river Chagres to Panama. This route is only 51 miles in length; but the other, called the Darien route, from Port Escosces on the eastern side to the Gulf of San Miguel The height It appears that the tide rises 23 feet in the Gulf of Panama, whilst on the western is still shorter by 12 miles. of the water-shed is not more than 260 feet. that of the Caribbean Sea is scarcely perceptible, and that at mid-tide the waters on opposite sides of the isthmus are on the same level. This would give a current both ways, running 3 miles an hour which would both scour the ship canal and aid the passage of vessels.” I have proposed that a company be formed to con- struct a ship canal on this latter route, and for further details beg to refer your readers to my former letter already alluded to, which appeared in the October issue of your paper. I also find in “The Inter-Oceanic Canal of Nicara- gua; Its History, Physical Conditions, Plans and Prospects,” published by the Nicaragua Construction Co., Apendix IX “Volcanoes and Earthquakes Nicara- gua and Costa Rica,” a letter commencing page 73, “To the President Nicaragua Canal Construction Company,” signed by C. E. Dutton, major ordnance department, “As regards earthquakes it is well known that they are U. S. Army. On page 74 he states in this letter: comparatively frequent, especially in Costa Rica and Nicaragua, and a few have been destructive in very restricted localities. It is no doubt a matter of great interest to the canal company, for the question at once arises whether there is not danger of serious damage from this cause to the works of construction and of the still more serious damage of long suspension of traffic.” Page 74: “Nicaragua contains a single chain of volcanoes parallel to the Pacific Coast and generally about 20 miles from it. The southeastern-most cones of this chain are the twin peaks of Madera and Ometepe in Lake Nicaragua. They are about 15 and 11 miles respectfully from the shore of the lake and opposite the point at which the canal will leave it leading to the Pacific, Madera is apparently extinct, but Ometepe is active, having been in eruption in 1883. The proximity of these two cones to the canal makes them objects of special interest for they are much nearer to it than any others.” Allow me to say in conclusion that I am also in- formed that “the stupendous rock cut” of the so-called “divide” and the immense dams and numerous curves were the chief objections urged by practical engineers and contractors to the present Nicaragua scheme, and not without reason. THOMAS WRIGHT HURST. THE PANAMA CANAL. I may here remark that this unfortunate inter- oceanic ship canal was promoted by M. de Lesseps. The line runs between Limon or Aspinwall on the Atlantic side and Panama on the Pacific side in the main parallel to the railway some distance south of the Nicaragua Canal and some to the north of the proposed line for a ship canal I advocate from Port Escosces or Caledonia Bay on the Atlantic side to the Gulf of San I find in “Chambers Encyclopoedia, Vol. VII, Panama Canal. In 1890 a commission of French and other engineers was Miguel on the Pacific side via the Savana River. A liquidator was named by the Court of the Seine. 16 sent to the isthmus by him. Their report was very discouraging. Indeed the isthmus and its towns are hot-beds of malignant disease which is distributed thence by passing merchantmen to all quarters. Great and apparently insurmountable obstacles to a tide level canal are the marshes and quicksands on the Atlantic Coast. The unruly Chagres periodically overflows and fills the valley of the isthmus. In 1879 a flood lasting four days swept all before it and covered the railway with 12 feet of water. Then there are serious natural obstacles in the line of the canal as the swamps and volcanic ledges on the Panama side. Earthquakes, too, occur; in September, 1882, much damage was done to both Isth- mian cities and the Panama railway by a severe earth- quake whilst a tidal wave swept the islands and coast on the Gulf of Darien on the Atlantic side, causing great destruction of life and property. To natural obstacles must be added the great cost of labor and living. The long wet season of nearly eight months causes delays and damages to cuttings (see Dr. W. Nelson—Five years New York 1889. London 1891.)” It would appear however that in spite of the im- at Panama. mense financial losses already sustained that the French have not altogether abandoned this disastrous project, but I understand the French government are not finan- cially interested in this unfortunate enterprise. I find in the Chicago Daily Inter-Ocean of Friday, October 13th, 1896: “WORK ON THE PANAMA CANAT, ENGINEER MANGE REACHES THE ISTHMUs To DIRECT OPERATIONS. Panama, Nov. 12: Mr. Mange, formerly director- general of the Panama Canal Company, arrived here on the steamer Medway. It is understood that he comes to occupy the position of director of the works in the canal company. He rendered good service formerly and is an efficient engineer. The steamer Castle is shortly ex- pected at Colon with about 800 African laborers from Sierra Leone for the canal. Their pay will be 80 cents Colombian currency per day.” The reader will please remember that this M. de Lesseps who promoted this Panama Canal which brought such financial disaster to the French investors is the same party who promoted the Suez Canal and brought the latter to so successful an issue. But it must also be borne in mind that there is a wide difference in climate, etc., in the Suez Canal and the location of the Panama Canal and Nicaragua. As it is stated the Suez Canal runs through a rainless region. I also find in an interesting work styled “Five Years at Panama,” by Wolfred Nelson M. D. cor. member Natural History Society, Montreal; page 229: “The estimated commerce for the canal transit in 1895, 6,000,000 tons. There is no doubt that the accom- plishment of this work would revolutionize the world’s commerce and increase the prosperity of many nations. Page 262. and Conrad, chief engineers of Waterstaat in Holland, Second impossibility —Meyers Dirks considered at the congress of 1879 to be the most com- petent on construction of locks, both declared that it would require at least six years to build only two locks. (See report of the meetings of the congress, page 569.) It is therefore impossible that the eight locks neces- sary for the Panama Canal be manufactured in France, transported to and set up in America in two years only. Page 262. bility and not the least important in the execution of the Third impossibility—A third impossi- Panama Canal consists in the nature of the material to be removed to cross the mountainous region of the Cule- bra. The ground in this district is either extremely hard and consequently very difficult of extraction or else of The lat- ter is composed of clay and sand impregnated with water bad quality and extremely given to falling in. in which it is impossible to cut deep trenches without provoking formidable landslides, against which science has not as yet found an efficacious remedy. Page 280. No, fortunately the prestige of France is not bound to the very uncertain fortunes of the Panama Canal. Page 280. The total excavations to make for the canal and the derivations amounted to 161,000,000 cubic meters and 127,000,000 cubic meters still remained un- done in August last. It may be assured that unttl now eight-tenths of the extractions were vegetable earth- and the Culebra mountain is hard rock. 17 Page 227. the Atlantic side both in construction, maintenance and The greatest obstacle to overcome on operation is the Chagres river—The greatest constructive obstacle in the shape of excavation is the Culebra or summit cut whieh on the axis of the canal for about half a mile has an average cutting of 100 metres (330 feet) or 360 feet from the bottom of the canal. Page 228: The total amount of materials to be excavated in the canal proper according to the original steep sections is 143,000,000 yards and with the lateral cuts for the Chagres River not including those required for the Chagres dam at Gamboa is 13,000,000 cubic yards. The amount remaining to be excavated accord- ing to the reports of Lieutenants Winslow and McLean, U. S. N., February, 1885, is about 180,000,000 cubic yards; the time twenty-six years at the rate of progress of the last year; and the total cost including interest $350,000,000. about four and one-half years; The work has now (July 1885) continued the results thus far obtained have been the removal of about 17,000,000 cubic yards, mostly materials dredged from the marshes at Colon and the removal of the surface soil at various points on the line of the work. Page 231: built through the ever-yielding clayey soils of the Culebra.” I also find in “The Inter-Oceanic Canal of Nicara- Picture to yourself a lock-level canal gua; Its History, Physical Condition, Plans and Pros- spects,” published by the Nicaragua Canal Construction Company, New York, 1891. Appendix VII. Hon. John T. Morgan in the United States Senate, Speech of commencing page 54, I quote an extract from this speech: “The expenditure by the French people of a sum exceeding $200,000,000 in the effort to construct a canal across the Isthmus of Panama sufficiently proves the estimate which that wise and intrepid people put upon the commercial importance and value as an investment of a successful effort to cross the Isthmus of Darien with a ship canal. They were not mistaken as to its value but they fell into a fatal error as to its location in disre- garding the earnest protests of our commissioners to the Paris conference in 1879. M. Lesseps in locating a canal at the sea level to be fed by the waters of the two oceans and having no adequate supply of water at greater elevations to feed it, was forced to depress the bottom of the canal prism to a level that made it the constant prey of the Chagres River and the enormous floods of water that rushed down from the highlands through that channel to inundate and destroy the canal. Nothing could protect the canal against such disasters but a reversal of the laws of nature that regulate the rainfall in the Isthmus of Darien. It was at this point that the Panama Canal project met its death, an event that our engineers clearly foresaw and predicted with confidence and earnestness at the Paris conference. The Suez Canal is through a country that has no obstructing ridge of high lands. When engineering science was in its earliest infancy it was able to dig a canal through the sands of the Isthmus of Suez and to lead the waters of the Nile into it to supplement those of the Red Sea and the Mediterranean in filling the prism. The tropical rains in Central America are the most difficult embarrassments to the maintenance of a great canal. We have under our own observation here in Washington an illustration of the necessity of having a positive Safeguard against flood waters in the fountains that feed a canal. In a single flood the Cumberland Canal was made a wreck by the over-flowing waters of the Potomac along which it is located and of the smaller streams that fed it and it is now a task of great magni- tude to restore it. In a country where a drainage water course will rise a foot as an ordinary occurence while the Potomac would rise an inch under the heaviest rainfall in the mountains, we can understand how, reckless a thing it is to place a ship canal along the course and The Panama Canal crosses the Chagres River seventy-eight The entire length of the canal is 74 kilometers while the canals to frequently across the channel of a great river. times and the Rio Grande thirteen times. carry Off these waters are 64 kilometers, only one-tenth less than the main canal.” Considering these circumstances the reader will probably not be much surprised that the French Panama Canal has so far proved such a costly failure but it does * Seem astonishing that such a route was selected. I also find in Current History 4th Quarter 1885: 18 “THE PANAMA CANAL. The French company formed last year (Vol. 4, page 871) has 1,800 men at work on construction and is pre- paring to add to that number. In the opinion of Sir Henry Tyler, late president of the Grand Trunk Rail- way who recently visited Panama, there is no insuper- able difficulty in the completion of the canal in six years at a cost of $100,000,000 by utilizing the work already done for a distance of sixteen miles from Colon and four miles from Panama. On the other hand Mr. Colquhoun, correspondent of the London Times who has recently inspected the route, estimates that even supposing one- third of the work to have been concluded it will cost more than $200,000,000 to complete the entire under- taking.” Truly I think the reader must agree with the writer that the unfortunate and costly experience of the French investors in this Panama Canal should not be lost upon the people of the United States of America in regard to I find in this connection in Current History, 4th Quarter, 1895, page 927: the project for a Nicaraguan Canal. “THE NICARAGUA CANAL. The report of the government commission appointed early in the year to examine the route of the canal Its find- ings are very unfavorable to the enterprise. The surveys (page 165) was published about December 1. hitherto made are declared to be incomplete and un- trustworthy and the estimate of the cost is said to be far too low. The commission believes that the “keystone of the whole project’ the Ochoa rockfill dam has not yet been demonstrated to be practicable. Many important changes in the plans of the company are recommended and the conclusion is reached that a more thorough sur- vey is necessary. The commissioners suggest that congress should appropriate $350,000 for a commission of competent engineers to make an exhaustive study of the whole scheme. Eighteen months are said to be requisite for such a study.” Before proceeding further I will endeavor to give the reader some sort of general view of some different routes proposed across the American Isthmus for a ship canal. In order to do so I will quote a communication of mine in the October, 1896, issue of Cement and Engineering News commencing off page 54. “TO THE EDITOR OF CEMENT AND ENGINEERING NEWS: Dear Sir—Will you kindly allow me to make a few remarks in your interesting paper regarding a proposed ship canal route across the Isthmus of Panama or Darien from Port Escosces, or Caledonia Bay, on the Atlantic side to the Gulf of San Miguel on the Pacific side via the Savana River. 5 This route has been highly recommended by Dr. Edward Cullen F. R. G. S. in his interesting work, “Isthmus of Darien Ship Canal, with a full history of the Scotch Colony of Darien, several maps, views of the country and original documents,’ second edition 1853. The re- spective length of the several proposed routes are as I find, page 12, “Other routes proposed. follows: The Tehuantepec route (Mexico) 198 miles. The Nicaragua route from San Juan del Norte to Brito (disputed boundaries) 194 miles. Atralto route by Napipi and Cupica, Chagres or Limon (New Granada) 172 miles. Chagres or Limon Bay to Panama (New Granada) 51 miles. Darien route from Port Escosces to the Gulf of San Miguel (New Granada) 39 miles. None of the above routes except the last have good harbors, without which it would be a fruitless waste of Imoney to cut a canal.’’ I also find, commencing page 14: “Caledonia Bay, Port Darien, Escosces and the Channel of Sassardi on the Atlantic side have an extent of eleven miles of safe The Gulf of San Miguel on the Pacific side would hold the anchorage in all winds and great depth of water. shipping of the world. Excellent natural harbors as above; no locks necessary; no dams required; no such works are necessary, nothing whatever but a simple cut; distance across, 39 miles; greatest depth of Cutting necessary, 150 feet for scarcely two miles; canai to be cut; 25 to 30 miles; no dredging or deepening of river or other work necessary; can be made navigable for ships of the greatest draughting water; proposed depth, 30 feet; transit could be effected in six hours at one tide; coasts peculiarly exempt from storms and hurricanes 19 ºr (see pilot books and Captain Fitzroy); no volcanoes with- in some hundreds of miles: none have ever been known to have occurred.” But allow me to state that Dr. Cullen's is not the only work in which I find this route from Caledonia Bay or Port Escosces to the Gulf of San Miguel mentioned, as I find in Clydes' geography, page 355: ‘‘ISTHMUS OF PANAMA. The isthmus contains the two shortest routes that lave yet been proposed for a ship canal between the Atlantic and Pacific. One of these is by the river Chagres to Panama. This route is only fifty-one miles in 1ength, but the other, called the Darien route, from Port Escosces on the eastern side to the Gulf of San Miguel on the western, is still shorter by twelve miles. The height of the water-shed is not more than 260 feet. It appears that the tide rises twenty-three feet in the Gulf of Panama, whilst that of the Caribbean Sea is scarcely perceptible, and that at mid-tide the waters on opposite sides of the isthmus are on the same level. This would give a current both ways running three miles an hour, which would both scour the ship canal and aid the passage of vessels.” I also find that Dr. H. C. Caldwell of the United States Frigate Independence was also favorably im- pressed with the region of San Miguel and the Savana River for a canal route. As I find in proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society of London, Vol. I, Sessions 1855–6 and 1856–7, pages 484 and 485: “CALDWELL’s ExPLORATION OF DARLEN–A notice of a late exploration of Darien by Dr. H. C. Caldwell of the United States Frigate Independence, communicated by John Power, Esq., F. R. G. S., of Panama.” “During an official expedition made towards the end of last year to the Gulf of San Miguel, for the pur- pose of reporting on the facilities for obtaining lumber suitable for ship building, Dr. H. C. Caldwell, surgeon United States ship Independence, who accompanied it, met with Mr. Andrew Hoseac of Chepigana, from whom he learned the particulars of the exploration made by Dr. Cullen, Mr. Gisborne, Capt. Prevost, R. N., and Lieut. Strain of U. S. N. in 1853, and also that in Mr. Hoseac's opinion, based upon information derived from the Indians, there existed a comparatively level tract of land between Fort Principe on the Savana River and Caledonia Bay on the Atlantic in a direction more northerly than that followed by Capt. Prevost of H. R. M. ship Virago in '58.” (53). “On his return to Panama Dr. Caldwell obtained from Commodore Mervine leave of absence for three weeks, and, accompanied by a sailor from the Independ- ence, named Parker, set out with the intention of explor- ing this new route and on the 5th of April the party started from Chepigana and reached Principe on the morning of the 6th.” “The next day the party started in a northerly direction; Capt. Prevost’s track was also crossed, the cutting through the bush being still distinguishable, and on a tree was found cut the words, W. Jones, Virago, December 1853. The distance traveled this day was estimated at about six or seven miles and an elevation was reached of about 160 feet, as near as it was possible to judge without measurement. For the next three days the country to be crossed still continued to be thickly wooded, of a gentle undulating or almost level character intersected in different directions by numerous water-courses, and in some parts the ground seemed to be swampy in the rainy season. On the fourth day two shots were heard. The whole party suffered much for want of water, which was very scarce. At evening on this, the fourth day, the Atlantic was seen from the top of a tree through a gap in the hills in a north-eastern direction, apparently about ten miles distant. The following morning, the fifth day, the Indians and negro retraced their steps, and Dr. Caldwell and Parker con- tinued their route. Towards evening, on ascending a tree, the gap in the Atlantic range was again distinctly visible, distant about five or six miles, but the want of water and provisions compelled the doctor to return, and on the morning of the eighth day he reached Principe.” “Dr. Caldwell believes that the summit between the two oceans was crossed on the first day’s march near Principe and that thence to the Atlantic there was a gradual descent. This agrees with the accounts furn- ished to him by various Indians in Chepigana and 20 * Zavizo, especially with regard to the gap through which , a sº the Atlantic was so distinctly visible.” “This route Dr. Caldwell considers well worthy of being scientifically examined, and he expresses no doubt of his being able, by following the path he has cut, to reach the Atlantic from Principe in four days at the out- side. Not having taken any instruments with him, Dr. Caldwell does not profess to give more than an approxi- mation to the heights and distances. Nor does Commander Prevost R N. appear to have been discouraged, for I find in the Journal of the Royal Geographical Society, Vol. XXIV, 1854, commencing page 249: “Official Report of the Proceedings of the Exploring Party under Commander J. C. Prevost of H. M. S. Virago, sent to cross the Isthmus of Darien. Read April 24, 1854.” I “We were shortly afterwards visited by the authori- ties from Chepigana, a village situated about eight miles distant on the south bank of the Tuysa containing about 150 inhabitants, and Messrs. Hassack and Nelson, Scotchmen, gave us every information in their power of the route We Were about to take.” “Monday, 19–Left the ship. “Thursday, 22—At our first halt a native climbed a tree, whence he saw Over the dense forest a wide space like a river but no hills. As yet we have seen neither snakes, tigers, nor any ferocious animals. “Friday, 23—Encamped for the night at No. 5 ranch. From a tree level land was seen ahead, but no mountains. “Monday, 26—Hills varying from fifty to sixty feet high running in a N. N. E. direction, this being the highest land we have yet been O11 “Wednesday, 28. “Tuesday, 3—And about noon reached the summit of a hill estimated by us at 850 feet high. “Wednesday, 4—Although finding ourselves in the center of the Cordilleras and I believe within a very few miles of the object of our search, yet having already exceeded the limit of my stay it became my duty to re- join the ship without delay, still feeling confident that had time and our provisions allowed us we should have eventually reached the Atlantic shores and that easily by following one of the several rivers or streams which appear to exist in these ranges of hills, forming certain passages to the sea. Saturday, 7–About 2 a. m. we reached the ship. So toilsome was our journey that we spent fifteen days in performing a journey of a little more than twenty-six miles, having to force our slow and laborious path through forests that seemed to stretch from the Pacific to the Atlantic shores. The trees of stupendous size were matted with creepers and parasitical vines which hung in festoons from tree to tree, forming an almost impenetrable net-work and obliging us to hew open a passage with our axes every step we advanced.” Permit me also to state that I also found in “The question of inter-Oceanic communication by ship canal Bancroft's Central America, Vol. III, page 710: across the isthmuses of Central America occuping as it does general attention I have concluded to append here- to information on the subject by several competent authorities, namely the British explorer, Dr. Edward Cullen, and George E. Squier.” * Bancroft then quotes a number of pages from “CULLEN'S ISTHMUS OF DARIEN.” But a comparatively easy road appears to have been known in this region at an early day, as I find in “Inter- “A road recently discovered leading from the Port of Savana to that of Caledonia. Oceanic Railroads and Canals,” page 27: It is level and suitable for wheels as far as the mouth of the Sucubte and from here it is easy to cross to the coast with beasts of burden (Andres De Ariza, Zavisa, October 28, 1781).” Nor does Dr. Edward Cullen appear to be the only one who made a map of this region of country at an early day, as I find in “Gisborne's Darien Journal, The Isthmus of Darien in 1852.’’ Page 94: “May 22nd. hands a map of Darien Isthmus, published in New Orleans by Dr. E. L. Autenreith. The interior is filled up with rivers and summit ranges, and as far as I can I have had put into my compare it with coast charts, it appears very accurate. It is remarkable that between the Gulf of San Miguel and the Atlantic Coast the internal geography corres- ponds almost exactly with the rough map given by Dr. 21 Cullen and compiled he says from personal observation.” As regards Dr. Cullen from his own account he seems to have had but little trouble in crossing the isthmus. As I find in his work “Isthmus of Darien ‘‘DiS- covery of the Savana River and the route for the Ship Ship Canal” already alluded to, pages 18 and 19: Canal, viz: A feasible route to the Atlantic and there- upon immediately ascended it and crossed from Canasas to the seashore at Escosces and back and subsequently in 1850 and also in 1851 crossed and recrossed it several times and by several tracks the route from Savana to Port Escosces and Caledonia Bay, notching the barks of the trees as I went along with a macheta or cutlass, always alone and unaided and always in the season of the heaviest rains.” With all respect for any other routes proposed to unite the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans by a ship canal, I think it may be admitted that it is not without some show of reason that I advocate the formation of a com- pany to construct a ship canal across the Isthmus of Panama or Darien from Caledonia Bay or Port Escosces on the Atlantic side to the Gulf of San Miguel on the Pacific side via the Savana River. I also find in “Journal Royal Geographical Society,” page 172, Captain Fitzroy on the great Isthmus of Central America: “We may be justified in repeating that there are seven distinct localities on the great isthmus between North and South America where a railroad, if not a canal, is practicable. These seven places are in: 1, Mexico; 2, through Nicaragua; 3, across Costa Rica; 4, at Panama; 5, from San Blas to Chepo; 6, across Darien and 7 by the Atrato and "Cupica.” 176: “The illustrious Humboldt assuredly did not state that he was thoroughly satisfied that the Isthmus of Also on page Darien is superior to any other portion of the entire neck for a canal on insufficient grounds.” Also on page 176: “In these early days so famed was Darien for gold that the province was called Golden Castile (Castilla de Oro). It was the principal portion of that ‘Tierra Firme’so famed afterwards as the Spanish Main ‘the real El Dorado' to which Sir Walter Raleigh went in 1517–18, Sir Francis Drake in 1557, troops of Bucanier in the seven- teenth century, and the Scotch colony in 1698.” #3x3).It also appears that Lionel Gisborne, a British civil ºngineer; crossed}} the Isthmus of Darien from the Atlantic side. He says in “Gisborne's Darien Journal,” page 194: “We ascended the Caledonia River and crossed the ridge of the Cordilleras between it and the Sucubdi at an elevation of 930 feet above the sea. We decended the Sucubdi River as far as the village of that name and in consequence of the difficulties of getting canoes and hearing that eleven days before Lieutenant Strain's party had been seen proceeding towards Asnati we directed Our course northwest and crossed the valleys of the Asnati and Morti Rivers.” At the latter village the chief, who acted. in a most friendly spirit, provided canoes which conveyed us to the Chugunague River and up to the point where Prevost's track strikes it. We walked along this track to the Savana, having been five days in crossing.” I also find in “Report Upon the Survey of the Isthmus of Darien for an Inter-Oceanic Ship Canal,” by Commander Thomas O. Selfridge, U. S. N., 1870: Page 7, ‘‘Darien. The three principal routes across the Isthmus are the San Blas from the Bay of that name on the Atlantic to the mouth of the Bazamo or Chepo River on the Pacific. The Caledonia or Darien from Caledonia Bay to the Gulf of San Miguel. The Tuyra which line would cross the mountains in the vicinity of the mouth of the Atrato and follow the valley of the Darien or Tuyra River to the Gulf of San Miguel.” Page 13: Dr. G. A. Maack, excepting the state- ments of Dr. Cullen, this gentleman concludes a phamplet styled “Over Darien” thus: “I am confident that the result of a survey would prove that, as I stated six years ago, there is a valley in the Cordilleras between the head waters of the Aglaseniqua and the Sucubdi through which it would be feasible to cut a canal and I am firmly convinced that a careful survey of the four or five miles which separate these rivers is all that is necessary to establish the practicability of a canal and decide a question so important to the commerce of the World.” I also find in ‘‘Gisborne’s Survey of the Isthmus of I)arien,” page 201, VIII Vol., 27, Journal Royal Geo- graphical Society; 22 * * * * sº “The absence of swamps, the cool breezes and the equable temperature are the principal causes which make both coasts of this isthmus, as well as that of the interior, so healthy. The report from the medical officer attached to the expedition speaks most highly of the salubrity of s: the isthmus.” “There have been all together in this surveying expedition 900 persons subjected to climatic influences, some along the coast, some in the interior, and I believe that I am correct in stating that not a single case of illness occured during the whole period of our stay, and the only casualities were a scorpion bite I received and an accident to the marine from the Ezpiegle who was confined to his hammock for a few days from falling upon the stump of a tree.” I also find in “The Isthmus of Panama,’’ by Charles Toll Bidwell, F. R. G. S., Chapter VI, page 99: “The sanction of Humboldt’s name has been invoked in support of several routes. What seems to be certain is that he regarded Darien as the true point of the isthmus for a canal and inclined to cut across from Caledonia Bay to the Gulf of Miguel, or else—and this was his favorite scheme—to go further east and make a canal junction between the rivers Atrato and San Juan (not to be confounded with the Nicaraguan River of the same name.)” I also find in Commander Selfridge's U. S. N. Re- port, already alluded to, page 12: “The only fine harbors on the Atlantic Coast are the Gulf of San Blas and Cale- donia Bay. From the latter a line to the Pacific runs to the Gulf of San Miguel.” I also find, page 7: “Nicaragua. This line has long been looked upon with favor as ultimately the one which would be found the most available. But it is entirely impracticable for a canal without locks which if possible is the only construction that will answer every demand of commerce. Undoubtedly for a lock canal it presents the inexhaustible supply of the great lake of It would require no less than thirty locks, and the climate Nicaragua, but it is entirely destitute of harbors. on the banks of the San Juan is one of the most sickly in Central America. Should subsequent explorations prove unfavorable for a through cut, it may be necessary to have recourse to the Nicaragua route, as possessing a sure means of crossing the Cordilleras with an abundant supply of water, but the great amount of excavation necessary will, I think, be found equal perhaps to deeper cuts and a shorter distance in other localities.” I am also informed that “the stupendous rock cut of the so-called ‘divide’ numerous curves were the chief objections urged by and the immense dams and practical engineers and contractors to the present Nicara- gua Scheme and not without reason.” I also find in “Central America, the West Indies and South America,” edited and extended by H. W. Bates, page 130, 131: “Commander Selfridge, however, who Stirveyed the different lines across Darien and between the Atrato and the Pacific in the years from 1871 to 1874 summed up in favor of the route via the Atrato and Doguado over all its rivals.” I also find Commander Selfridge in his report already referred to, page 175, states: “My conclusion is therefore that according to what I have seen on the isthmus, the Gulf of Darien with the Atrato and the Napipi, with the Capica Bay possess the greatest natural advantages for an inter-oceanic canal junction.” I also find in Dr. Cullen's work, “Isthmus of Darien Ship Canal,” commencing page 16: “The Atrato r011te labors under the disadvantage of a bad harbor On the Pacific side. Capica being of very small extent and Open to the southwest, and the Atrato has a bar with Only five feet of water on it while the rise of tide in the Gulf of Darien is only two feet.” “The Chagres or Limon Bay and Panama route surveyed in 1829 by Col. Lloyd and M. Falmarc under a commission from the Liberator, Simon Bolivar, and sub- sequently by M. Garella, has such bad harbors that the idea of a canal by that line has been totally abandoned.” “The route from Chepo mouth to Mandinga Bay proposed by Mr. Evan Hopkins, who attempted to sur- Vey it in 1847 for the New Granada government although the narrowest line across the isthmus, being only twenty- Seven miles from Chepo to Carte, has the disadvantage of bad coasts, a very high Cordillera of from 2000 to 6000 feet elevation and a large population of Indians. The bar at the mouth of Chepo River is quite dry at 23 low water as is also a sand bank which extends several miles out into the Bay of Panama; the part of the Atlantic Coast on the other side is best, with reefs, shoals and kays and is dangerous of approach.” Captain Fitzroy, R. N., in his “Considerations upon the Great Isthmus of Central America” suggests a line from the upper course of the Tuyra to the Atrato or the coast of Darien above its mouth as an improvement of the route proposed by me; but this would be nearly twice the distance of the Port Escosces and Gulf of San Miguel route; there would be the mountain of chacargun or the Sierra de Malz to cross (see page 58) and should the canal open into the Atrato there would be the very formidable obstacle of the bar to remove while of the coast above the Atrato mouth the Columbia Navigation says: “All this coast from Tarena Kays to Cape Tiburon is high and precipitous with deep water off it and it is very wild in the seaaon of the breezes. It is very ad- visable therefore at these seasons to shun it.”. I also find remarks concerning the Nicaragua route for a ship canal, commencing page 13: “Nicaragua–Harbors. San Juan del Norte on the Atlantic of insufficient capacity and depth of water. Brito on the Pacific has no title whatever to the name of harbor. “An artificial harbor at Brito is necessary. Twenty- eight locks will be required, fourteen on the Atlantic side from San Juan to the rapids of Castillo and Toro on the lake, and fourteen on the Pacific side from the lake to Brito. “Seven dams will be needed on the river San Juan; artificial harbors, piers and embankments must be con- structed at each end of the lake, the approach to the shores of which is impracticable owing to shoals and sand bars. “The distance across is 194 miles; summit level of lake 128 feet, to be locked on each side; length of canal necessary,47 miles; length of river to be deepened and dredged 91 miles. Total length of work to be done 138 miles. The time necessary for transit from sea to sea through so many locks is six days and ten hours at the quickest rate, Colonel Childs estimate of 77 hours being calculated on the supposition that a vessel would be in course of continuous transit both day and night and that she would only spend 28 minutes at the passage of each lock. J “Tornadoes and papagazos or violent hurricanes on the coast. Volcanoes in a state of activity along the rOute. *s “Earthquakes in neighborhood. “Disputed territorial boundaries.” T also find in the American Cyclopoedia: “Panama.—The Isthmus of Panama has derived its chief importance from its supposed facilities for the con- Since 1528 the idea has been mooted of opening a canal between the river struction of an inter-ocean canal. Chagres falling into the Caribbean sea at the town of that name and the Grande falling into the Pacifie near Panamator the Trinidad and Caimito, The route was examined by two Flemish engineers under the orders of Philip II, but for political reasons the king ordered that no one should revive the subject under penalty of death. In 1826 Domingo Lopez, a native of Colombia traced a new line for a canal between Panama and Portobello. But the first formal exploration was made in 1827 under the orders of General Bolivar by the engineers, Lloyd and Falmark. Their labors concluded in 1829 proved that a railway if not a canal could readily be built between Chagres and Panama: In 1843 the French government º sent out Messrs Garella and Courtines to make examina- tions. Garella reported in favor of a canal from Limon bay to pass under the dividing ridge of Abbirogazequa by a tunnel 120 feet high and 17,390 feet long to the bay of In 1852 the government of New Granada conceded to Dr. Cullen and Vaca del Monte, 12 miles west of Panama. others the privilege of building a canal between Cale- donia bay and the Gulf of San Miguel. In 1864 Mr. Kelley of New York surveyed a route from the Gulf of San Blas to the river Chepo, which would require a long tunnel. In 1865 M. de la Charme surveyed a line from the south part of the Gulf of Darien to the Gulf of San Miguel via the river Tuyra. In the same year M. de Puydt, an engineer employed by the French Interna- tional Colombian company, announced the discovery of a 24 fº.º.º. _zzº & 3– * x 3. *. favorable passage from the port of Escondito to Tuira, and thence into the Gulf of San Migue1. In 1870 Cap- tain Selfridge, U. S. N., surveyed two lines from the Caledonia Bay by different routes to the mouths of the rivers Sabana and Lara on the Pacific, but found no lower level on the Cordillera than 1000 feet. Another line run from the bay of San Blas to the Chepo River In 1871 he examined the In 1874 two other expeditions were sent out by the United was still more unfavorable. line of M. Puydt and found it impracticable. States government, one to survey a line between the Atrato and the Pacific across the Colombian State of Cauca, and the other a line parallel with the Panama railway. Their reports are about to be published.” I also find in “Report on Interoceanic Canals and Railroads between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans,” by Rear Admiral Charles H. Davis, Superintendent of the Naval Observatory, oommencing at page 14: “A. A. Pass or cross road, which was unknown until discovered in the sortie of the month of March of this year when, fortunately, was also found the narrow neck of this part of America which divides the port of Caledonia on the north from that of the Savana on the south. “It is also gratifying to percieve that Airian, who has made a careful study of this subject, has arrived at the same conclusion, that is, that the proper line for an inter-oceanic canal is from the Bay of San Miguel up the River Savana to its junction with the Lara and from this point straight across the plain to the foot of the Cordilleras (Prevost's route approximately).” Page 27: “C. C. C. C., a road recently discovered leading from the Port of Savana to its junction to that of Caledonia. It is level and suitable for wheels as far as the mouth of the Sucubte and from here it is easy to cross to the coast with beasts of burden.” Rivers which facilitate the crossing of the Cordillera from the south to the north: “The Asquati affords a pass to Navigandi on the coast of Caledonia; the Zublugande for the same; the Sucubte to Caledonia; the Chuetz the same; the Tuquesa (or some such name) to the beach of Cares and to Armira; the Tupisa to the river Gande; the Yavisa to the Tarena and to Cuty; the Puero and Paya to the marshes of Tigres and Arquilla; the Penusa to Yoo Cacarica and Motete, the Motete to Sassardi” “The headwaters of the Chucunaque spread them- selves over level ground and approach a branch of the Chepo, so that small canoes pass from one to the other by means of a portage which divides them.” Page 28: are in general full of native gold ores, particularly the “All these mountains and river valleys mountains of Espiritu Santo, from which it has been taken is such abundance as to be measured by the half bushel and weighed by the hundred weight. * Adreas De Ariza.” Yavisa, October 28, 1781. “There is a sign manuel Dias Pedregal ‘‘Iph Dias Pedregal. I also find in Dr. Cullen’s work already referred to, page 81: “The Concession.—The government of the Republic of New Granada has conceded by degree of Congress, dated Bagota, 1st of June, 1852, the exclusive privilege of cutting a ship canal across the Isthmus of Darien between the Gulf of San Miguel on the Pacific, and the Bay of Caledonia on the Atlantic Coast, between Punta de Mosquitos and the west mouth of the Atrato for the entrance of the canal and has granted besides the lands necessary for the canal and its works 100,000 fanegadas of land to be selected in any part of the republic. “All the ports of Darien have been declared free and neutral. “The Concessionaires are Sir Charles Fox, John Henderson, Esq., Thomas Brassey, Esq. and Dr. Edward Cullen.” It appears that 100,000 fanegadas equal about 200,- 000 acres. I also find, page 21, Dr. Cullen states: “The whole work to be done in order to make a ship canal communication between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans by this route would be to cut from Principe or from Laramouth to Port Escosces or Cale- donia Bay a distance of from twenty-two to twenty-five miles.” *. 25 Page 20: “Thus the distance from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean by the route from Port Escosces or Caledonia Bay to the Gulf of San Miguel by way of the In line from Port Escosces to the gulf the distance is thirty- river Savana would be thirty-nine miles. a direct three miles.” I also find, commencing page 31: “PRODUCTS OF THE SOIL. In the forest, on this route many valuable varieties of woods are to be found. Mora (excelsa), which towers to a height of 120 feet, is equal to teak, not subject to dry rot and excellently adapted for ship-building, its wood is so close and cross grained that it is difficult to split it. Espave, a hard wood adapted for ship-building. Corotu grows to a height of 100 feet; insects will not attack it. Cedra Cebolla, or Onion cedar, very durable; gives 36 pieces; insects will not attack it. Bakas, a light cork wood for rafts. Majagua, used by the Indians for making ropes. dant. Cedro, real or royal cedar, very abun- Besides these, mahogany, lignum vitae, fustic and caoutchouc abound in the west. Of medicinal plants the cedron deserves notice as it has been found very valuable in intermittent fevers, and lately in cholera. The Indians consider it a specific against the effects of ~ Snake bites. Sarsaparilla, vanilla, honey, wax, vege- table, ivory and several gum resins are among the vegetable products of Darien. Plantains attain a large size and are fit to cut in nine months. Sugar cane is cut in nine months. Indian corn ripens in three months, and all other tropical fruits are equally precocious. “The Atlantic Coast for miles along in various parts is lined with cocoanut trees, the cocoa (obroma cacao) of Darien was considered by the old Spaniards the best in South America. “Cotton.—In some of the villages of Darien and at the mouth of the Congo River the cotton plant produces larger pods than any I have seen in Demerara or Berbice. I would consider the plains of the Savana, and between that river and the Cordillera of the coast excellently adapted to the cultivation of cotton on a large scale. “Sugar, coffee, cotton, cocoa, tobacco, indigo, Sarsaparilla, vanilla plantains, yams, cassava and other ** product which would flourish in this rich virgin soil are among the most valuable in commerce, while the prox- imity to the canal would afford a ready market Oranges, shaddocks, limes, lemons, pineapples, nisperos or Sapo- dillos, bananas and mangoes are cultivated with success in the Indian settlements, and no doubt the vine and Olive would, if introduced, thrive equally well.” I find also commencing page 85: “The great quantity of rain which falls in Darien, the prevalence of invigorating currents of air across it from sea to sea, and the equable temperature of the climate which is not subject to great vicissitudes and most materially to lessen the effect which the decomposi- tion of the vegetable matter would under other circum- Stances have in the development of intermittent and remittent fevers and to mitigate the violence and dimin- ish the frequency of the attacks of those diseases, should they occur. “The heavy showers of rain absorb the malaria and wash away the decaying vegetable matter during the rainy season, while in the dry season the vapors floating in the atmosphere are diluted and dissipated by the constantly prevailing currents of air which form the level character of the country and the absence of deep narrow valleys can never be impregnated to any danger- ous degree with miasmata. “The frequency of thunder and lightning at short intervals in Darien tends also to clear the atmosphere and render it more pure and wholesome. Moreover, the forests of Darien being less encumbered with brushwood or undergrowth and more Open and park-like than most tropical forests, the quantity of vegetable matter in a state of decomposition is comparatively small and the volume of morific gases evolved from it inconsiderable. “That the heat of the climate is not incompatible with great physical exertion I can assert from personal experiences, having endured more prolonged bodily fatigue in Darien and other tropical climates than I have ever borne in Europe, and I can refer to the robust forms, great physical powers and uniform good health of the bogas or canoe men who pole up the Chagres River under a blazing sun as a proof that mere heat neither predisposes to disease or enervates. & * 26 { r— “Strict attention to their personal comfort, regularity in the supplies of good wholesome food, dry, well-venti- lated housing (the houses to be built on piles some feet above the ground), regulating of the hours of labor, facilities afforded them for bringing out their wives and thus establishing a home in the place, the establishment of libraries, amateur bands of music and other sources of relaxation in their leisure hours, and a well-organized system of medical police—on the part of the company— and total abstinence from the baneful stimulus of strong drinks and attention to cleanliness and the maintenance of the healthy functions of the skin by frequent bathing —on their own part—would, I am sure, enable English laborers effectually to resist the influence of change of climate.” ~ Page 29: “The Savana River, called by the In- dians Chaparti, is very direct in its course from Principe to its mouth and free from sinuosities, plazas, deep elbows, shoals, rocks, snags or other obstructions. ‘‘Its banks, elevated several feet above the level of the water, are quite free from Swamps and malarious miasmata, consequently the endemic fevers caused by those in Chagres, Parto Bello, Limon and Panama would 11ot prevail in any settlements that may be formed in the neighborhood of the Savana. Indeed, it cannot be in- ferred that the Isthmus of Darien is unhealthy because the towns on the Isthmus of Panama have all been settled in Swampy localities, and in the most unfavorable positions in a Sanitary point of view. A common proof of the freedom from swamp of the whole tract of country from Port Escosces to the Gulf of San Miguel is the total absence of mosquitos which invariably infest all swampy grounds in the tropics. The great longevity of the people of Darien and the large proportion of very old men also attest the healthiness of the climate.” I also find in the report of Commander Selfridge, already alluded to, page 23: “The country is quite level for the first mile from the beach, and is probably overflown during rainy season. It then rises in a gentle slope along the valley of the Sassardi which for the first three miles after leaving the coast is of unsurpassed fertility and might be called the garden spot of the isthmus; beautiful groves here and there, large plantations of bananas, plantains, sugar cane, cocoa, cassava and a kind of bean much grown by the Indians.” I also find, page 96: “Caledonia Bay contains four distinct harbors, viz: Sassardi Bay, Grant Harbor, Caledonia Harbor and Escosces Harbor; all of these are commodious and com- paratively easy of access, and contain plenty of water for vessels of any size, with good holding ground.” I also find in Chamber's Encyclopedia, Vol. 3: ‘‘DARIEN SCHEME. A disastrous speculation projected by William Paterson, the founder of the Bank of England, was established by act of the Scottish parliament and was sanctioned by royal authority in 1695. Five ships with 1,200 men on board set sail from Leith for Panama on the 25th July, 1698. in four months near what is still called Puerto Escosces They reached their destination (in 8 deg. 50 min. north latitude), and having bargained with the natives for a country which they called New Caledonia. The colonists fixed the site or what was to be their capital, New Edinburg, and built a fort in its And it should be remembered that a Panama canal was included The books and other documents which had belonged to the company are vicinity which they named New St. Andrews. in the plans of the far-seeing projector. preserved in the Advocate’s Library. I also find in “A Story of Life on the Isthmus ” by Joseph W. Fabens, mdcc.cliii., preface: “By seizing the Isthmus of Darien,” said Sir Walter Raleigh, “you will wrest the keys of the world from Spain.” I also find in Dr. Cullen’s “Isthmus of Darien Ship Canal,” page 28 or 29, or about: .* “From the sea shore a plain extends for nearly two miles to the base of a ridge of hills which runs parallel to the coast, and whose highest summit is about 350 feet This ridge is not quite continuous and unbroken, but is divided by transverse valleys through which the Aglase- niqua, Aglatomate and other rivers have their course, and whose highest elevations does not exceed 150 feet. “The base of this ridge is only two miles in width, and from its south side a level plain extends for thirteen 27 # miles to a point on the River Savana called Canasas, which is about twenty miles above its mouth. I may here remark that the unfortunate inter-oceanic canal promoted by M. de Lesseps was between Limon or , Aspinwall and Panama in the main parallel to the rail- way, and some distance north on the Isthmus to the route proposed by Dr. Edward Cullen. I find in Chamber's Encyclopaedia, Vol. VII: ‘‘PANAMA CANAL.” A liquidator was named by the Court of the Seine. In 1890 a commission of French and other engineers was sent to the Isthmus by him. Their report was very dis- couraging. Indeed, the Isthmus and its towns are hot beds of malignant disease which is distributed thence by passing merchandise to all quarters. Great and apparently insurmountable obstacles to a tide level canal are the marshes and quicksands on the - the railway with twelve feet of water. l The unruly Chagres periodically over- In 1870 a Atlantic coast. flows and fills the valley of the Isthmus. flood lasting four days swept all before it, and covered Then there are serious natural obstacles in the line of the canal as the swamps and volcanic ledges on the Panama side. Earth- quakes, too, occur; in September, 1882, much damage was done to both Isthmian cities and the Panama Rail- way by a severe earthquake, whilst a tidal wave swept the islands and coast on the Gulf of Darien on the Atlantic side, causing great destruction of life and prop- erty. To natural obstacles must be added the great cost of labor and living. The long wet season of nearly eight months causes delays and damages to cuttings. (See Dr. W. Nelson, Five Years at Panama, New York, 1889, London, 1891.”) I also find in the Penny Cyclopoedia—“Panama, the Isthmus of the place where the Andes of South Ameri- ca terminate, has not been quite ascertained. On our maps a mountain is laid down netºr 8 ° north latitude which is called the Peak of Candelaria, but it is not known whether it is connected with the Andes or is an There are some reasons for supposing But isolated summit. that it is not connected with that mountain range. it is ascertained that west of this mountain (77 deg. 30 west longitude) no range of hills or mountain, nor even an isolated elevation of moderate height occurs, and that the whole Isthmus between the two seas is a flat country only a few feet above high water mark. This low coun- try extends westward for more than a hundred miles to the western extremity of Mandingo Bay. The average width of this part of the Isthmus does not exceed forty miles, and opposite Mandingo Bay, called also the Gulf of San Blas, it contracts to less than thirty miles.” I also find in “Five Years in Panama,” by Wolfred Nelson, M. D., page 238: In the town library of Nurem- berg is preserved a globe made by John Schoner in 1520. It is remarkable that the passage through the Isthmus of Darien, so much sought after in later times, is on this old globe carefully delineated.” I also find in “The Inter-oceanic Canal of Nicara- gua, its history, physical condition, plans and prospects,” published by the Nicaragua Canal Construction Com- pany, New York, 1891, Chapter IV.: “THE PROPOSED CANAL. San Juan del Norte or Greytown on the Atlantic, and Brito on the Pacific, are the termini; the distance from port to port is one hundred and sixty-nine and one- half miles, of which twenty-six and three-fourths will be excavated channel, and one hundred and forty-two and two-thirds miles in lakes, rivers and basins. The sum- mit is necessarily Lake Nicaragua, one hundred and ten feet above the sea.” It appears also that Dr. Edward Cullen published another work which may be found in the British Museum entitled: “Over Darien by a Ship Canal; A Report on the Mismanaged Expedition of 1854; with suggestions for a survey by competent engineers. London, 1856. I also find in his work, “Isthmus of Darien Ship Canal,” formerly referred to in this communication, page 47: “It will be seen by reference to the map that the buccaneers took a course eastward of the route to the Savana and got upon higher ground. I have thus endeavored, Mr. Editor, by these quota- tions, etc., to give your readers who are not familiar with the Isthmus of Panama or Darien some information 28 ſº- =-“º -- - & regarding the subject of proposed canal routes to connect the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, but especially this route proposed by Dr. Edward Cullen, from Port ESCOSces or Caledonia Bay on the Atlantic side to the Gulf of San Miguel on the Pacific side via the Savana River. On this route we certainly appear to have good har- bors, which is very important, and the distance is short; which is also desirable. &- The timber and other products of the soil also seem very abundant. The climate on this route would also ap- pear to compare favorably with other parts of the Isthmus. There is also some reason to suppose that gold, which has formerly been found in abundance in this region of the country, might possibly again be very remunerative. I therefore beg to propose that a company be formed to be known as “The Darien Ship Canal Company,” with an authorized capital stock of two hundred million dollars for the construction of a ship canal (providing the consent of the government of the United States of Co- lombia can be obtained) from Port Escosces or Caledonia's Bay on the Atlantic side to the Gulf of San Miguel on . the Pacificside via the Savana River, or in that region of country, if considered feasible by civil engineers, after careful and complete surveys have been made. It is evident, however, that a difference of opinion exists in regard to the summit level on the proposed canal route. And Dr. Cullen's statement in regard to the height of the hills must not be taken for granted until a complete and careful survey of the route is taken. His general description, however, of the route may assist the reader. On page 28 or 29, in his “Isthmus of Da- rien Ship Canal,” he states: “From the sea shore (he means the Atlantic side) a plain extends for nearly two miles to the base of a ridge. of hills which runs parallel to the coast, and whose highest summit is about 350 feet. This ridge is not quite continuous and unbroken, but is divided by trans- VerSe valleys through which the Aglaseniqua, Aglato- mate and other rivers have their course, and whose high- est elevations do not exceed 150 feet, • * *** -r º ºs-as *-* - *******…*.*.**** * * *-** * ~~~~~~ “The base of this ridge is only two miles in width, and from its south side a level plain extends for thirteen miles to a point on the River Savana, called Canasas, which is about twenty miles above its mouth. But allow me, Mr. Editor, to state, in conclusion, 3. that whatever the height of the hills for a few miles may be, that need not necessarily make this canal projectim- practicable, as tunneling could be attempted. A tunnel, however, I do not consider desirable, if it can be avoided. Thanking you for your kind attention and consider- ation, I am obediently yours, * THOMAS WRIGHT HURST.” The reader may have noticed that the narrowest part of the American Isthmus is in the neighborhood of the Chepo River on the Pacific side, and the Gulf of San Blas on the Atlantic side. This being a point of someº interest, I quote from: Vol. 9. Proceedings Royal Geographical Society, page 276-277, April 24, 1865. 1. On the Bayanos River, Isthmus of Panama, by Lawrence Oliphant, Secretary R. G. S. - “This was a short narrative which the writer had made from Panama to the Chepo or Bayanos River, which enters the Pacific about thirty miles to the west- ward of the former place. Between this point and the Gulf of St. Blas the Atlantic and Pacific approach nearer to each other than they do in any other part, and the object of the paper was to call attention to the fact that during the many surveys that had been undertaken with a view to discover the most practical line for a ship canal, this part had been neglected. The neck of land which divides the Atlantic from that poiut on the Bazanos River . to which the tide or the Pacific extends is only fifteen miles across; and however incredible it might seem this short distance had never been crossed, much less ex- plored by a white man. In 1837, Mr. Wheelwright attempted it, but was driven back by the Indians, and some years later Mr. Evan Hopkins started with a view Of exploring this route, but was compelled to abandon it for the same reason. The object of the writer in his 9 **, * } : S. visit was simply a reconnoissance, the persons in whose company he made the trip, having no idea of explora- tion, but merely of visiting the little settlement of Chepo where they had bought an estate. reach so far as Terable where the influence of the Pacific tide ends and where an expedition to cross to the Atlantic would have to start from but he saw from Chepo a very remarkable depression in the mountain chain about ten miles distant. He was repeatedly assured, both at Panama and at Chepo, that the Darien Indians were in the habit of hauling their canoes on wooden slides across the Cordillera from the Mandinga River and launching them in the Bayanos. Surely it was a discredit to the civilization of the nineteenth century that the Indians should be said to pass with boats from the Pacific to the Atlantic and that we should never have had the curiosity to verify this fact or to explore the only section of the isthmus of which it could be stated with any appearance of truth.” We certainly have the advantage of short distance here and it might be well to investigate and survey this route, although Dr. Cullen states “it has the disadvan-. 3 * tage of bad coasts;” also “a very high Cordillera of from 2000 to 6000 feet elevation, and a large population of Indians. The bar at the mouth of Chepo River is quite dry at low water as is also a sand bank which ex- tends several miles out into the Bay of Panama; the part of the Atlantic coast on the other side is best, with reefs, shoals and kays and is dangerous of approach.” It appears also that “In 1870 Captain Selfridge, U. S. N., surveyed two lines from the Caledonia Bay, by different routes, to the mouths of the river Sabana (by which we suppose is meant Savana) and Lara on the Pacific, but found no lower level on the Cordillera than 1000 feet. Another line run from the Bay of San Blas to the river Chepo was still more unfavorable.” It is also stated, “In 1864 Mr. Kelley of New York surveyed a route from the Gulf of San Blas to the river Chepo which would require a long tunnel.” It may be of some interest to the reader to learn something of the history of Darien, etc. Dr. Edward Cullen's Isthmus of Darien Ship Canal, commencing page 45: I quote from He was unable to -- *-* -- ~~~~~ “THE HISTORY OF DARIEN AND THE AT- TEMPTS TO CROSS IT. t A rapid sketch of the history of Darien may account for the ignorance that has hitherto prevailed regarding this magnificent country. The first settlement effected in Darien was Santa Maria de el Antiqua at the mouth of the Atrato; founded in 1509 by the licentrate Enciso by the advice of Vasco Nunez de Balbao who had escaped from Santo Domingo and embarked on board Encisos vessel concealed in an On 26th September, 1513, Vasco Nunez discovered the Pacific ocean at the Gulf of San empty wine pipe. Miguel which he named so from having discovered it on St. Michael's day, and was afterwards beheaded by Pedro Arias Davila who was sent from Spain to super- séde him. The next settlement was Acla or Agla at the mouth of the Aglaseniqua or Caledonia River; founded by Gabriel de Rojas in 1514 and fortified in 1516 by Davila. In 1532 Agla and the whole of Darien were aban- doned for Nombre de Dios and Panama which was settled by Davila, after the conquest of Tubanama, its cacique by Vasco Nunez. Although Vasco Nunez conquered the cacique of Carreto (whose daughter he married) Comagre, Ponca, Quarequa, Chiapes, Zumaco and Pocorosa in his expedi- tions across the isthmus yet the Spaniards did not effect permanent settlements in Darien until a century later. In 1680 the buccaneers crossed the isthmus by the Chuquanaqua and took the town of Real de Santa Maria On the Tuyra.” The following is the account in Basil Ringrose’s M. S. in the Ayscough Collection (British Museum.) “On the 5th of April, 1680, 331 buccaneers, most of them English, passed over from Golden Island and landed in Darien, each man provided with four cakes of bread called dough-boys, with a fusil, a pistol and a hanger, They began their journey marshalled in divisions with distinguishing flags under their several commanders. Bartholomew Sharp and his men taking the lead. Many Darien Indians kept them company as * their confederates and supplied them with plantains, 30 *1 *-* r— fruit and venison for which payment was made in axes, hatchets, knives, needles, beads and trinkets, all of which the buccaneers had taken care to come well pro- vided with. Among the Darien Indians in company were two chiefs who went by the names of Captain Andreas and Captain Antonio. The commencement of their march was through the skirt of a wood which having passed they proceeded about a league by the side of a bay and afterwards about two leagues directly up a woody valley where was an Indian house and plantation by the side of a river. Here they took up their lodgings for the night, those who could not be received in the house building huts. The Indians were earnest in cautioning them not to sleep on the grass on account of adders. This first day’s journey discouraged four of the buccaneers and they returned to the ships. Stones were found in the river which on being broken shone with sparks of gold. These stones, they were told, were driven down from the neighboring mountains by torrents during the rainy season. The next morning at Sunrise they proceeded on their journey, laboring up a steep hill which they surmounted about three in the afternoon and at the foot on the other side they rested on the bank of a river which Captain Andreas told them ran into the South Sea and was the same by which the town of Santa Maria was situated. This was the Chuquanaqua which they reached by crossing the steep hill called Loma Deseada, behind Carreto Bay (see p. 54) a hill considerably higher than that behind Caledonia Bay and Port Escosces. It will be seen by reference to the map that the buccaneers took a course eastward of the route to the Savana and got upon higher ground. In 1681 Surgeon Lionel Wafer who was one of the Original party of the buccaneers that crossed the isthmus from Caledonia Bay by the Chuquanaqua into the Gulf of San Miguel having scorched his knee by the accidental explosion of Some gun powder and being left behind, on his return back again crossed the isthmus from the mouth of the Congo in the Gulf of San Miguel to the mouth of Concepcion River near San Blas Bay. In 1685 the gold mines of Darien were closed by Royal Decree (see p. 58). The following is the translation of the decree: ---> ----------- - - “Year 1685, Royal decree, March 12th. That the President of Panama break up and destroy the mines of gold that exist in the vicinity of the rivers of the province of Darien, because the coveting of them has induced the pirates to undertake the transit from the sea of the North to the sea of the South by those rivers to the prejudice of the public cause, and that the Viceroy of Peru co-operate in it.” (vid. t i i in 7 of the Archives of the Viceroyalty of Peru at Lima). DECREES AGAINST BUCCANEERS. There are most stringent Decrees in the above Archives against buccaneers on this isthmus dated 27th September, 1663; 31st December, 1672; 31st July, 1683; 26th September, 1686 and 14th November 1690. In 1698 the Scotch colony settled on the promontory outside of Port Escosces and was starved out in 1699 by the infamous orders of William III actuated by jealousy and influenced by Spanish and Dutch intrigues. The project of colonization was started by Paterson, the founder of the Bank of England, from information given him by Surgeon Lionel Wafer. In 1719 the Indians rose against the Spaniards and the few doctrinas or missions that had been established were broken up. I find in Don Antonio de Ulloa and Don Juan Jorge the Spanish academicians “Kiaje” that previous to this date there were doctrinas in Matuinaganti and Aglaseni- Qua. In 1740 peace was made with the Indians by Lieu- tenant-General Don Dionisio Martinez de la Vega and Don Sebastian de Eslaba, Viceroy of Santa Fe, sent to North Darien two Jesuits Fathers, Salvador Grande and Pedro Fabro; and the President of Panama sent to the South Fathers Matias Alvarez, and Claudio Escobar, who formed the settlements of Molineca, Balsas, Tucuti, Chuquanaqua, Cupe and Yavisa; but had scarcely suc- ceeded in forming these missions when the Indians deserted them and the Fathers with difficulty escaped with their lives. In 1784 a Junta was convened in Bogola by the viceroy and archbishop, Don Antonio Caballero Y. 31 Gongora, when instructions were issued to establish forts at Mandinga, Concepcion, Carolina (in Caledo-lia Bay) and Cayman. The command was intrusted to De la Torre and with him were associated Brigadier General Don Antonio de Arebalo and Garcia de Villalba; these forts were established in 1785 and the same year Lieu- tenant Colonel Don Andres de Arisa, governor of Darien founded Fuerte del Principe with 200 men. DON ARISA'S PROJECTED ROAD. Arisa projected a road from Principe to the mouth of the Sucubti on the east bank of the Chuquanaqua and thence to Carolina. He procured with much difficulty the consent of the Indians to the opening of the road through the aid of Captain Suspani or Urruchurchu, the chief of Sucubti. Coorrera was sent with 300 men of the Princesa regiment (white soldiers) to open the road but went to Panama, leaving the work unfinished; and it appears that the road never was actually made. The only person who ever crossed the isthmus from Carolina to Principe was Adjutant Milla; but only once, as subse- quent to his crossing he had to go to Panama and Portobello to get a passage to Carolina. The route proposed by Arisa from information given him by Suspani and the same by which Suspani guided Milla was to ascend the Aglatomate,or Aglaseni- qua, one hour then to ascend the revine of the Cordilleras to the head waters of the Sucubti, an eight hours jour- ney; then to go down the Chuquanaqua half a day by water or one day by land and turning to the right for six hours over ground quite level to reach Principe. The Spaniards endeavored to found Miraflores at the mouth of the Sucubti where Suspani resided; and on the plain between the Chuquanaqua and the Savana they proposed to found Betanzas as a central station. Matos, governor of Darien, in Arisa's absence, and the engineer, Donoso, were the only persons who held a second opinion on the subject. They recommended descending the Chuquanaqua to Yavisa and then cross- ing to Principe, evidently a much longer route than that of Arisa. None of them had any idea of a direct route from Fuerte del Principe to Carolina; and any further progress ** in the knowledge of the country was stopped by the withdrawal of all the establishments in 1790 in conse- quence of the treaty of peace (see p. 63) since when the Isthmus of Darien has sunk into such utter oblivion that previous to my first visit to it in 1849, though I made very extensive inquiries in Panama, I could not find a single person who had the slightest knowledge of it, except the governor, Don Jose de Obaldia, now vice president of the Republic, who strongly recommended me to make explorations in that isthmus and was fully of my opinion that somewhere there I should find a canal route. Who however never was in Darien: The old people in Darien have a perfect recollection of the attempts made by Arisa, Donoso and Matos to open a road to the Atlantic, and one of them, Eulalio Arva of Chapigana, now dead, informed me that he accompanied his father, who was a barqueano or boat- man of Donosos, when he and five engineers from Spain Surveyed the Chuquanaqua and afterwards ascended the Savana as far as Principe, the Indians having prevented their further progress. He also saw Suspani when he came to Yavisa to make peace with the Spaniards and be baptised and further stated that the people at Principe could hear the gun fired at Carolina. Mr. Vincent, a gentlemen of great talents, who has co-operated with me for two years in the promotion of this project and accompanied me to Bogota, remained there after I left, copying documents relative to the history of Darien, existing in the archives of that city and collected a vast amount of interesting information which he will no doubt publish on his return. I desire to call the attention of the reader particu- larly to the statement foregoing: “that the people at Principe could hear the gun fired at Carolina.” Now it must be remembered that Carolina is in Caledonia Bay on the Atlantic side and Principe is on or near the Savana River on the Pacific side; also that it is not far from Principe and Carolina where it is proposed to cut this Darien Ship Canal. The distance from Principe to Carolina would perhaps be twenty-eight, 32 miles more or less and the Savana River itself from or near Principe to the Gulf of San Miguel would form part of the canal. I wish to state that if a gun could be heard from Carolina to Principe it seems positive that there must be a valley through the hills and hence a comparatively easy cutting all the distance for this proposed ship canal. Again I wish to call attention to the statement in the Daily Inter Ocean (Chicago) of Saturday morning, Janu- ‘‘The Nicaragua Canal and the Monroe Doctrine,” by Lindley Miller Keasby. gated Dr. Cullen's later writings—his book on ‘The ary 2, 1897, in reviewing the work styled: Still less does he seem to have investi- Isthmus of Darien Ship Canal,’ published in 1852, and ‘Over Darien by a Ship Canal,” a report of the mis- managed expedition of 1854 which was published in 1856. ending of this latter expedition under Lieutenant Isaac Mr. Keasbey lays much stress on the lamentable C. Strain of the American Navy, and yet Strain himself did not regard his misfortunes as conclusive evidence against Dr. Cullen's statments. He admitted that he and his companions were literally ‘lost in the woods;’ that because of their feebleness in number, their im- perfect outfit and the terrible difficulties and dangers that beset their every footstep, they were wholly unable to mark any way for others to follow. He states that he distinctly heard the evening gun of the ship Cyane, lying off the Atlantic shore, after he had crossed the divide and was well down the Pacific slope of the Cordilleras, proof positive that there was some low level in those frowning forest-clad heights though he was unable to find it.” It appears that Dr. Edward Cullen, from his favor- able reports of this short Darien Ship Canal route, managed to interest Sir Charles Fox and other gentle- men in the subject, as I find in “Isthmus of Darien Ship Canal’’, commencing page 103: ‘‘DARIEN SHIP NAVIGATION. Engineer’s Report. In December, 1851, our attention was called by Dr. Cullen to the Isthmus of Darien, when from his state- favorable line of country existed for the formation of an inter-oceanic navigation. Mr. Lionel Gisborne with his assistant, Mr. H. C. Forde, civil engineers, were dispatched to us in April last to undertake the examination of the isthmus; and hereto appended is the report of their investigations. The New Grenadian government has since granted us a concession of land and privileges necessary for the construction of an inter-oceanic communication. In submitting this report to the public we confi- dently recommend the adoption of that navigation which will without locks at all times permit the passage of the largest vessels. CHARLES FOx, JOHN HENDRRSON, THOMAS BRASSEY. London, Sept. 10, 1852.” TO MESSRS. Fox, HENDERSON & BRASSEY: Gentlemen–Having made arrangements with Sir Charles Fox to ascertain the practicability of an inter- Oceanic navigation for the largest ships at all times of the tide across the Isthmus of Darien, between Port Escoces on the Atlantic, and San Miguel on the Pacific, and having made such preparations as I could in this Country, I sailed with my assistant, Mr. Henry Forde, On the 2nd of April last from Southampton to Cartagena, where we arrived on the 1st of May. Here we com- pleted our arrangements—chartered the schooner Veloz, Sailed for Port Escosces on the 12th of June and anchored in the port on the 15th. At Cartagená we obtained information which fully confirmed what we had been led to expect from the little we gathered in England, that no strangers had been allowed to visit the interior since the Buccaneers assisted the natives in repelling the Spaniards nearly two hundred years ago; that it was in vain to think of obtaining from these jealous savages permission to enter their territory, and that to do so without their permis- sion was hazardous in the extreme. Yet as it was generally supposed that the summit level between the ments and other information we were led to believe a two oceans was near the Atlantic goast and it was there- f fore important to ascertain whether that was the fact, we determined to make the attempt. From the schooner the Cordilleras appeared to run in an unbroken range. We landed on the morning of the 17th of June and crossed the range without any obstacle, ascertaining the lowest point visible from the seaboard to be 276 feet high. Beyond this point we followed a small stream which led us to a larger river flowing from the S. W. into a semi-circular sweep towards the north. A flat plain extended to the S. W. in the direction of the Gulf of San Miguel as far as the eye could reach, looking over the tops of the trees from a bluff about 100 feet high which we ascended for the purpose. We obtained an uninterrupted view for at least six miles in that direc- tion. The ranges of hills are shown in red in map No. 1. We followed the course of this river to the north until dark. Early on the following morning two Indians in a canoe came in sight, who, upon perceiving us, instantly landed and fled to the woods. Proceeding on our journey we met, a few hours afterwards, a woman and two children (one an Albino) from whom we were unable to derive any information. We had scarcely passed her when a canoe Suddenly appeared with five well-armed Indians in it, who made us to understand that we were to follow them which we thought it prudent to do. They led us, fortunately, along the course of the river which gradually assumed a more easterly direction winding among the hills that overlapped each other until we reached a village at its mouth in Caledonia Bay. We were thus singularly assisted in Our object by the discovery of a passage through the range of the Cordil- leras which had been heretofore Supposed to be un- " broken. Here an Indian, who spoke a little English and seemed to be a principal man in his tribe, questioned us as to our object in entering their territory. Thereupon a meeting was held of the chief men who detained us as prisoners. After several hours and with great difficulty we prevailed on them to allow us to return to our vessel, on the condition, however, that we should set sail instantly and upon the understanding that if we were again caught in the interior more summary measures would be adopted. Five or six Indians accompanied us to Port Escosces, about five miles off (where our vessel was lying), and they remained until the afternoon when we were well clear of the coast. Our great object had however been obtained in find- ing that the Cordilleras which appeared from the sea a continuous range, had an intervening valley and that the summit between the two oceans must be in the centre of the isthmus, if not nearer the Pacific coast. It had also been ascertained that Port Escosces though rather small for the terminus of a great ship navigation, would make an excellent harbor of refuge and that Caledonia Bay, as far as I had an opportunity to examine it, was most admirably calculated to serve the purpose of a harbor to the contemplated undertaking. we now sailed for Navy Bay and thence crossed the isthmus to Panama where we arrived on the 25th of June. Here we hired a small schooner of twelve tons burden, sailed on the 27th for the Gulf of San Miguel and arrived in the night of the 29th at Bocca Chica, the entrance of Darien harbor. We proceeded on the follow- At its mouth we found it two miles wide, narrowing for ing day to the examination of the Savannah river. seven miles above to a width of half a mile and skirted by hills from two to three hundred feet high running within a mile or two of its banks. The depth of the river varies from nine to six fathoms at low water and soundings gave us a Soft muddy bottom. From this point to the junction with the river Lara the depth diminishes till the bottom becomes 1evel with the mid- tide. The tide rises for five miles further up the Savannah to a fall of about two feet over stratum of rock crossing the stream diagonally N. E. by E. at a dip of 60 degrees. The point marked I on the accompany- ing map shows how far we are able to ascend in a canoe. The same class of rock appears both at the bottom and the sides. The course of the Savannah beyond tidal influence is tortuous, the width of water way being sixty feet. On the morning of the 2nd of July we began our land journey to the N. E. in the direction of Caledonia Bay. For the first two miles the country was level and 34 - rºSur Es = *- —a * - ...A. ..less overgrown than on the Atlantic side which made - our progress comparatively rapid. \ - We then crossed a range of hills which we ascer- tained to be 100 feet high. After passing a valley in which was the confluence of two small streams, we crossed a second range 130 feet high forming the summit between the Savannah and Caledonia rivers; at the foot a stream flowed nearly due east. . We followed it for two miles which led us to a larger one, the course of which we traced to the point marked D on the map. At this point a clear view to the N. E. in the direction of the point marked E towards Caledonia Bay showed a flat plain with no intervening hills. The points D and E being only six miles apart our view from D toward E. and our still more Commanding view for at least six miles from an elevation of 100 feet at E in the direction of Dover lapped and were perfectly conclusive with re- gard to the few miles seen and not actually walked over. We therefore accepted the admonition of a foot path and a bridge formed by the trunk of a tree placed across the river at this point that we were again in the territory of the Indians into whose hands we had fallen at Caledonia Bay and that our object being accomplished it was un- wise to incur further risk from the Indians by walking over these six miles thinking it best for the success of the undertaking to retrace our steps at once. On mapping our route I found that the point I was too high up the Savannah River for the shortest junction between it and the Caledonia. We therefore ascended the River Lara which ran in a more easterly direction; the tide carried us up six miles, the width narrowing from 300 feet to 30 feet; some falls of a few inches each are caused by rock of the same character as that of the Savannah, its course is very tortuous; for the five miles I examined beyond tidal action the bottom was uniformly rock and it became an insignificant stream. After mapping the direction I feel confident that its source is the confluence of the small streams found in the valley between the two ranges of hills previously mentioned. The gravel banks in the Savannah and Lara Rivers are composed of the detritus of igneus and stratified rock. The latter is the same as that forming the falls - mºmºi = -- 1:----------~~~~1–1-ºxae - - - - -º-1----- -* . *— A im A^** * f. *_* * -- 1: A = ** – a – ~ *-** ****-i-i-º-º: **-* **.x -arm x. * * on both rivers, its dip being from 60 degrees to near 90 degrees and its strike varying from N. E. to S. E. : The general character of the country is that of a flat plain subject to inundation at high tides for a con- siderable distance out and covered with mangrove wood, whose high interlacing roots growing out of soft mud render walking impossible. Beyond tidal influence the banks rise five or ten feet above ordinary water level and are covered with the finest timber I have seen on the isthmus—cedar, mohogany, ebony, lignum vitoe, cuipa, -- palms and other trees. On the 9th July we returned to San Miguel. This Bay is naturally divided by a promontory and a chain of islands into a roadstead and a magnificent harbor. Captain Kellett's unpublished chart, supplied by the Admiralty shows only a part of the former. I have made a survey of the remainder and the general features are represented on the accompanying maps as also those of Darien harbor. I did not examine Bocca Grande, as I understood from the natives that the navi. gation through it is rendered dangerous by rocks, and as Bocca Chica on account of its depth and position is far more advantageous. I do not think it possible to exaggerate the merits of this part of the isthmus as the terminus of a great ship navigation; it requires but an examination of the map to be convinced of this fact. We returned to Navy Bay and sailed for England on the 24th July where we arrived on the 17th inst. On map No. 1 I have shown in red color the topo- graphical facts which have been ascertained by personal investigation with Sections of the portions traversed. From this it will be collected that the harbors of San Miguel and Caledonia are both excellent as the termini for a ship navigation on the largest scale, with Port Escosces as a harbor of refuge, should circumstances occur to render its use necessary; that the Savannah River has six fathoms or upwards in depth at low water for a distance of seven miles from its mouth, the effect of the tide reaching on the Lara tributary eleven miles above this or eighteen miles from Darien harbor leaving 35 **_-__.---___.ar-e-A-. . * * * *... *---2, 21. a distance of thirty miles to Caledonia Bay which is the actual breadth, of the isthmus between the tidal effect of the two oceans; that the summit level is ascertained to be 150 feet and is formed by a narrow range of hills Having a gradually rising plain at their foot at each side. There is every reason to believe that a more detailed examination of this division of waters will Iesult in a considerably lower summit level being found, but this under the circumstances of the section is not such an important point as might at first be supposed, the nar- rowness of the ridge making the cubic quantity through it very small compared to the excavation through the plains so that should the hills depress into the actual level of the plains the estimate will not be materially affected. The bulk of the work to be done is in the plains themselves and the cost will be proportionate to the cross section adopted, or, in other words the depth and breadth of the navigation required. The question therefore resolves itself into what are the necessities of commerce as an inter-Oceanic water communication. I do not consider it necessary to enter into the merits of this question. My instructions are to design a navi- gation capable of passing with security at all times the largest vessels navigating the two Oceans, not with a view to a local coasting trade but for the accommodation of the whole maritime world. There are two methods of accomplishing this object. 1st. To make a cut of sufficient capacity to form an uninterrupted navigation (without locks) from sea to Sea. 2d. A navigation with locks on a scale suitable to the object in view. There can be no doubt that the carrying out of the first proposition will comply in the fullest sense with the requirements of all classes of vessels, and when completed will best supply the want of a natural connection between the oceans. Its execution offers no engineering difficul- ties and no chance of future failure; it is simply a ques- tion of cubic quantity of excavation dependent on the dimensions of the cross section. Many large merchantmen and men-of-war draw from 24 to 28 feet of water, and oceanic steamers measure 350 feet over all with a breadth of 70 to 74 feet across the paddle boxes. Ship building is not at a stand; on the contrary the size of vessels is rapidly on the increase. In such an undertaking it is therefore reasonable to forestall progress by a timely concession to it. I pro- pose to make a cut of thirty feet deep at low tide, 140 feet at bottom, and 160 feet at low water’s surface. Such a cut carried from sea to sea is not larger than the trade of the world requires and will ſorm a permanent, -- safe and rapid mode of transit. On plan No. 2 the direction of the navigation is marked by a red line and on the section the depth of cutting is shown in red color. <-- On the Pacific the tide rises twenty-three feet and On the Atlantic it is scarcely appreciable mid-tide is on a level or nearly SO, in the two oceans so that there will be a current both ways dependent on the ebb and flow of the Pacific. an hour and will act most beneficially, not only as a This current will not exceed three miles Scour to prevent deposit but as an assistance in the transit of vessels. It will secure the passage being effected in one tide and prevent the passage of vessels going different ways as the direction of the trade will be The material to be excavated through is chiefly rock (not influenced by the ebb or flow of the Pacific tide. expensive to quarry) so that this current will not wear away the banks nor will the wash of passing steamers cause injury; it also affords Security against any inter- ruption to the navigation from slips and reduces the cost of maintenance to a normal sum. This rock is a strati- fied shale with thinnish beds easy to get though sound and will form an admirable side-lining to the na (igation, dispensing with the necessity of any artificial protection. The fact of its existence is one of the most favorable features of the undertaking as regards permanence and certainly of success. f 32 I estimate the cost of this design at £12,000,000. It must be remembered that no project has ever been before the public which embraces anything like the objects All other propositions have but local importance and look to attained by such an uninterrupted navigation. their profits from local trade; this one is adapted to every ship afloat and reeks a return from the trade of ^^ -- 36 ; every country. Its completion would make a change in the carrying commerce of every Pacific port; and as a railway makes its own traffic so will this work most certainly greatly increase the commerce between the distantly separated countries which steam power is only now beginning to reach. This is the design which after mature consideration I confidently recommend for adoption; and it is almost with regret that I feel it my duty to submit any other so sure am I that it is the only one which will satisfy the requirements of commerce. My second proposition necessitates two levels joined by a series of locks I adhere to the cross section of cut recommended in the previous design as well as the fact of the navigation being open to the largest vessels at all times of the tides. A tidal canal supplied on the upper level at high water would be a very imperfect naviga- tion and one-third more expensive than the design I am about to submit. It would involve all the disadvantages of a canal and offer many obstacles to be guarded against such as the arrangements for draining the country on each side with- out the risk of strong currents and shoals formed by deposit, and increase the time of transit considerably by the small speed attainable by steamers in such a class of I cannot recommend it for the purposes ſº navigation. intended. & It has been before mentioned that the Savannah They It grows, and Caledonia Rivers run in two extensive plains. are uninhabited and the land is uncultivated. However, fine timber which if means of transit were at hand would be of considerable value. During the dry season neither of these rivers could near their source supply the water required at a summit level of a naviga- tion on the scale contemplated; during the wet season again, they discharge a large volume of water, which in an ordinary canal would cause trouble and expense to Under these circumstances, I propose placing an embankment regulate, and prevent accumulations of deposit. across both these rivers at the points marked in red on map No. 3 making the embankments long enough and high enough to raise the water at their back 90 feet I estimate the cost at about £7,000,000. * to convey it to the harbors for shipment. submit this design with confidence. *. ----- * <-- *-*. arºº P-ºr ºr- -—- *~. ------- - above low tide in the Pacific. This will flood both plains up to the range of hills which forms the boundary of their catch water basins. Through the summit a cut is to be made of the same cross section recommended in Design No. 1 but with 40 feet depth of water so as to allow 10 feet to be drawn off the lake for lockage or a rise of 10 feet to catch flood waters and prevent too rapid A11 the valuable timber in the lake must be cut previous to the a current in the tidal entrances to the harbors. Water being let in so that an easy means will be afforded From Cale- donia Bay to the embankment a cut will have to be made of the cross section adopted in the other design." The Savannah is navigable up to the point where the embankment is to cross. The rise of 90 feet will have to be overcome by locks placed in the side of one of the ranges of hills against which the embankments terminate, and which are.com- posed of rock; weirs will also be provided to discharge Surplus waters. It is a serious undertaking to raise a large vessel 90 feet without much loss of time. I am fully prepared to meet this difficulty and pro- pose that the locks should be 400 feet long from mitre to mitre and 90 feet wide between the gate quoins; each lock to have a lift of 30 feet, to be overcome by wrought iron gates. The large supply at the summit level does away with the usual objection to a high lift wasting water. There will be no difficulty in constructing the locks and gates of the dimensions proposed; stone, lime and sand of excellent quality are obtainable in more than One place on the line of country to be traversed. Three locks will thus be required in each embank- ment and I have estimated for two sets at each end; the second set to be 300 feet long and 50 feet wide with 22 feet of water on their cills. Thus four vessels can be passed into the lake at the same time and the larger locks only used for those adapted to their size. For a navigation requiring the use of locks, I can It possesses the 37 facilities of deep, still water lake navigation without the disadvantages attendant on the use of a canal. The concentration of lockage in two places will save time. Great facility is also afforded in the execution of the work by its not being spread over a large area, and only a small portion of it below tidal level. The estimated cost is £4,500,000; it is only about one-third of that Set down for an uninterrupted cut from sea to sea but the disadvantages are very great, locks are decidedly objec- tionable in an undertaking this magnitude and mercan- tile value. The best studied plans carried out in the most perfect manner cannot guard against accidents or neglect which may stop the whole transit for months. Delay and risk there must be when such large machinery is worked; and there is no doubt ship owners would sooner pay a higher toll to pass directly from sea to seat than run the risk and incur the delay of lock navigation. The question is not one on which a hasty opinion should be formed, nor must the decision be biased by the disparity in the cost of the two measures. The real point is which is of the greatest value to the mercantile community? A far seeing thinker cannot doubt that the level cut is the only one which will comply with the requirements of the world. In framing the estimates I have calculated wholly on imported labor, making a liberal allowance for the diminution of work to be expected in a tropical climate and the extra wages necessary to induce parties to emigrate. This portion of the Isthmus of Darien is without doubt Neither Mr. Forde nor I suffered in the least from the in one of the most healthy districts. climate until our return to Panama, notwithstanding we were often for days together in the same wet clothes without a blanket to cover us at night and living on bad provisions. The reason for this comparative salubrity is the absence of swamps or overflowings of the river banks out of the range of the tide, and the general dry character of the surrounding district. I have, purposely abstained from entering into any detail of the works contemplated, or the arrangements for carrying them out. My object has been to give a concise view of the facilities of the Darien route, the facts elicited by the examination of the country by Mr. Forde and myself, and the best means of carrying out a project which has for centuries occupied the attention of governments and mercantile men without much advance towards the completion. I cannot conclude, however, without again earnestly recommending for adoption that design which will without locks at all times permit the passage of the largest vessels. I remain, gentlemen, your obedient servant, LIONEL GISBORNE, C. E. 41 Craven Street Strand. London, August 28th, 1852.” The following letter from Sir Charles Fox to the Times will throw some light upon the discussion of this American Isthmus Canal question in his day: “TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES: Sir:-I have seen with some regret and I may say disappointment, the observations appearing in your city article of this day on the subject of the proposed naviga- tion across the Isthmus of Darien. Any observations appearing to emanate from you are entitled to so much weight that I need not say it behooves any one writing under your authority to be very cautious in the opinions he expresses lest in doing so he should damage or retard objects of public utility which it is your whole policy and system to encourage and support. The article I refer to impugns the principle and prospects of the Darien undertaking substantially in three assumed positions all based on a comparison with . the proposed canal from San Juan to the Gulf of Fonesca, known popularly as the Nicaragua Canal. The writer states first that the proposed navigation across the Isthmus of Darien must be subsidiary to the Nicaragua Canal. He states secondly that that canal can be executed ‘so as to admit large ocean steamers such as the Northern Light, for less than £4,000,000; and he infers thirdly from these statements that the naviga- 38 tion across the Isthmus of: Darien would not pay, while he assumes that the Nicaragua Canal would be remuner- ative. These positions I venture to say are in many respects based upon incorrect data; and I think I shall have no difficulty in satisfying you on this point. The necessity of a communication by sea between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans being strongly felt both in the United States and in this country it was rec 2ntly proposed to construct a canal commencing at San Juan on the shore of the Atlantic, and proceeding throug the Lake of Nicaragua to the Gulf of Fonseca on the Pacific. It was ascertained that this work could be executed with a depth of water-way of about twelve feet, at an estimated cost of £4,000,000; but on further consider. ing the subject it appeared that this depth, though sufficient for the coasting and local traffic was not adequate to the more general demands of commerce: and it was therefore subsequently proposed to increase the depth to seventeen feet, which was found to involve The sufficiency of the depth thus increased was hovever an increase to the cost to upwards of £6,000,000. considered so questionable both by the English and American engineers to whom the matter was refe red, that it was proposed to extend it to twenty feet; but this In the policy of the original proposition various capitalists alteration raised the estimate to about £10,000,000. and individuals of great eminence in this country and in the United States concurred, upon the principle tha the communication was expedient if it could be obtained at commensurate cost; but further deliberation and esºeci- ally the increase of expense attendant on increased depth threw great doubt on the policy of the measure, especially as twenty feet was still greatly below the requiren ents of commerce which nothing short of a depth of t. iirty feet could satisfy, the draught of vessels of the largest class at present being twenty-eight feet. Moreover it appeared that in this work there would not be less, in the whole, than upwards of one hundred miles of canal- ised river besides much necessary expenditure ir, the 1ake of a very serious character. The passage was .95 miles in length; there were twenty-eight locks in its course; the period of transit engineers to the spot. WaS calculated:at about six days; the country was very unhealthy, and the annual cost of maintaining the canal very great. Under any circumstances the canal could not be constructed to carry ships of all sizes, and at best therefore, it constituted only a partial and imperfect work.” Minor drawbacks connected with the position of the canal were felt, which it is not necessary here to notice. it was in this state of the inquiry that my attention was drawn to the subject, accompanied by a suggestion that a means existed of opening the communication be- tween the two oceans, which would accommodate the whole present and future traffic of the world at a cost not materially if at all exceeding the proposed imperfect and incomplete measure. It appeared to me that an object so vast was of importance sufficient to justify some expense and labor and I resolved on despatching Mr. Gisborne accordingly pro- ceeded thither with his assistant, Mr. Ford, and though it is true in some sense as the writer states that “the land has not been actually surveyed” he examined the locality, he fathomed the water on both sides, aud went over the ground so as at least to satisfy himself of the height of the summit level and the nature of the soil. Mr. Gisborne's qualifications for such an investigation are well known from his long experience under govern- 1ment iñº canal and other works, and his reputation is staked upon the correctness of his statements. He re- ported and his report is published) to the effect that an open navigation, only 30 miles in length of 30 feet depth and 150 wide terminating in a good harbor on each side affording passage in one tide for vessels not only of the largest modern construction but admitting of the increase now in contemplation can be co-structed at a cost not exceeding on a high estimate “12,000,000. That the conclusion thus arrived at is not as absolutely certain as if “every foot of the land had been the subject of precise estimate,” as the writer assumes of the Nicaragua route I freely admit, but I think you will agree with me that the information obtained affords a very strong and cogent reason for concluding that the proposed selection of the N icaragua route was a mistake 39 and that attention ought to be directed to this portion of the isthmus. , *…* *. It is obvious if a means exist of opening a passage for the whole commerce of the world navigable at all times it must be greatly preferable to a close canal which can accommodate ships only of a certain tonnage. It is further obvious that if that passage once opened can be maintained without cost if it admits of transit in six hours instead of as many days if it is free from the impediment of locks and canal navigation and enjoys a good harbor at each terminus it must be in principle greatly preferable. But if all this can be effected at a little more than the cost of the proposed lesser work with a depth of thirty feet instead of twenty, I think you will agree with me that it will never, as the writer of the article assumes, be subsidiary to the Nicaragua route; and even that as regards this latter project, there is no fear that English or American capitalists will ever enter O11 -er a work so inherently imperfect and inadequate. Moreover if the one which can only accommodate a portion of the traffic will pay as assumed it is clear that the other which will accommodate the whole must do so in a much higher degree. rº, ** :*: You will observe that for the present all the con- templated proceedings of the company proposed to be established are preliminary only. It is not suggested that it shall enter into costly measures without mature consideration ard adequate support, but I venture to predict that the result of further proceedings will be to confirm the conclusion already arrived at, and I am sure that on the result no one more than yourself will be rejoiced to find that English capital has not been embarked in an undertaking so unsatisfactory as the Nicaragua Canal when there exist the means of opening out a passage for the traffic of the world without let or hindrance through a way prepared by nature for an operation so entirely effective and so completely within the power and skill of the human race, already evinced in a much higher degree and in works physi cally much more difficult. I have written this letter in great haste and must apologize if it betrays intrinsic evidence of this fact ******-- -** --- re. - -- ~~ --~~~~ --~~~ -- while I must further express my regret at having been thus compelled contrary to my wishes to enter upon this comparison. I am, sir, your obedient humble servant, CHARLES FOX, – 8 New St., Spring-gardens. February 8.” necessary to cut through the land is short from Caledonia Bay or Port Escosces to the Savana River, I will now endeavor to give some idea of the splendid water. privileges this canal would possess on both sides of the isthmus, etc. I quote from Dr. Cullen’s “Isthmus of Darien Ship Canal,” commencing page 25. g pag “Port Escosces.—Of Port Escosces, Caledonia Bay and the Channel of Sassardi, the Columbian Navigator, Vol. 3, page 218, says: “‘Port Escosces or Caledonia, lat. 8 degrees 51", long. 77 degrees 44%, is a noble harbor very safe and so extensive that a thousand sail of vessels may enter it. Punta Escosces is the S. E. point of Caledonia Bay the greater islet of Santa Calalina or de Ore (gold) being the N. W. between point and point the distance is four miles and the points lie N. W. and S. E. (N. 40 degrees W. and S. 40 degrees E.) from each other; and in respect to - In the S. E. part of this bay is Puerto Escosces (or Scottish this line the bay falls in one mile and two thirds. Harbor) which extends inward two miles in that direc- tion and forms good shelter. There are-various shoals in it which are represented in the particular plan of the harbor by which plan any vessel may run im, for the depths are five, six, seven and eight ſathoms of water over a bottom of sand. Between Piedras Islet to the north the west point of Aglatomate River to the south and that of San Fulgencio to the S. W. is formed the Ensenada or Bay of Caledonia, and the Channel of Sassardi. Caledonia Bay.—The Ensenada or Cove of Caledonia is, strictly speaking, formed by the points already * * Having shown to the reader that the distance 40. mentioned which lie with each other N. N. W. 34 W. and S. S. E. 34 E. (N. 25 degrees W. and S. 25 degrees E) one mile distant. This bay is clean and has good deep water; the greater part of its coast is a beach and near the middle of it disembogues the river Aglaseniqua. The point of San Fulgencio is salient scarped and clean, and it also forms an indent with little depth of water bordered by mangroves and various kays at its western part. The Channel of Sassardi—Between San Fulgencio point, the great Oro Island, Piedras Islet and the Man- grove Kays, which are to the west of them, the Channel of Sassardi is formed; the S. E. entrance of this channel is off and on, with four cables length in extent from edge to edge, and with from nine to twelve fathoms depth on oaze; and further in from eight to ten fathoms; as also between the turn of the bank off Piedras Islet, and the Bay of Caledonia the depth of from Seven to fifteen fathoms, and the piece of sea which intervenes between this bay and the Puerto Escosces is of a good depth of water; but at a short mile S. E. by E. W. E. (S. 55 degrees E.) from Piedras Islet the sea breaks when the breeze blows fresh. From its entrance the Channel of Sassardi extends N. w. five miles. The engineer has here then a wide scope for select- ing a locality for the Atlantic mouth of the canal which may thus open anywhere from the S. E. end of Port Escosces to the N. W. entrance of the Channel of Sassardi, an extent of eleven nautic miles. Along a great extent of Port Escosces and Caledonia Bay vessels can lie’so close in shore that no boats would be necessary in the taking in or discharging cargo; the same great advantage also presents itself at several points in the channel of Sassardi. Good fresh water may be obtained in abundance from any of the numerous streams which fall into these harbors, particularly from the Aglaseniqua or Aglatomate. Port Escosces is entirely uninhabited, nor is there any settlement inland of it; at Caledonia, near the mouth of the Aglasenidua, there are five huts inhabited by a few Indians of the Tule tribe, and about two leagues up the river is another small settlement, this, however, is at a considerable distance westward of the projected line of canal. Erom the seashore a plain extends for nearly two miles to the base of a ridge of hills which runs parallel to the coast, and whose highest summit is about 350 feet. This ridge is not quite continuous, and unbroken but is divided by transverse valleys through which the Aglaseniqua, Aglatomate and other rivers have their course, and whose highest elevations do not exceed 150 feet. The base of this ridge is only two miles in width, and from its south side a level plain extends for thirteen miles to a point on the River Savana, called Canasas, which is about twenty miles above its mouth. The River Savana, at Canasas, has a depth of six feet of water but is obstructed by ledges of a slate called pizarra or killes, for four miles down to the mouth of La Villa up to which the tide reaches. At Canasas there is a forest of a species of bamboo so dense as to be im- penetrable and above it there is a fall of two feet when the river is low, but after rains this entirely disappears. The first fall ascending the river occurs at Caobano, a little above La Villa. From La Villa, where there is a depth of ten or twelve feet, the river is perfectly free from obstructions down to Principe. * l \ At Fuerte del Principe, two miles below La Villa, there is a single ledge of slate, visible only in a very low state of the river, which has here a depth of three fathoms, and a rise of tide of six feet. The banks of the river are elevated about ten feet above the level of the The site Of the old Spanish settlement is here indicated by a patch of water and are quite free from Swamp. very dense scrubby bush without high trees, on the west bank ºf the river, but the only remains to be met with are some fragments of botijas or water jars. Principe in lat. is 8 degrees 34 and long. 77 degrees 56 by my observations; it is only two or three hours journey from the mouth Of the river. 41 The Savana River, called by the Indians Chaparti, is very direct in its course from Principe to its mouth, and free from sinuosities, plazas, deep elbows, shoals, rocks, Snags or other obstructions. * Its banks elevated several feet above the level of the water are quite free from swamp and malarious miasmata, consequently the endemic fevérs caused by these in Chagres, Portobello, Limon and Panama would not prevail in any settlements that may be formed in the neighborhood of the Savana. Indeed, it cannot be in- ferred that the Isthmus of Darien is unhealthy because the towns on the Isthmus of Panama have all been settled in swampy localities and in the most unfavorable positions in a sanitary point of view. A convincing proof of the freedom from swamp of the whole tract of country from Port Escosces to the Gulf of San Miguel is the total absence of mosquitos which invariably infest all swampy grounds in the tropics The great longevity of the people of Darien and the large proportion of very old men also attest the healthiness of the climate. From Principe to the mouth of Matumaganti- one mile S. S. W. the river increases greatly in width and depth; there are some islands in this reach, and on the west bank a very large cuipo tree stands conspicuous towering above the adjacent forest. From Matumaganti to the mouth of Lara, two miles, the river nas a depth of four fathoms and a rise of tide Of ten feet. Ase From Lara mouth to the islands in the second reach, four miles, the river is very direct in its course with a A ridge of hills runs Just depth of five or six fathoms. parallel to each bank at about two miles distance. below this mouth and above a widening of the river called Revesa de Piriaki is Cerro Piriaki, a hill of about 400 feet elevation, and above this there is no hill near either bank of the Savana. Above the islands Estero Corotu, Rio Corredor and other streams fall into this the Calle larga or Long Reach. * *. From the islands to Areti mouth S. S. E. three miles the river has great width and depth. A ridge of hill Here runs along each bank at about two miles distance. Junction of the Savana and Tuyra—From Areti mouth to the junction of the Savana and Tüyra rivers S. four miles the river has a uniform width of two miles and a depth of from eight to nine fathoms. i On the west bank of this reach is Punta Machete with a small shoal above it, called Bajo Grande, and one below it, Bajo Chico; both of these are close in shore and oysters are found on them. The Savana mouth.—From the west point of the Savana mouth in lat. 8 degrees 21%, long. 77 degrees 54°, the land rises into a ridge of hill of about 300 feet eleva- tion running N. for about four miles parallel to the river from which it is seperated by a strip of level land half a mile wide. There is a quebra or rivulet in the ridge called Laguadilla which has plenty of fresh water in the dryest season. Behind Nisperal, the east point of the Savana mouth, there is a low ridge of hills from the north bank of Iglesias, also a narrow ridge follows the course of the This is the Cerro Titichi which gave its name to a mission of Indians at the mouth Savana for about three miles. of the Chuquanaque, the last survivor of whom is a man named Marcellino who resides at Pinogana, on the Tuyra. On the north bank of Iglesias is Quebra de Tigre, and on the Savana, above its mouth is Quebraita la Monera, where fresh water may be obtained. At the mouth of the Savana there are nine fathoms at low water and the tide rises from twenty-one to twenty-seven feet. Boca Chica and Boca Grande, the mouths of the Tuyra, are perfectly safe entrances and have a depth of thirteen to twenty fathoms of water respectively. The Gulf of San Miguel has good depth of water and would hold the shipping of the world. Its mouth between Cape San Lorenzo on the north and Punta Garachine on the south is ten miles across and OpenS into the Pacific quite outside the Bay of Panama; its direction inward is N. E. fifteen miles to Boca Chica. Inside the Bay of Garachine the shores of the gulf approach each other and the width diminishes to four miles between Punta Brava and Morro Patino, with a 42 depth of from nine to twenty fathoms but again increases and then diminishes to Boca Chica. Close to Cape San Lorenzo is a small shoal, called El Buey, which may be easily avoided. There are several islands in the gulf as Iguana, Cedro, Islas de San Diego, etc., etc., which are all safe of approach. On the north side the rivers Congo, Buenavista, and on the south the Moguey, Guaco Taimita and Sambu open into the gulf, while the Tuyra and Savana fall into its eastern end the Ensenada del Darien, called by the Granadians Boca de Provincia or mouth of the Province. The best site in the gulf for the erection of a light house would be on Morro Patino.” It appears that Dr. Cullen urged upon the considera- tion of Sir Charles Fox that the Isthmus of Darien admitted of a favorable line for a ship canal and that they proceeded to organize a company for that purpose as I find commencing page 115 in “Isthmus of Darien Ship Canal.” “THE ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC JUNCTION COMPANY. (NAVIGATION THROUGH THE ISTHMUs OF DARIEN WITHOUT Locks.) Provisionally Registered. To be Incorporated by Royal Charter or Act of Parliament limiting the liability of the Shareholders. Capital, Fifteen Million Pounds Sterling in 150,000 shares of £100 each. Deposit 10 S. per share, without Further Liability. Being the amount limited by the Act. 7th and 8th Vic. Cap. 110. Provisional Directors. Chairman—The Right Honorable Lord Wharncliffe. Deputy Chairman—John Pemberton Heywood, Esq.; J. S. Browning, Esq., governor of the Australian Agri- cultural Company; Charles Brownell, Esq., Liverpool; Thomas R. Crampton, Esq., 2 Kensington Square; t :* --ºr ºs & zºº.º. º.º.º. ,--ºr . T →- # ---- = --> ------~~~~~. Sº sº sº Edward Cropper, Esq., Liverpool; J. C. Ewart, Esq., Liverpool; G. D. Olier Gowan Esq., Gopehall Gourt; W. J. Hamilton, Esq., Chesham Place; Lewis H. Haslewood, Esq., Highgate; T. H. Hope, Esq., Piccadilly; Hugh Hornby, Esq., Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce, of Liverpool; Admiral C. R. Moorsom, R. N., Highfield Birmingham; Captain Mackinnon, R. N., 4 Hyde Park Place; A. Montoya, Esq., Consul General for New Grenada; Francisco De Riveiro, Minister Plenipotentiary from the government of Peru in Paris; Eziquril Rogas, Minister of New Granada; Melvil Wilson, Esq., Albermarle Street; Alex- ander Wilson, Esq., 34 Bryanstone Square, Director of the Bank of Australasia; with power to add to their number. Bankers—Messrs. Heywood, Kennards and Co. Solicitors—Messrs. J. C. and H. Freshfield. Official Auditor—J. E. Coleman, Esq. Secretary—Dr. Black. Engineer-in-Chief—Lionel Gisborne, C. E. Temporary offices, 36 Moorgate Street. The object of this Company is to unite the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans by an open navigation across the Isthmus of Darien. The vast importance of this design has long made it a subject of anxious attention to all civilized nations. So early as the year 1695 when commerce and engineer- ing science were comparatively in their infancy Mr.” Paterson, the founder of the Bank of England, obtained an act of Parliament urder which the large sum of £500,- 000 was subscribed for this purpose; but this design was frustrated by the influence of the new East India Company. It was believed that the great elevation of the Cordilleras presented an insurmountable barrier to the opening of a passage by Sea, and the supposed difference of the level of the waters in the two oceans formed a further imaginary obstacle. The period having arrived when the spread of commerce and the flow of emigra- 43 tion from the over populated countries of Europe to the western shores of America, Australasia and China de- mand a passage more direct than that by the Cape of Good Hope or Cape Horn, various projects were formed for uniting the two oceans by roads, railways and canals and the routes by Nicaragua in the north, Chagres in the centre, and Atrato in the south of the isthmus were selected by different parties for these purposes. All these projects though intended in some measure to meet the exigency were open to the manifest objection that fell short of supplying a continuous channel from sea to sea for vessels of all dimensions by which alone trans-shipment could be obviated and the objects in view adequately obtained. That the Isthmus of Darien admitted of a communi- cation of this nature was first urged upon the considera- tion of Sir Charles Fox by Dr. Cullen. After much inquiry and investigation into the existing charts and surveys of the country so many reasons for the con- clusions advanced were discovered that after communi- cations with the governments of England and the United States who cordially responded to the call for co-opera- tion in a cause of such vast importance to the interests of the world. Sir Charles Fox resolved on dispatching engineers to the spot for the purpose of examining the country and reporting on the feasibility of the under- taking. Arrangements were accordingly made with Mr. Lionel Gisborne, a civil engineer of great experience in the execution of navigations to proceed to the locality indicated by Dr. Cullen which lay in the narrowest portion of the isthmus between Chagres and the river Atrato, a part of the country which is believed not to have been traversed by any European for two centuries. Sir Charles Fox, Mr. John Henderson, Mr. Thomas Brassey and Dr. Cullen applied to the Congress of New Grenada for a concession of territory between the point of Mosquitos and the western mouth of the Atrato which was complied with by a grant of about 200,000 acres for a canal, a railway or a road, conditional on the sum of £24,000 being deposited within twelve months to be returned without interest on the opening of the com- munication, and was accompanied by assurances of cordial co-operation on the part of the government. Mr. Gisborne, accompanied by his assistant, Mr. Henry C. Forde, arrived at the Bay of Caledonia in the month of May, 1852, and after surveying the coast on both sides and the intervening country, ascertained beyond doubt that between the Bay of Caledonia on the Atlantic and the Gulf of Saint Miguel on the Pacific there is a distance of only thirty miles between deep water on either side consisting of land generally level which in no case is of considerable elevation or presents greater obstacles than have been surmounted on rail- ways and other engineering works, and he returned to England, reporting his opinion that three modes existed of offecting the object, the most costly but most effectual of which was to construct an open channel between the two oceans as originally proposed which can be executed in five years from the date of its commencement at a cost not exceeding twelve millions. The practicability of forming an inter-oceanic navigation without locks having been thus ascertained it is now proposed to form a company to carry out this great work in co-operation with the governments of the United States and the European powers interested in it, on such terms as may make the undertaking permanent, secure and profitable. As a mercantile investment there is no doubt that this inter-oceanic navigation is capable of being made one of great pecuniary advantage. No sufficiently authentic account exists of the number of vessels or the amount of tonnage which passes round Cape Horn and the Cape of Good Hope to the western coast of America, Australasia and China, but sufficient data have been obtained to prove that the tonnage is so great as to make a small toll on vessels passing through this channel a Source of very large return on the capital required, while a toll of considerable amount would be a very small burthen in comparison with the vast saving of expense to sailing vessels and steam boats in time and money by the use of so short and desirable a passage. Upon these points it is not necessary further to dilate. It is not intended to embark in the execution of 44 * the work without the most satisfactory assurances based on the fullest enquiry and investigations into the prospects of the undertaking in every respect. For the present purpose it is proposed to raise a nominal capital of fifteen million sterling, in shares of £100 each of which ten shillings per share will be paid on allotment forming a fund of £75,000. This sum will suffice to defray the preliminary expenses incurred, to pay the deposit required by the terms of the con- cession and provide for the expenses of prosecuting such further surveys and investigations, and also negociations with the governments both at home and abroad, for grants or guarantees or co-operation in such other form as may be deemed necessary to success. The sum of twelve million sterling is believed upon the authority of the subjoined report of Mr. Gisborne to be amply sufficient for the execution of the works on the largest scale and the capital has been fixed at £15,000,- 000 in order to pro ride a sufficient fund for payment of interest to the shareholders during the progress of the undertaking in the event of no better arrangement being made for obtaining it. A Charter of Incorporation or Act of Parliament, conveying limitation of liability is considered essential, and parties taking shares will not be liable to any further call beyond the deposit until a constitution on one or other of these bases has been obtained or without the sanction of a general meeting, and any shareholder desirous of withdrawing at any time will be permitted to do so on sending in his scrip for cancellation and forfeit- ing the deposit paid on his shares. Co-operation will be sought in securing the neutral- ity of this navigation, pursuant to powers contained in the concession, and who may also desire pecuniary participation in this enterprise, it is part of the proposed arrangements to take measures for ascertaining at as early a period as possible the extent to which such nations wish to become interested and the form in which they propose to do so, and to give effect to their views in these respects it may ultimately become necessary to reduce the shares to a smaller nominal amount so as to admit these parties into a participation in the capital or to extend it with that object. º —-d It is understood that the Concessionaires (in lieu of any other remuneration) are to have a tenth part of the net annual profits, after payment of a dividend of five per cent. on the capital. The preliminary expenses hitherto incurred do not exceed £5000. Application for shares may be addressed to the Directors, according to the subjoined Form and Pro- spectuses and Forms of Letters of Application may be had at the Company’s offices and of Mr. Edward Haslewood, 15 Angel Court, London. Form of Application for Shares to the Provisional Directors of the Atlantic and Pacific Junction Company: Gentlemen—I request that you will allot to me Shares of £100 each, in the above Company, and I hereby undertake to accept the same, or any less number you may allot me, and pay the Deposit of 10 S per share thereon and to sign the subscribers agreement when required. Dated this Name in full day of Place of business Residence Business or Profession ! It appears that the favorable report of Mr. Lionel Gisborne, C. E., resulted in England, the United States Signature Name, Residence, Profession and Reference of America, France and New Granada in uniting to- gether to explore this proposed route for a Ship Canal across the Isthmus of Darien. I succeeded in obtaining a manuscript copy of a pamphlet in the British Museum styled Over Darien containing certain letters in regard to this joint expedition of England, France, the United States and New Granada, to which I would invite the readers' particular attention and consideration. ‘‘OVER DARIEN. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN: Sir:-The war being now happily concluded I think this a favorable opportunity again to bring forward the subject of the Darien Ship Canal and to state the grounds 45 upon which I feel justified upon calling upon the Government and Capitalists of England, France and the United States to cause a detailed survey to be made of the narrow isthmus between Caledonia Bay and the Gulf of San Migue1. brief account of the late deplorable mismanaged Darien Expedition which I accompanied although permitted by those who had actually undertaken it at my instigation to have neither position nor authority in its conduct. From this it will be seen instead of a single well arranged expedition there were three unconnected explorations in different directions, none of them brought to conclusion and two of them conducted without the use of compasses. Towards the close of 1853 it was arranged between the Governments of Gt Britain, France and the United States that a man of war and a staff of engineers from each nation should be dispatched to the Atlantic Coast of the Isthmus of Darien to assist the engineers of the Atlantic and Pacific Junction Coy of London in making a survey of the tract of country between Caledonia Bay and the Gulf of San Miguel. GISBORNE'S EXPLORATION. Accordingly her Majesty's Ship Espiegle 12 gun brig, Commander Hancock, sailed from Jamaica on January 17th '54, conveying Mr. Gisborne, the Com- pany’s Engineer who commanded the Expedition; Lieut. St. John, R. E. and myself, and anchored in Caledonia Bay on the 21st January. The French war steamer (Avis) Majesty’s surveying steamer Scorpion 6. Chimere Captain Jauriegueberry and her Commander Parsons arriving the following day, Messrs. Forde, Bennett, Deverrish, Armstrong and Bond, Engineers of the Atlantic and Pacific Junction Company, had previously sailed from St. Thomas to Aspinwall, Navy Bay, whence they proceeded to Panama, the Gulf of San Miguel and the Savana. On that river at its junction with the Lara Mr. Bennett established a station whence he surveyed the country as far as the Chuquana- qua. On rounding Isla del Oro or Golden Island which forms the northwest entrance to Caledonia Bay, I at least was not surprised to see the United States sloop of war, Cyane 26, Captain Hollins, lying at anchor in the It will be therefore necessary to give a- -- Channel of Sassardi, for a long delay had occurred at Jamaica which I had predicted would result in the American engineer proceeding on his own account with- out taking cognizanse of the fact that the English and French Engineers were on their way to join him. Such we found to be the case, Captain Collins informing us that Lieut. Strain of the United States Navy had landed three days before our arrival without leaving any message for Mr. Gisborne or saying what course he intended to pursue. To this separate action must be attributed the dreadful sufferings of Lieut. Strain's party who wandered along river banks for 67 days viz from January 19 to March 26 (subsisting for most of the time on the acid nuts of the Trupa Palm) and were at last tracked out and rescued from their perilous position by the boats of H. M. S. Virago which were dispatched from the Savana in search of them. Immediately after our arrival Dennis of Sassardi, Patterson of Carti, a young man named Robinson who styled himself Secretary of State to Caloga the old chief at Rio Diablo in San Blas Bay, and some other Indians from Carreto, etc., came on board and after a short pow wow gave their consent to our landing and surveying the country. On the 24th January we landed on the west side of the point of San Fulgencio where Captain Hollins had already caused a well to be dug. The party consisted of Mr. Gisborne, Lieut. St. John, Lieut. Preston, 12 sailors of the Espiegle, Captain Janreiguiberry, Lieut. de Vaisseau Oron, 12 of the crew of the Chimere, Dr. Edwards, assistant surgeon of the Espiegle, Col. Codazzi, engineer of the New Granada Government and myself. A short path through the bush behind the point brought us to the sand beach of Caledonia Bay. After walking along which for a mile we arrived at the mouth of the Aglaseniqua over which the surf breaks and half a mile further to the South east at the mouth of the Aglatumati or Caledonia River where there were 5 abandoned huts and a few canoes. In both these rivers there is always excellent water. From this point the engineer (instead of taking as I had always advised a compass course through the bush. 46. notching the trees with a machete as he went, first to the westward into the pass through the Cordiller and then south) guided the party by the river to its junction with a large tributary from the east where we four d two abandoned huts in a cacao plantation at which we stopped that night. The next day, January 25th, con- tinuing to follow the river, wading in its bed to avoid the dense tangled forest on its banks, we passed a small stream joining it from the west, very shallow at its mouth but deeper above it, and just above this the large village of Agla consisting of about 20 huts which was abandoned. About two miles higher up we came to two huts and several canoes. In these huts we carefully packed up as if for removal and the still warm embers of the fires showed that the occupants had fled in haste •upon learning that we were coming up the river. In one of the huts I saw three fowling pieces, a double barrelled gun and a rifle, but could find no arrow, and I recognized a camphor wood trunk that I had made a present to Juan Seva of Caledonia River in 1852. It was impossible to tell where this abandonment of their settle- ment by the Indians was merely owing to their shyness of white men or was an evidence of hostility. Higher up the river had many rapids, and was obstructed with boulders of rock, with very deep water between them. Having ascended until it became evident that we were too far eastward and on too high ground, ºwe built a rancho or shed of Troole palm leaves and encamped on the east bank, about ten miles S. S. E. from Caledonia Bay, as I estimated. On the 26th Col. Codazzi and Mr. Gisborne, leaving the main body at the camp, conducted a party of 5, whom Mr. Gisborne most reluctantly al- lowed me to accompany across the Cordillera, there about 900 feet high, to a river at its Pacific foot, called the Chueti, which is a tributary of the Chuquanaqua, east- ward of the Sacubti. This river Col. Codazzi, though he had a Spanish | map from the archives of Bogota, mistook for a branch of the Caledonia, forgetting the fact that we had crossed the Cordillera. That night we'encamped on the Chueti, and the following morning returned across the mountain to the camp. The same night Mr. Gisborne and Capt. Ianreiquiberry returned to the ships with some sailors for the purpose of seeking an Indian guide. Having failed to engage a guide, Mr. Gisborne Sent us upwards of a 100 Granadian soldiers and convicts, who had lately arrived from Carthagena. He directed us to move lower down the river and returned on the 1st Feby., when we moved still lower down to the above mentioned branch, on the west bank. Here we encamped a night in a plan- tation of cocao trees (the obroma Cocao) opposite the village of Agla. On the 3rd February we followed up the stream to the foot of the hill, which forms the di- viding ridge between the Aglaseniqua (which runs paral- lel to and about a mile west of the lower course of the Caledonia) and the Sucubti, a branch of the Chuquana- qua. sº This hill, called by the Indians Agla, is consequent- ly the watershed between the Atlantic and Pacific, and between it and the immediately adjacent ridge, which runs northwest from it, in a direction parallel to the shore of the channel of the Sassardi, is the valley which I have always directed mention to, as affording the greatest facilities for a ship canal communication. This valley is most distinctly marked in Commander Parson’s Mr. Gis- borne with the French and Granadian party, guarded by Survey of Caledonia Harbor and Port Escoces. Colonel Codazzi, went considerably in advance, the sail- ors from the Espiegle whom I was directed to accompany These, which I had some difficulty in making out in so dense a following the notches they made in the trees. forest, led us up the hill by a sudden and steep ascent to its summit, which was very narrow, and along the sum- mit for about a mile, in the course of which we passed three considerable depressions. From the highest point we had a glimpse, through the trees, of Caledonia Bay; and we passed the Indian trail, which leads down the Pacific side of the hill to the Sucubti, and which Col. Codazzi ought to have struck into; however, the notches made by Mr. Gisborne's party, instead of following that direction, led us, to my great surprise, down the same (north) side that we had ascended, to a small river at its foot, where we overtook Col. Codazzi. This river I immediately recognized as the Aglasen- iqua. On informing Col. Codazzi of this, and that we were still on the Atlantic side of the Cordillera, he be- came enraged, said it was the Forti (which with another streaml forms the Sticubti), and added that I knew noth- ing of the country. Although I showed him that the course of the river was to the north, as he could see by his own compass, he still proceeded down its bed (which was very rocky and in places so deep that we were obliged to cut our way through the bush on the banks), under the impression that he was guiding us down the Secubti to the Pacific. It was not until we arrived with- in two miles of the Atlantic and until the sailors had re- ported that they heard the surf of the sea, that he dis- covered his mistake, if mistake it was, for it appeared to me that there was more of design than stupidity in this very experienced bushranger leading us back to the point we started from, the mouth of the Aglasenidua being only half a mile distant from the mouth of the Caledonia. It being late in the evening that Col. Codazzi after sum- ming up all the compass bearings of the river we had waded down, and the distances which we had measured, came to the conclusion that we were only two miles from the Atlantic; and the whole party having been marching heavily laden since daylight, we encamped, and the fol- lowing morning, Feb. 4th, having waded down the Agla- seniqua mostly up to our waists in water to the sea, we returned to the ships, to the disappointment of all. In the whole course of this beautiful river from its source to its mouth, we could find no trace of an Indian; it is to- tally uninhabited. At its mouth are the cocoa nut trees planted by the Spaniards who occupied the port of Caro- lina from 1785 to 1790. manded of Mr. Gisborne and Commander Hancock per- On my arrival on board I de- mission to guide the party, which being refused I re- quested a party of three seamen, with whom I volun- teered to cross over to the Pacific and return. Com- mander Hancock in reply most decidedly refused to let me take a man ashore, stating that his instructions were to protect a survey, not to send out exploring parties. In conclusion he desired me to go alone. I was conse- quently about to start the following day, when I was prevailed upon by the officers of the Espiegle to decline the service; they represented to me that my going alone was quite unnecessary, as there were then 800 men in Harbour doing nothing, rnd that it could only result in the sacrifice of my life, as the Indians had spies out along the line, a fact proved by the murder of Prevost's four men a month previously. "On the 7th Feb. Mr. Gisborne, Lieut. St. John, Ser- geant Bell, and a Venezuelan servant to Col. Codazzi started for the Sacubti and Savana, with a guide and Robinson, the Indian, who for the sum of $600 went as securitv for their lives This Robinson, who acted for the Chief of San Blas, had just returned from the United States, where he had lived for some years, his father who died in 1853 is mentioned in page 71 of my book. This party, which I was not allowed to accompany. arrived at Mr. Bennett's station on the Savana on the morning of the 11th Feby., having been detained a whole day at Su- cubti Village, waiting for a guide to conduct them thence to the path cut six weeks before by Commander Prevost, from the Savana to the Chuquanaqua, at a point oppo site the mouth of Morti, the next river westward of the Sucubti; thus they crossed the Isthmus in three days' walk. In crossing the Cordillera to Sucubti this party fol- lowed the Indian trail which passes over the highest ground, and traversed the only portion of the country which presents any engineering difficulties in a few hours. From these circumstances and from their very cur- sory and fugitive inspection of a country which is one unbroken forest of heavy timber and tall brushwood, where the explorer can scarcely see ten yards ahead of him, it was manifestly impossible for the engineers to make any search for the valley which transversely di- vtded the Cordillera. Consequently they were unable to collect any data upon which to form an opinion as to the practicability of the canal. This is the view taken by Baron Humholdt who, in a letter to F. M. Kelley Esq., of New York, dated Berlin, Jan. 27, 1856, and published in Kelley's Pamphlet on the Junction of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, edited. by Ch Manby, Sec. Inst. C. E. says: “It was on account of his not having made so thorough an examination of the mountainous country between the Gulf of San Miguel and Caledonia Bay that Mr. Lionel Gisborne's plan of 1852 could not be carried out; the ignorance he .* was in as to the localities and the absense of measure- ments of altitude led to the unfortunate issue of the courageous expedition of Tieut. Isaac Strain. Any person who has travelled much in hilly countries, especially such as are covered with brushwood, will understand the difficulty of striking into a narrow valley, having been lately engaged in a medical capacity with the Turkish and Tunisian troops chiefly in I had Any one who has Armenia, Lazistan Mingrelia and Circassia. several instances of the difficulty. been at Sukhumkali will recollect the remarkable deep valley behind the hill on which the Russian fort stands separateing it from the mountain farther inland. The existence of the valley would never be suspected by anyone , who did not actually look down into it from the Fort and I have twice, when on the plain below, T * passed it by unseen though closely searching for it. However under the difficult circumstances in which they were placed it was impossible for the engineers to make any attempt at a survey. On their arrival at Sucubti they found themselves in a most dangerous dilemma with the Indians in consequence of false reports that the Chimere had carried off Dennis and two other Indian prisoners. Upon learning this I instantly pro- ceeded to Dennis (who was I believe himself the author of the report) and obliged him at Once to dispatch a special messenger to contradict it. After Mr. Gisborne's departure nothing whatever was done except that Com- mander Parsons continued his Survey of the harbours, which he pronounced to be admirably adapted for the terminus of a great ship canal; and although after Her Majesty's ship, Devastation, reinforced the expedition, there were upwards of 900 men in Caledonia Bay, not a man would be allowed on shore. Notwithstanding the enthusiasm of the crews to accompany me to the other side of the 1and, they riaturally wondered what they were sent to Darien for. Nothing having been heard of Mr. Gisborne since the 9th Feby., when he wrote from Sucubti, stating that he was in danger and feeling very tired of the forced inaction to which I was reduced, I engaged a passage on –the–33d-in the Granadian schooner Bolivar to Carreto, with the insention of inducing some of the Indians there with whom I was acquainted, to accompany me in search of the missing parties of Strain and Gisborne. Upon informing Commander Hancock of my intention, he gave orders, in my hearing, that I was not to be allowed to go on board the Schooner on any account. Finding that I was a prisoner on board the Espiegle, I made my escape from her in an Indian canoe at day- light on the 23rd and repaired on board the Scorpion. Shortly afterwards Commander Parsons received an order, of which I have a copy, from Commander Han- cock, desiring him to send me back to the Espiegie im- mediately. To this he replied that, as I was a civilian, he would not take the responsibility of sending me by ſorce of arms. A cer some delay Commander Hancock signalized: he may remain on board. I then, as the only representative of the Atlantic & Pacific Junction Go’y., addressed a circular to Commander Hancock, Gaptain Jaureiquiberry and Gaptain Hollins, requesting them to cousult together and take measures for Sending a party from each of these vessels in search of Strain and Gis- borne, and offering every assistance in my power. Soon after I had forwarded these letters, with the full approval of Gominander Parsons, to whom I had submit- ted them for perusal. An officer, with a boat's crew, came on board with orders to him from Gommander Han- cock to send me back by force of arms, if I refused to go voluntarily. As I decidedly refused to return of my own will I was thus brought back a prisoner, previously entering a protest against this illegal arrest in the log of the Scorpion. On my return to the Espiegle Gommand- er Hancock assailed me with the most violent and threat- ening language and decided to, as he was going to sail the 9. next morning for Carthagena, to leave me until his re- turn on an islet in Golden Island with Mr. Grant, the second master, and two colored servants of Gisborne, who did not know how to pull an oar. However, the next morning, as I objected to being left on the islet, he sent me back to the Scorpion, first cautioning me under , penalty of martial law, not to land on the coast—not to hold any communication with the Indians. Dr. McDermott, R. N., late of the Espiegle, is now in London, and can corroborate all the above statements, 49 * *~~ as also can Mr. Grant, Mr. Doyle, and other gentlemen who were officers of the Espiegle and Scorpion at the time, and are now in England. Under these circum- stances I decided upon going around to the Gulf of San Miguel and the Tuyra by way of Panama, and starting from the Pacific side, in search of Strain and Gisborne. I therefore, by the personal solicitation of Commander Parsons, obtained a passage in the Cyane, and Sailed in her on the 28th to Aspinwall, there finding that I had incurred imminent risk of a lynching on account of the then industriously reported loss of Strain’s party; and being cautioned by some friends not to proceed to Pan- ama, I only remained until 3rd March, when, having learned of Mr. Gisborne's safe arrival on the Savana, I sailed in the North Star for New York. Such was the manner in which the attempt to investigate the grand question of interoceanic navigation was carried out, and such the way in which I was rewarded for my five years' laborious, perilous, and ruinously expensive efforts in the promotion of the grandest project of the age. I will only say in my own vindication that whilst instead of an impartial exploration of the country valuable time was lost in the attempts made by Some to find a route in a line different from that laid down by me, and thus to ap- propriate to themselves the results of my labors, and whilst my statements were set down without examina- tion as exaggerated, I was by actual force prevented from availing myself of an opportunity of demonstrating their aCCU11 a Cy. STRAINS’ EXPLORATION. As to the American expedition, it appears from the account given in Harper's Magazine, of New York, for March, April and May, 1855, that Lieut. Strain landed from the Cyane on the 19 Jany, '54, with 27 men, 6 of whom were volunteers from the Panama railroad and other companies, whose interests were antagonistic to the projected canal. Two of those volunteers with three of the party from the Cyane contrived to separate from Strain on the third day, and found their way back to the Cyane; from thence they proceeded to Aspinwall and New York, where they published premature and un- fonnded reports of the loss of Strain's party and exag- gerated statements of the impracticability of the canal. & -*. After this separation Strain's party consequently consisted of 22 men. On the third day, after having been two days seeking a passage from the Galedonia, they returned to its west branch, ascended the hill (Agla) and crossing it, arrived on the fourth day on the Su- On the fifth day they found three Indian huts on The sixth day they arrived at the village of Sucubti, where they found cubti. the Sucubti, just abandoned and on fire. the remains of 7 canoes, which had just been destroyed, for they heard the sounds of the axe as they were ap- proaching, The same day they reached the Chuquana- qua, and met five armed Indians, who came up and shook hands with Strain. Two of them spoke Spanish, and the other English. He recognized as having been on board the Cyahe shortly after her arrival in Galedonia harbour; the leader informed Strain that he was on the Chuquanaqua, instead of the Savana, but offered to guide him to the latter. In answer to a question respecting tha distance he replied that he could reach it in three days. On the eighth day the guide told Strain that he had taken an interest in him when they met on board the Cyane, and did not wish him to follow the Chuana- qua, which was a very long route to the Pacific; he still declared that they would reach the Savana in a day and a half, and the harbour in Darien in two days and a half; but Strain could not induce him to give the name of the Had he taken a copy of my map with him, he would have river on the banks of which they then were. learned that he was then on the Artuganti, or La Paz river, with ºn 3 miles of the head of the Lara, and 12 miles of Mr. Bennett's station, at the junction of that river with the Savana. He would also have found that the Indians were guiding him faithfully and in the most direct line. That same day, not being able to keep up with the Indians, he lost sight of them, and after wait- ing some time to see if they would return, he committed the disastrous error of returning to the Chuquanaqua, in- fluenced by an unfounded suspicion of the treachery of the Indians. Here, again, had he ever seen my map, he would have comprehended at a glance, from the exceed- ingly tortuous and sinuous course of the Chuquanaqua, how gloomy was the prospect of reaching the Tuyra and From the 28 Jan. to 13 Feb., the party followed the course of the huquan- Pacific by following down its banks. 50 aqua. On the latter day Strain with three of the strong- est left them, in order to push on in advance and en- deavor to reach Yavisa, the Granadian capital of Darien, situated a little above the confluence of the Chuquana- qua and Tuyra; from thence he expected to be able to On the 9 March, Strain and his comrades reached Yavisa, where they were send them provisions and assistance. carefully attended to by the Jefe Politico and the Al- calde; he then proceeded to the Tuyra and Savana, and reached Bennett’s station on the 13th. On the 18th Mr. Bennett and Strain with the boats on the Virago passed Yavisa on their way up the Chuquanaqua. and on the 26th March Strain’s men were found on the banks of that river, in a deplorable condition from famine. Alto- gether 5 of the party had died from starvation and hard- ship; the remainder of this gallant but misguided band reached New York in the Cyane. Mr. Headley, the writer of Harper's Magazine, asserts that Strain was misled by Gisborne's map and mine. Now, in Gisborne's map there is a red line drawn in a southwest direction from Caledonia Bay to the junction of the Lara with the Savana, the point which Mr. Bennett If he had followed the course laid down in those maps, he would have reached afterwards selected for his station. the Savana and the gulf of St. Miguel in four or five days’ of much less painful travelling than he encoun- tered along the Ghuquanaqua. The fact is, he never saw any of those maps. If he had ever looked at a map of Darien, or read anything about it, he would not have brought down the great number of jackasses and mules with which he encumbered the decks of the Cyane, un- der the impression that there was a road and that he could ride across the Isthmus. Mr. Headley also states that I utterly ignored the Sucubti. On the contrary, not only is that river most legibly marked On my map, but a great amount of information regarding it is given in various passages of my book. I therefore, in letters to the New York Courier and Inquirer, refuted On the whole, considering that Lieut. Strain deliberately his assertions and called upon him to retract them. chose to act independently of the English and French engineers, who had been led to expect his co-operation, and to dispense with the assistance they could have given inim, that he started upon an expedition into a wilderness without furnishing himself with any of the necessary preliminary information, and moreover, that he was com- missioned by his government to perform a difficult and dangerous service, strictly within the limits of his pro- fessional duty and on American soil, and that in accept- ing such commission he was in no way influenced by any statements of mine. I cannot admit the justice of the censures that have been heaped on me for the sufferings of his party. I own I am surprised to find that Lieut. Strain, whose party was discovered thirty miles to the east of the Canal Route, and who admits he never had any idea of his whereabouts, has published a map of his route, with a section of the Isthmus. PREVOST’S EXPLORATION. The exploration from the Pacific side had no connec- tion whatever either with the expedition under Mr. Gis- borne that under Lieut. Strain, and requires separate notice. Commander Prevost, of Her Majesty’s steamer Vigaro, sailed from Panama on December 16, 1853, and On the 18th he proceeded up the river with a party of fifteen, arrived in the Savana river on the following day. including Messrs. Kennish and Nelson, “volunteers” in- terested in the rival route, via the Atrato, and passing the Lara mouth, the side of Fuerte del Principe and the mouth of Laklla, he built a rancho a little above the latter. From there he advanced in a N. N. E. direction, cutting a path as he went. After eleven days’ journey, in which he had proceeded 22 miles over a level country . crossed by a single ridge from 50 to 60 feet in height, he arrived at the bank of the Chuquanqua, opposite the mouth of the Morti. Here, the provisions being much reduced, he sent four men back to the ship, left four at the rancho (No. 10) and proceeded across the river on his course with the remaining 7. In the first day’s march on the Atlantic side of the Chuquanqua he reached a hill 80 and another 120 feet high. From a tree on the summit of the latter his native guide, Maria, reported a distant view of the Atlantic to the N. W. and mountains to the N. and N. E. Instead of altering his course to N. W. he proceeded in the N. N. E. direction, ascended the Gordillera to an elevation of 800 feet and then descended to a river running into the Atlantic, most probably the Aglaseniqua. His provisions being then nearly ex- 51 - * i- Yºº } hausted, he returned to the Chuquanqua, though being within a few miles of the Atlantic, and reaching Rancho 10 on third day of his leaving the four men there; was horrified to find the bodies of three of them laid across the path. They were shot, stabbed and had their throats cut. According to the opinion of Dr. Ross they had been 48 hours dead. This dreadful event, naturally ex- citing alarm for their own safety, they returned in haste to the Savana, traversing the country from the Ghuquanaqua to that river in 18 hours. Commander Prevost then returned on board and sailed for Callao on the 7th Jan., '54. sequently under Commander Marshall who fortunately The Virago returned from Peru sub- despatched a boat's crew to the rescue of Strain’s party. During the whole of his journey Prevost met neither In- dian nor habitation; but before he detached the 4 unfor- tunate men he saw the traces of Indians and heard a chopping in the bush, and some shots fired. It is deeply to be regretted that he had not sent his native guide, who was an Indian long domesticated with Granadians, to ask the consent of the Indians to his entering their territory, and to announce to them the nation he be- longed to. Upon my examining the Indians in Cale- donia Bay and Sassardi upon the subject of the murders, they stated that the Indians thought the men were Span- iards, seeing they had arms in their possession, and that if they had known they were Englishmen they would not have harmed them. They said that the fourth man was also killed, and that if his body was not to be seen The Indians of Sucubti arrested the murderers afterward, and offered to It has been said that I I have Said that they it must have been carried off by a tiger. send them to Panama for trial. represented the Indians as friendly. are friendly to the English, but do not allow them to land on the coast. I have always stated that it would be absolutely necessary to get their consent before land- ing any party on their territory, and it never was antici- pated by Gisborne or the Company that any officer would nave landed from the Pacific side. It will be seen by the dates that Commander Prevost started on his exploration 35 days and sailed off again 14 days before the arrival of the Espiegle, whereas no vessel was expected on the Pa. cific side until after the arrival of the expedition on the Atlantic side. RESULTS. * Notwithstanding the expedition thus failed from want of concert between the 1eaders, and their inaction and incompacity to make a survey from sea to sea, and has thereby left the practicability of the canal still an open question, it is consolatory to know that the practical re- sults of the several unconnected explorations, so far as any reliable and accurately ascertained data have been 1.—That the har- bour at Port Escoces, Caledonia Bay, and the Ghannel of obtained, are satisfactory. They are: Sassardi, extending continuously along the Atlantic coast of the Isthmus of Darien for eleven nautical miles, present, from their depth of water, freedom from shoals and great security, safe anchorage in all weather, and that each is admirably adapted for the terminus of a great ship canal, as proved by the “Survey of Caledonia Har- bour and Port Escoces,’’ by Commander Parsons, of H. M. S. Scorpion, published by the Hydrographic Office in 1854. Gaptain Collins, of the “Cyane,” has also spoken highly of their capabilities, the existence of those noble harbors, which had never been entered by British, French, or American men-of-war before the arrival of the late expedition, was almost unknown to navigators until 2.—That the gulf of San Miguel on the Pacific side is only excelled on the I directed attention to their merits. west coast of North and South America by the port of San Francisco, as will appear on reference to Captain Kelett’s chart. 3.−That Darien Harbour, as they have recently named the magnificent estuary formed by the confluence of the Savana and Tuyra, previous to their opening into the gulf of San Miguel, by the mouths of Boca Chica and Boca Grande, is perfectly land-locked, has great depth of water, and perfectly safe entrances, as verified by Captain Kennish and Mr. Nelson, C. E., who accompanied Commander Prevost, and took Soundings. 4.—That the Savana river is navigable for several miles above its mouth, which is free from bars and has 9 fath- oms of water at low tide, as results from the observations of Messrs. Bennett, Deverish, Armstrong and Bond, who found my soundings to be correct. 5.-That according to the medical reports of Dr. McDermott, of the Espiegle, and Dr. Brownlow, of the Cyane, Caledonia Bay is healthier than any other station in Central America, no sickness having occurred in any of the ships or amongst 52 -ºn- any of the parties on shore. 6.—That no hostility need be apprehended from the Indians if their consent to land on the Isthmus be obtained, as proved by Lieut. Strain traversing in perfect safety the whole country of the Chu- cunas, the most populous and hostile tribe of Darien In- dians. I am confident that the result of a survey would prove that, as I stated 6 years ago, there is a valley in the Cordillera, between the head waters of the Aglaseniqua and the Sucubti, through which it would be quite feasa- ble to cut a canal, and I am firmly convinced that a care- ful survey of the four or five miles which separate those rivers is all that is necessary to establish the practicabil- ity of the canal, and decide a question so important to the commerce of the world. I remain, Sir, your most obedient servant, [Signed] EDWARD CULLEN. 11 Royal Exchange, Aug. 22. “SUN,” AUG. 29, 1856. The charter of universal dominion over the waves and of never ending freedom for Britons, with which, accord- ing to Our great national strain, Brittannia is endowed, would seem to be accompanied by a license by way of drawback, of which Brittannia, or, rather, those who man- age her affairs, freely avail themselves, to her infinite detriment; and that is evermore to subordinate merit to favor, and keep the right man out of the right place. The perusal of a communication from Mr. Edward Cullen, which appears in our present impression, de- scribing the results of the late so-called exploration of the proposed canal route to communicate between the - Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, furnishes a remarkable illustration in support of our hypothesis—an illustration which, taken in connection with other circumstances, goes far to establish it as a fact. The world-wide im- portance of a communication between the two oceans is and ethat it would be of Under everywhere admitted, im- mense value to us is also placed beyond dispute. such circumstances, common sense, we imagine, must have indicaied the propriety of sending men of first-class and approved ability to undertake the exploration re- quired. How little common sense had to do with the ap- pointment of Mr. Gisborne and Capt. Hancock, let the readers of Mr. Cullen's letter determine, Never, we in- cline to think, did self-sufficiency and incompetency for a peculiar task—we say nothing of their general ability as professional men—more signally expose individuals to the observation and the derision of the world. The right man to have led the exploring party was Surely one who, like Mr. Cullen, knew something about the country, and had some inkling of the route to be pursued. The great Gisborne—for if self-reliance don’t make a man great, what will?—starts on the 7 Feby., (the land- ing took place on the 24 Jany.,) with a small party un- der the guidance of a native, on a second exploration. This time he reaches the other side, and hails the shores of the Pacific at the expiration of three days' walk. How Severely his engineering abilities were tested and how signally they were manifested, let what follows de- scribe. - In crossing the Cordillera to Sucubti, this party fol- lowed the Indian trail, which passes over the highest ground, and traversed the only portion of the country which presents any engineering difficulties in a few hours! From these circumstances and from their very cursory and fugitive inspection of a country, which is one un- broken forest of heavy timber and tall brushwood, where the explorer can Scarcely see ten yards ahead of him, it was manifestly impossible for the engineers to make any Search for the valley, which transversely divides the Cor- dillera. ion as to the practicability of a canal. Consequently they were unable to form an opin- So thinks Baron Humboldt, and so will others beside the Baron. The results were—the practicability of crossing the Isthmus by the Indian track in three days was estab- lished by Mr. Gisborne; and the impracticability(?) of the proposed canal route was made as clear as mud. The remainder of the narritive we pass over, includ- ing, though it does, Some scurvy treatment of the too earnest and knowing Mr. Cullen by Commander Han- cock; remarking, however, that Commander Parsons sur- veyed the harbours and found them admirably adapted for the termination of a great ship canal. We might have stated at the outset, had we not preferred to direct attention in the first place to the Gisborne exploration, 5 3 that, as originally planned and arranged, the exploration was to have been carried on under the auspices of Eng- land, France and America, each of which Powers con- tributed a man-of-war and a staff of engineers. The com- mander of the American vessel, however, was “Tarna- tion” too great a man to do anything save on his own hook, and accordingly left the Britishers and Frenchers behind, and made a tour on his own account. The mis- erable vanity of the man met with by no means an inap- propriate punishment. He and his party wandered out of the way and after undergoing great trial never got into it, but were after many days discovered 30 miles to the east of the canal route. In striking contrast the French commander, who ap- pears to have acted with a sincere desire to promote the object for which he and his party were sent out. Into the particulars of the third exploration party we have neither time nor space to enter. Suffice it is to say that the practicability of the Darien Route seems to be suffi- ciently well established to call for a practical survey by a competent engineer, under the guidance of Mr. Cullen, to whom the command of the exploring expedition ought to be and should have been entrusted, he having sur- veyed the country at his own expense. THE DARIEN EXPEDITION. ‘‘To the Editor of the Sun: “Sir—I have carefully read in your impression of yesterday Dr Cullen’s ‘Report of the Darien Expedi- tion of 1854,’ in which he refers to me for the accuracy of the statements therein, concerning the treatment he received in Caledonia Bay. *~~ Having been on board H. M. S. Espiegle during the Whole time the expedition remained in Darien, I was fully cognizant of all the circumstances he relates, and can vouch for their strict accuracy. His account of the English and French exploration coincides exactly with In every instance in which I had an opportunity of testing that given to me by the officers who accompanied it. Dr. Cullen's original statements, which led to the organ- ization of the expedition, I found them to be strictly true, and in that point in which I was more particularly inter- ested, viz., the healthiness of the climate, I fully coin- § cided with him, not a single case of sickness having oc- curred amongst the men who formed the exploring par- ties, although they were constantly wading in rivers dur- ing the day, and lying on damp ground at night; or I shall pub- As to amongst the crews of the ships in harbour. lish my report on the climate at an early date. the levels and the feasibility of the canal, I have from the deck of the Espiegle and different positions in the harbour distinctly seen a valley across the Cordillera, and having often accompanied Mr. Parsons, master in command of H. M. S. Scorpion, whilst making his ad- mirable survey of Caledonia Bay and Port Escoces, I have heard him express his opinion that it was highly probable there was a line of country of low elevation be- tween Caledonia Bay and the gulf of San Miguel, which would offer every facility for a ship canal. I am confident that had Dr. Cullen been in com- mand of the expedition, or had any authority in its guidance, it would have resulted successfully. I have the honor to be, Sir, your most obedient Servant. [Signed] WM. McDERMOTT, M. D., Surgeon R. N. 1 Warwick Terrace, Belgrade Rd., Aug. 30, 56. I desire to call the reader’s particular attention to that portion of Dr. McDermott's letter where he states: “As to the levels and the feasibility of the canal, I have from the deck of the Espiegle and different positions in the harbour distinctly seen a valley across the Cordillera.” Also I request the reader's kind attention to where Dr. Cullen in his account of Prevost’s exploration states: “On the 18th he proceeded up the river. . . . . . passing the Lara mouth, the side of Fuerte del Principe, and the mouth of the Laklla, he built a rancho a little above the latter. From there he advanced in a N. N. E. direction, cutting a path as he went. After 11 days’ jour- ney, in which he had proceeded 22 miles, over a le rel country, crossed by a single ridge from 50 to 60 feet in height, he arrived at the bank of the Chuquanaqua, Op- tº e º a tº 8 and proceeded across posite the mouth of the Morti, the river on his course, , , , , , In the first day's march on the Atlantic side of the Chuquanaqua, he reaehed a hill 80, and another 120 feet high. From a tree on the sum- mit of the latter his native guide, Maria, reported a dis- tant view of the Atlantic to the N. W., and mountains to the N. and N. E. he proceeded in the N, N. E. direction, ascended the Cor- Instead of altering his course to N.W., dillera to an elevation of 800 feet, and then descended to a river running into the Atlantic—most probably the Aglaseniqua. His provisions then being nearly ex- hausted, he returned to the Chuquanaqua, though being within a few miles of the Atlantic. “I think also the reader will be inclined to share in Dr. Gullen's surprise regarding Lieutenant Strain, of the United States mayy, when he states: “I own I am sur- prised to find that Lieut. Strain, whose party were dis- covered 30 miles to the east of the canal route, and who admits he never had any idea of his whereabouts, has published a map of his route, with a section of the Isthmus.’ } } I beg to refer the reader to that excellent work styled “Report on Inter-Oceanic Canals and Railroads Between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans,” by Rear Admiral Charles H. Davis, Superintendent of the Naval Observa- tory (Washington, Government Printing Office, 1867,) page 11. “GULF OF SAN MIGUEL TO CALEDONIA BAY. The next place in order is the line between the Gulf of San Miguel and Galedonia Bay. We have here at both ends of the line harbours spacious and admirable in every respect, and on the south side there is a height of tide suited to the construction of docks for repairs, etc. It is held by many persons that no line of inter-oceanic canal merits serious attention unless it possesses this in- dispensable requisite of good natural harbors requiring no artificial improvements, except those for the ordinary conveniences of commerce, such as wharves and docks. Certainly it will add very much to the difficulties and embarrassments as well as to the expense of this great enterprise, to mix with it any doubtful questions of har- bour improvement. Page 12.-The expedition of Strain, though it called out a remarkable display of courage and endurance under * * s ** 5. ...] the most fearful trials, was even less fruitful of knowl- edge than those of Gisborne and Prevost. I have appended a map numbered VIII., of the joint exploration of the two English gentlemen here men- tioned, taken from Gisborne's report to the Royal Geo- graphical Society. It will be perceived that the routes of these two gentlemen join on to each other. Sections of both tracks are given on the map. The only person in our time who claims to have crossed the Isthmus directly between the two great bays is Dr. Cullen. into Darien in 1849, he was totally ignorant of the exist- Dr. Cullen says that on his first journey ence of the Savana river until he actually saw it, after entering Boca Chica, “when,” he continues, “finding the great depth of water at its mouth, and that it flowed al- most directly from the north, I became convinced that I ºad at last found the object of my search, viz., a feasible route to the Atlantic; and thereupon I immediately as- cended it and crossed from Canasas to the sea shore at Port Escoces and back, and subsequently in 1850, and also in 1551, crossed and recrossed at several times, and by several tracks, the route from Savana to Port Escoces and Caledonia Bay, notching the bark of the trees as I went along with a machete or cutlass, always alone and unaided, and always in the season of the heaviest rains; tº e º & ſº tº and I had not the least hesitation in deciding that that must be the future route for inter oceanic communi- cation for ships.”—(Isthmus of Darien Ship Canal,) by Dr. Cullen, 2d edition, Pp. 19. The principal point of interest in this exploration is, of course, the passage of the Cordillera. Concerning this Dr. Cullen says: “From the sea shore (Port Escoces) a plain extends for nearly two miles to the base of a ridge of hills which runs parallel to the coast, and whose highest summit is about 350 feet. This ridge is not quite continuous and unbroken, but is divided by transverse valleys, through which the Aglaseniqua, Aglatomate, and other rivers have their course, and whose highest elevations do not exceed .50 feet The base of this ridge is only two miles in width, and from its south side a level plain ex- tends for thirteen miles, to a point on the river Savana ~ rººf- called Canasas, which is about twenty miles above its mouth.”—(Page 28, Ibid). No language could be more simple, explicit and di- rect than the language of this statement. Admitting it to be literally correct, we have to go no further for the object of our search—the existence of a practicable route for an inter-oceanic ship canal has been discovered. Dr. Cullen's map numbered IX., of the series ap- pended to this report, presents a line of communication Q which combines all the advantages required by the engi- neer. It possesses the indispensable requisite of har- bours of perfect security, sufficient depth of water, and large capacity at both termini—that on the Pacific side having a rise of tide which adapts it to the construction of building and repairing docks, a circumstance the value of which cannot be over estimated. It cuts the Cordil- leras at a depression at least thirty feet below any that ^ has ever been reported, and several hundred feet below any that has actually been surveyed, or that has been approximately determined by trustworthy observers. The course of this line is direct, free from obstruc- tion, and exceptionally healthy, while its outlets open upon coasts where violent storms are rarely known. The plains on each side of the dividing ridge are of easy slope and readily penetrated. The Savana river itself would form a part of the canal; and finally, accept- ing the particular statements of Dr. Cullen as fully relia- ble, a ship canal may be cut on this line without locks, and even without tunnel, and yet not surpass, either in difficulty, in labor, or in the amount of time or money consumed in its construction, several other monuments of human genius and enterprise, in past times and in our Own day. Page 13.−A ship canal twenty-six or twenty-seven miles in length on such a line as that described by Dr. Cullen (pp. 24, el seq.), with a cut of two miles only through hard rock, would in all respects of time, money and difficulty, fall far short of that tunnel which is now in progress under the Alps at Mount Cenis, for the pur- pose of connecting France and Italy by a continuous railway, The length of this tunnel is seven miles and 1,044, Besides Cullen and Airiau there are other high authorities who have regarded the Isthmus of Darien as the place where we are to look for the consummation of our wishes. * Admiral Fitz Roy, who, at the period when he last wrote, 1853, had made a more careful and accurate study of the whole subject than any man then living, and whose opinions no one experienced in the hydrography of the globe will lightly question, has said: “A strong conviction remains on all our minds that The illus- trious Humboldt declares himself thoroughly satisfied Darien should be surveyed without delay. that the Isthmus of Darien is superior to any other por- tion of the entire neck for a canal.” Page 14.—But it is with extreme reluctance I am compelled to say that these statements stand in Dr. Cul- len's book as mere assertions, unaccompanied by notes Or measurements. I beg to call the reader's particular attention to the following remarks of Rear Admiral Charles H. Davis, where he states in regard to this route from the Gulf of San Miguel to Caledonia Bay: ‘‘We have here at both ends of the line harbours spacious and admirable 1n every respect and on the south side there is a height of tide suited to the con- struction of docks for repairs, etc. . . . . . The principal point of interest in this exploration is of course the passage of the Cordillera. . . . . . The Savana river itself would form a part of the canal. The course of this line is exceptionally healthy, while its outlets open upon coasts where violent storms are rarely known.” In regard to the daring but unfortunate attempt of Lieut. Isaac Strain, U. S. Navy, the record shows that he was not ungrateful for the assistance rendered him by the British party, as I find in Harper’s new magazine No, LVIII, 1855, Vol. X, page 764: “You, Sir, are already aware of the assistance rendered to my party by the officers and crew of her Britannic Majesty’s steam sloop, Virago, which, pending the action of the government, I recognized in a letter to 5 >º. Commander Edward Marshall, R. N., which has already been published. You, Sir, have already informed me that the thanks of the Navy Department have been communicated to those officers and seamen and any additional national action which might be taken to call the attention of H. B. Majesty’s government to the generous and chivalrous conduct of Lieutenant W. C. Forsyth, As- sistant Surgeon William Ross, Paymaster W. H. Hills (R. Navy) and W. C. Bennett, civil engineer, will be The foregoing narrative will explain the extent of service most gratefully received by party and myself. which those gentlemen and certain seamen of the Virago rendered us at no small personal risk.” It is also well to bear in mind Dr. Cullen's advice in his work “Isthmus of Darien Ship Canal” pages 92 and 93: most strongly recommend the immediate formation of a Preparatory to the operations on the canal, I would road from Port Escosces to Fuerte del Principe or the mouth of the Lara. By merely clearing a mule path through the forest a much better road could be made than the present line of transit from Gorgona to Cruces to Panama while the distance would be about the same that yet remains for the completion of the Panama rail- road, viz: twenty-two to twenty-five miles. Such a road could be inade in three months for a very small outlay by a party of bush clearers. “Thus the distance from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean by the route from And again on page 20 he states: Port Escosces or Caledonia Bay to the Gulf of San Miguel by way of the river Savana would be thirty-nine miles. In a direct line from Port Escosces to the Gulf the distance is thirty-three miles.” I beg also to call the readers attention to the Official Report of the Proceedings of the Exploring Party under Commander J. C. Prevost of H. M. S. Virago, sent to cross the Isthmus of Darien where Commander Prevost states: Monday, 19th, left the ship. Thursday, 22—at our first halt a native climbed a tree whence he saw over the dense forest a whole space like a river but no hills. Friday 23rd–Encamped for the night at No. 5 Rancho. From a tree level land was seen ahead, but no mountains. } Monday 26—Hills varying from 50 to 60 feet high running in a N. N. E. direction, this being the highest land we have yet been on. I now beg to call the reader's attention to the “Report upon the Survey of the Isthmus of Darien for an Inter-Oceanic Ship Canal” by Commander Thomas O. Selfridge, U. S. N., 1870. I find page 7: “Darien—The three principal routes across the isthmus are the San Blas from the bay of that name or the Atlantic to the mouth of the Bayamo or Chepo River on the Pacific. The Caledonia Bay to the Gulf of San Miguel; the Tuyra, which line would cross the mountains in the vicinity of the mouth of the Atrato and follow the valley of the Darien or Tuyra River to the Gulf of San Miguel. -. Page 9: There are but two fine harbors on the Atlantic Coast, the Gulf of San Blas and Caledonia Bay. Both of these are admirable and possess every require- ment and from their vicinity only could a canal be well constructed. The climate of Darien like other portions of the tropics may be divided into two seasons, wet and dry. The former extends from May to January. Page 23: “The country is quite level for the first mile from the beach and is probably overflown during the rainy season. It then rises in a gentle slope along the valley of the Sassardi, which for the first three miles after leaving the coast is of unsurpassed fertility and might be called the garden spot of the isthmus; beauti. ful groves here and there, large plantations of bananas, plantains, sugar cane, cocoa, cassava and a kind of bean much grown by the Indians. The reader will please also observe that in the description of the Atlantic Coast near where we propose to cut this ship canal there seems considerable agreement between the account of Dr. Cullen, Surgeon Lionel Wafer and the report of Commander Thomas O. Selfridge, U. S. Navy, that is for the first few miles on the Atlantic side the land is comparatively level. 57 I also find: 1852, Messrs. Lionel Gisborne and Forde’s Recent Sur- “Reports of the British Association, vey for a Ship Canal through the Isthmus of Central America, page 110, but not, it appears, in full. 1851—Dr. Cullen on a proposed canal across the Isthmus of Darien, page 88, not in full. 1850—Index 11 p. 198 Cullen (Dr.) page 79. Gold mines of the Isthmus of Darien, Emigration to New Granada and Canalization of the Isthmus of Darien by Dr. Cullen. Mr. John Hogg in reading this paper stated that the author (Dr. Edward Cullen of Dublin) intended to pub- lish a new map of the Isthmus of Darien on a large scale. The gold mines of that isthmus were likewise On the banks of the Cana, a branch of the river Tuyra, is situated Mina Real in the Cerro del noticed. Espiritu Santo, the richest mine that was ever worked. Dr. Cullen said that for a number of years the sums transmitted to Spain for the king’s veintavo from that mine averaged upwards of 3% millions of dollars per annum, giving upwards of 70 millions of dollars per annum for the whole produce. This he considered as a prodigious return which completely throws into the shade the recent gold digging in California where the produce seldom reaches one million dollars per month. Besides the Cerro del Espiritu Santo there are many mountains near Cana very rich in gold which have never been worked. Also the author found in the Isthmus of Panama auriferous soil in many places. I find also: “Gisborne's Survey of the Isthmus of Darien, page 201, VIII, vol. 27, Journal Royal Geo- graphical Society: “Captain Prevost, in laying down the shortest route from the Savana to Port Escoces adopted a N. N. E. course whereas the true bearing of Port Escoces from the point of the Savana where he left it is E. 17 degrees N, a N. N. E. course strikes the Atlantic Coast 20 miles N. of Escoces.” I also find in “Isthmus of Darien Ship Canal: “Mr. Thomas Jefferys is the only English geo- grapher who has marked out the Savana, though imperfectly and under the name of Rio San Miguel,” The reader will also please notice that there is con- siderable disagreement among the explorers of this part of the Isthmus of Darien concerning latitude and longi- tude. I also desire to call the reader's attention Gisborne's Darien Journal.—The Isthmus of Darien in 1852, page 94, where he states: May 22nd, I have had put into my hands a map of Darien Isthmus, published in New Orleans by Dr. E. L. Autenreith. The interior is filled up with rivers and summit ranges and as far as I can compare it with coast charts it appears very accurate. It is remarkable that between the Gulf of St. Miguel and the Atlantic Coast the internal geography corres- ponds almost exactly with the rough map given by Dr. Cullen and compiled he says from personal observation. Page 73: that coast but were never able to penetrate into the “The Spaniards had two or three forts on interior since the buccaneers destroyed the town of Santa Maria on the Savannah River, but these buccaneers were fortunately Englishmen so that the Indians have an hereditary liking to us, attributing their freedom to British valour. Page 74: —the answer he always gets is “Hoist an English flag and trade with the Indians, you may thus obtain leave to make an excursion into the interior.” Page 148: River instead of down when we first saw it, I have no “And had we gone up the Caledonia doubt we should have crossed the isthmus without its being known, for in the interior there are very few Indians and towards the Savannah River Mr. Kennish told me there were no villages; his informant was Mr. Hassock who ought to know as he has been seven years settled at St. Miguel. Page 150: “I am satisfied that Forde and I have been further into the interior of the country than any white man since the buccaneers. Next to . having crossed the isthmus I consider this discovery of a valley through the Loma Desideada with an elevation of only 40 feet seven miles inland of the large plain extending 58 southwest towards the Savannah as the most important fact I could have elicited; and I am far more satisfied at having failed in crossing from Port Escoces than to have crossed and returned (supposing that were possible with safety) and reported a summit of 275 feet when within a few miles one of 40 feet is to be got further inland. ...” Page 151: Such at least I consider to be the case here where by tracing the river Caledonia for ten miles inland the first difficulty that of crossing the Loma Desideada has been overcome and it has been determined that from the western side of these hills there is level ground for at least six miles towards the Gulf of St. Miguel. P. Page 143: I had not much faith in Dr. Cullen's map as his description of the land S. W. of Port Escoces was directly contrary to fact. Page 145: At 10 a. m. we came to an Indian village situated in Caledonia Bay, on the Atlantic about five miles to the north-west of Port Escoces. Page 159: We did not meet a single snake and Bill told me that there were not many and only a few of them are deadly in their bite although they are all more or less venemous. Page 162: St. Miguel Bay is 90 miles south of Panama, and Port Escoces 120 miles from Navy Bay. Page 171: The whole of the coast of Panama on both Oceans has always borne the character of being one of the most unhealthy places in the world, and yet except in warmpy situatons like Chagres and Navy Bay I do not think such is at all the case. Page 183: there are no tributaries of any importance join the Savannah and the river itself above tidal influence dis- charges but little water during the dry season and swells out into a considerable stream during the rainy months. Page 190: Mosquitoes, large ants and sand flies began their tormenting stings before the sun had finally disappeared, and sleep seemed to be out of the question. Page 193: . . . . . . there was always a conviction in my mind that the problem of an inter-oceanic ship canal **. With the exception of the river Lara 59 was to be solved between Escoces and St. Miguel, and, although I am not a disciple of predestination, hope led me to believe I should be instrumental in the solution. Page 199: We had seen the river Lara at low water, now we saw it at high tide the difference is very strik- ing; from a small stream it swells into a river in places 200 yards wide and three fathoms deep . . . . . . . . . . . . and an old Indian who lived in the house stated that there was a tradition of the Spaniards having opened a road two fathoms wide between Forte del Principe and Port ESCOces and that there was no hills on the road. Page 205: In answer to a direct question from Dr. Cullen I had to tell him the statements he made as to his route had not been verified by me; on the contrary, many of them had been contradicted by facts. I refused however to show him my plans, or give any detailed information, as my mission was confidential, and I did not consider I was authorized to let any one know more than the general fact of an easy route existing in Darien. Later in the day he called on Mr. Perry for a stamped certificate of my having refused to return with him to St. Miguel. The next morning, 22nd July, at seven o’clock we started for Navy Bay.” Please search— Bancroft p. XIII, Vol. I. Authorities quoted: Cullen (Edward) The Darien Canal, 1868. Cullen (Edward) The Isthmus of Darien Ship Canal, London, 1853. Gisborne (Lionel) The Isthmus of Darien in 1852. London, 1853. (Harper’s New Monthly Magazine, No. LVIII, March 1855, Vol. X. Darien Exploring Expedition Under Command of Lieut. Isaac C. Strain, by J. T. Headley. “The Isthmus of Panama and what I saw there, by C. D. Griswold, M. D., Chapter XIV, 1852, Proposed Route for a Ship Canal, Chapter III, page 38: -- I also find in: It was formerly supposed that the Cordilleras extended uninterruptedly through the whole of North and South America, being simply greatly depressed on the Isthmus of Panama. But it has been shown by Berghaus, Hopkins and others that no such continuity exists. The Cordilleras of the Andes terminate at Darien, and the great North American range probably commences near the Isthmus of Tehuantepec.” I also find in “Explorations and Surveys for Inter- oceanic Ship Canal Routes, 1875, Panama Expedition, Commander Edward P. Lull, U. S. commanding. Napipi Expedition: Lieutenant Frederick Collins, U. S. N., command- ing. Commencing p. 18: from mouth of the Bayano to the Gulf of San Blas. . . . . . a tunnel of even five miles in length would thus cost between $80,000,000 and $100,- 000,000. The line possesses but two good features, one the magni- ficent harbor afforded by the Gulf of San Blas, the other the short distance from sea to sea in a direct line but The Bayano River cannot be utilized. . . . . . thirty miles. These however compensate but slightly for the enormous disadvantages. The line bears no comparison with either the Nicaragua route or that of Panama as developed.” I also beg to refer the reader to an old and very interesting work styled “A New Voyage and Descrip- tion of the Isthmus of America by Lionel Wafer, London. Printed for James Knapton at the Crown in St. Paul’s Church yard, 1699. Commencing page 48: “The land of this continent is almost everywhere of an unequal surface distinquished with hills and valleys of great variety for height, depth and extent. The valleys are generally watered with rivers, brooks and perenial springs with which the country very much abounds. They fall, some into the North and others into the South Sea and do most of them take their rise from a ridge or chain of higher hills than the rest running the length of the Isthmus and in a manner parallel to the shore which for distinction I shall call the main ridge. This ridge is of an unequal breadth and trends along bending as the Isthmus itself doth. Tis in most parts nearest the edge of the North Sea, seldom above 10 or 15 miles distant. We had always a fair and clear view of the North Sea from thence and the various makings of the shore together with the adjacent islands rendered it a very agreeable prospect; but the South Sea I could not see from any part of the ridge, not that the distance of it from the South Sea is so great that the eye could not reach so far, especially from such an eminence where the country between a level or Champian. But though there are here and there plains and valleys of a considerable extent and some open places yet they lie intermix’d with considerable hills; and those too so cloath’d with tall woods that they much hinder the prospect there would otherwise be. Neither on the other side is the main ridge discern’d from that side by reason of those hills that lie between it and the South Sea; upon ascending each of which in our return from the South Sea we expected to have been upon the main And tho' still the further we were that way the hills we crossed seemed ridge and to have seen the North Sea. the larger yet by this means we were less sensible of the heigth of the main ridge than if we had climb’d up to it next way out of a low country. On the north side of the main ridge there are either no hills at all or such as are rather gentle declivities or gradual subsidings of the ridge, than hills distinct from it and tho’ this side of the country is everywhere covered with woods and more usually too for it is all One Con- tinued forrest, yet the eye from that heigth commands the less distant Northern shore with much ease and pleasure. Nor is the main ridge itself carried on everywhere with a continued top but is rather a row or chain of distinct hills than one prolonged and accordingly hath frequent and large valleys disjoining the several emi- nencies that compose its length and these valleys as the make even the ridge itself the more useful and habit- able, so are they some of them so deep in their descent as even to admit a passage for rivers. For thus the river Chagre which rises from some hills near the South Sea runs along in an oblique North Westerly course till it finds itself a passage into the North Sea; tho’ the 60 chain of hills if I mistake not is extended much faither to the West even to the Lake of Nicaragua.” In Dr. Cullen’s “Isthmus of Darien Ship Canal” appears the following letter from the British Foreign Office: “Foreign Office, January 28th, 1851. Sir: I am directed by Viscount Palmerston to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 15th instant inclosing a report upon the subject of your plan for the construction of a canal to join the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans by way of the river Savana and I am to request that you will put in writing your ideas as to what you consider the best course for the purpose of carrying your plan into execution. I am, Sir, your most obedient humble servant, H. N. ADDINGTON. Dr. Cullen, Broad Street Buildings.” Also commencing page 261 I find in “Report upon the Survey of the Darien Lire from Caledonia Bay to the Junction of the Sucubdi and Chu- cunaque, by J. A. Sullivan, Assistant Coast Survey.” The results of these surveys and reconnaicences are stated as follows: To the southward of the continuous line of surveys from the Washington River, the western limit of the survey; to the Sucubdi River, and thence to the valley of the Caledonia River, the eastern limit of the district surveyed, a careful exploration of the head waters of the rivers flowing from the mountains into Caledonia Bay proves that no depression exists in the mountain range in the vicinity of Caledonia Bay other than that between the northeastern tributary of the Aglaseniqua River and the southwestern tributary of the Caledonia River, called “Rainy Hollow Creek;” and that this depression, which extends nearly to the Sucubdi valley, gives the lowest possible summit to be found between Caledonia Bay and the valleys of the streams flowing toward the Pacific. Between the Anglasenequa River below its first forks, and the Caledonia River below the mouth of its tributary “Rainy Hollow Creek,” there is a short range of high hills which is parallel to the seashore and to the general mountain range, and the summit of which is about half-way between the shore and the summit of the northern range of the Cordilleras. A straight line from the mouths of the Aglasenequa and Caledonia Rivers to the Sucubdi valley, through the depression in the moun- tain range passes over this range of hills, which, having the appearance from the summits of the mountain range of having been thrown off, as it were, from the range between the peaks “1003” and “1259,” toward the sea, by Some great convulsion of nature, presents a barrier between the depression and the shores of the bay. The Southerly spurs of this range of hills extend into the depression toward the Sucubdi valley and form a dividing ridge in it between the sources of the north- eastern fork of the Aglasenequa and Rainy Hollow. Creek. At the head of this depression a small tributary to the Sububdi also has its source. The depression is separated from the Sucubdi valley by a range of hills, the summit of which is 640 feet above the sea which forms the northern boundary of the Sucubdi valley where it is nearest the depression and connects with the mountain range on each side of the depression with a gradually in- creasing elevation. From the summit “1259” the waters of the Atlantic in the vicinity of Point Escoces are plainly visible be- tween the mountain range to the eastward of the depres- Sion and the eastern end of the range of hills between the two rivers, looking over the Caledonia valley. The line of the survey passing over the peak “1259” to the Sucubdi River proves that there is no “pass” from this depression in a southwesterly direction to the valley of any river flowing toward the Pacific parallel to the Sucubdi. nearest the depression, is 563 feet above the sea, as de- The elevation of the Sucubdi River, where termined by spirit level. If subsequent explorations had rendered it desirable to spend the time necessary for a minute survey of this depression, there is no doubt but that the valley of the Sucubdi could have been reached from Rainy Hollow Creek or the northeastern fork of the Aglasenequa with- out crossing over a greater elevation than that of the ridge (elevation 640 feet) which is between the depression and the Sucubdi valley. S. The elevation of the Sucubdi River, where the river is nearest the depression, as stated previously, is 563 feet above the sea, and its elevation at the Chucumaque, about nineteen miles from this point in a direct line, nearly, toward the Lara, is 142 feet in the bed of the stream where the banks of the river are 15 feet high, the valley is still narrow and the country hilly. The eleva- tion of the Chucunaque River, some sixteen miles below the mouth of the Sucubdi River and far to the eastward of any proposed line of canal from Caledonia Bay to the Lara, is 70 feet above the sea, where the banks of the stream are some 20 feet above the bed of the river and the country is rolling. Between the Chucunaque River and the Lara there is a dividing ridge, as evidenced by the strealms which flow from the southward into the Chucumaque above and below the mouth of the Sucubdi, one of which I sup- posed to be the La Paz, and explored for a mile, finding it a stream with a rocky bed in a narrow valley shut in by hills and having a very rapid fall. No further explorations were considered necessary in this direction for the object in view, and though it would have been “easy work” to have carried the main line of survey from camp No. 9 down the valley of the Sucubdi to the Chucunaque with the well-organized and experienced party then in the field, and thence across the dividing ridge to the Lara, compared with the labor- ious work of surveying across the mountains, and the party could have earned, thus, the credit of having car- ried a line of survey across the isthmus, I urged you to give up the idea of crossing the isthmus here and to transfer the party to some other locality. In regard to the feasibility of this route for an inter- oceanic canal, I think there can be no question that it is utterly impracticable, unless, indeed, that this location for such a canal is considered to so far excel all others possible on the isthmus that a canal would be undertak- en by capitalists or a nation which would require in at least twenty-five miles of its length an average cutting of over 425 feet, and of which the least cutting on the distance would be 172 feet at the lowest estimate. More- over, if a system of locks should be thought of as prac- ticable on this route,it is evident that if a summit cutting of 100 feet was made between the Sucubdi and the de- pression, it would be necessary in a distance of about four miles to lock up 540 feet from the bay to the Su- cubdi and then descend the valley of the Sucubdi by a system of locks to the Chucumaque, between which and the bay of San Miguel there is a dividing ridge. It is doubtful, indeed, if by any means the summit locks could be supplied with water, and such an inter-Oceanic canal, in any event, would not be desirable. In this connection permit me to add the reflection that a glance at the general topography of the isthmus shows that the common source of the Chucumaque and Bayano rivers is at a point some fifteen miles, more or less, to the westward of the mouth of the Sucubdi, which source must be at least at as great an elevation above the sea as the mouth of the Sucubdi. It is seen that these rivers in their course to the sea, the one to the eastward, the other to the westward, of their common source, trace in a meas- ure the are of a great circle drawn through the three points, the mouths of these rivers and their common source, and that from the territory within this arc streams flow to both rivers, indicating that it has a higher eleva- tion than the valleys of these rivers. It is hopeless, then, to find any lower ground for a route for a canal from the Atlantic to the Gulf of San Miguel which will cross these rivers than that below tide-water on each—on the Bayano near Chepo, On the Chucumaque near Yavissa. It is an established fact that where tide-water is first met descending these rivers the river banks are some 20 feet high. Assuming that average high tide on the Pa- cific is only ten feet above the mean level of the Sea, to bring the bottom of a canal at the proper distance below the level of low tide, there would be required at these points a cutting of at least 50 feet. It would seem that a route for a canal can hardly be considered even practicable that will cross either of these rivers much above tide-water, and the attention is drawn naturally to the shorter routes from the Atlantic to these jor 62 rivers below tide-water—in the one case the shorter of all routes, from the Gulf of San Blas to the Bayano; and in the other from the Gulf of Darien to the Paya and the Tuyra Rivers, and by the latter to the Gulf of San Miguel. In conclusion, I wish to remark that the route from Washington River through the mountains to the Sucubdi valley, was especially indicated for examination as the subject of a voluminous pamphlet by Dr. Cullen, who, however, states that his opinions are not based upon a detailed survey of the route. Such reconnaisances and surveys as were made here appeared necessary to me to settle the question of feasibility discussed in the pamph- let by actual survey. From the forks of the Galedonia River the mountain range is plainly visible for several miles to the eastward, and there is no indication of a depression in the range in that direction. This country is densely wooded and an explorer who passed from the valley of the Caledonia to the Sucubdi, either through the depression or overlooking it from the trail, without correct knowledge of the respec- tive elevations of the valleys, would be deceived as to the practicability of the route. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, J. A. SULLIVAN, Assistant United States Coast Survey. Commander Thos. O. Selfridge, commanding Darien Exploring Expedition.” “Health—The health of the expedi- We had at different times many cases of fever, but they could be And page 30: tion has been a matter of surprise to us all. traced to exhaustion rather than climate, and at the time of our sailing for home out of a force of some two Hundred and eighty men, there were not more than twenty on the sick list, though all hands were very much worn and needed recuperation. But one death occurred during our absence from the United States, and that by drowning.” Page 70: the San Juan River (Greytown) to the Pacific Ocean, a ‘‘Nicaragua—Extends from the mouth of distance of one hundred and ninety-four miles of which fifty-six miles are lake navigation, leaving one hundred and thirty-eight miles to be canalized. This route was ably surveyed by Major O. W. Childs who estimated the cost of a canal, 50 feet wide at the bottom and 17 feet deep, at $31,518,000. making slack-water navigation of the San Juan River, He obtains this low cost by through a series of locks and dams. But a canal of this size is altogether too small and it would not be possible to make use of slack-water navigation of the San Juan River, through a series of locks and dams. But a canal of this size is altogether too small and it would not be possible to make use of slack-water navigation for one of as large dimensions as is set down in this report as the minimum that a due regard for an unrestricted transit would admit. Upon this question of a canal of larger dimensions Major Childs reports: “The increased length of the cuts through the bars, which a greater depth than that upon which the estimates are based, would involve would cause the ratio of increased expense to be very great. Any considerable increase to the depth would require under water excavation for twenty-seven miles to be almost continuous; it would very much lengthen the cuts on other portions of the river, and the liability of these artificial channels to receive deposits of earth to Such an extent as to obstruct navigation would be very much greater. A depth of 22 feet would give a trans verse water section about 45 per cent. greater than the one adopted, and the expense of the inland portions would also, by reason of the greater depth of excavation, be increased in a higher ratio.” Slack-water navigation depending upon the strength of dams of such huge proportion cannot but be looked upon with disfavor. Besides Nicaragua has literally no harbors. That of San Juan, which was open at the time of Childs’ survey, is now, I am informed, closed up. Page 71 : “Panama—It possesses doubtless the lowest dividing summit on the continent, the point NO actual survey and estimates for a canal along the rail- where the railroad crosses being 286 feet high. road profile has ever, that I am aware of, been made. The road is very crooked, skirting the bottoms of hills that a line for a canal could not follow. 63 There are three very prominent and fatal objections to this lińe. First, the great amount of Swamp land of so oozy a nature that it was only after great cost that a firm roadbed could be made over it. To make a channel for ships through such a material would require an end- less amount of dredging for the soft Soil would be continually falling in, and together with a masonry wall, would require millons. Second, crossing the Chagres River; this has been known to rise 30 feet in a night and overflow the adjacent country for miles. This flood can only be partially controlled and yet it must be or it would cause incalcul- able disaster to the canal crossing at too low an elevation to be carried over the canal in an aqueduct, it could not be, permitted to flow through the canal, and I am at a loss to conjecture what plan could be adopted to obtain Third, lack of That of Aspinwall is so indifferent that during the desired protection from its floods. harbors. the seasons of the northers ships are frequently obliged to put to sea. At Panama there is not water at low tide to float large vessels within two and a half miles of the town, and a channel under water would have to be cut in rock. It has been proposed to remedy the latter difficulty by placing the western terminus at Chorera, some miles to the north; but to do this is to lose the benefit of the low summit crossed by the railroad.” Plate XI shows a map— “Darien Expedition under the command of T. O. Selfridge, Commander U. S. N. 1870 and 1871, map of the Isthmus of Darien between Caledonia Bay and the Gulf of San Miguel, drawn by A. Pohlers.” References: Darien Expedition 1870. Geodesic Observations and Top'1 Surveys of Cale- donia Bay. Survey of the Caledon, Aglaseniqua, Wash- ington and Sassardi Rivers, &c., termination of the Cor- dilleras, by Leveling, Barometer, Obser. and Angles from the Coast. Reconnaisance of Sucubdi River, British Admiralty Charts Nos. 2433 and 2267. Journal R. Geogr, Soc., 1854, Map of Commander Prevost’s Route, * = + I may here inform the reader that the Rio Savanna is very prominently marked on the above map, and it seems strange I find no description of that river in Com- *~, mander Selfridge's report. In fact, so little seems known of this River Savanna that-it seems fair to state that but little may be known concerning this short Darien ship canal route I advocate from Caledonia Bay or Port Escoces on the Atlantic side to the Gulf of San Miguel on the Pacific side via the Savanna River. I also find in “The Journal of the Royal Geograph- ical Society, volume the twenty-fourth, 1854, commenc- ing page 249– XI.—Official Report of the Proceedings of the Ex- ploring Party under Commander J. C. Prevost of H. M. Com- Read S. Virago, sent to cross the Isthmus of Darien. municated through Sir Roderick I. Murchison. April 24, 1854. “December 16th, 1853.−(Full moon, 8 9 p. m.) —Weighed and steamed from the anchorage of Ta- boga, near Panama, shaping a course to pass inside the Pearl Islands. 11.-Sighted Pacheca, the northernmost of the Pearl Islands. Daylight, off the Farollon Ingles. Saturday, 17th, 8 a. m.—Entered the Gulf of San Miguel steering mid-channel between Points Brava and Garachine to avoid the Buey Shoal, which extends some distance south of the former. The tide or current was strong against us. General soundings from 6 to 8 fath- oms, which deepened as we approached Punta Patino. Passed through the Boca Chica passage at low water Entered the har- bour of Darien, a magnificent sheet of water, and at spring tides, lowest cast 7 fathoms. 2:30 p.m. anchored in the mouth of the Savana River. Sunday, 18th, 8:15 a. m.—Discovered the ship dragging her anchor; let go small bower and got steam up; brought up outside the river in Darien Harbour, with 48 fathoms on each anchor. 10:30.—Low water; weighed and proceeded up the river. In picking up a berth the ship grounded on a soft mud-bank of the right side of the River Savana; 1aid out kedge, let go small bower, and waited for the tide to flow. 3 p.m.—Ship floated; steamed to an anchorage in mid-channel and 64 ºs -º-º-º-º: Y.Y. :* Aº, *3r. * → *...A. i. 2- . ~~$.4 t_* X > We were shortly afterward visited by the authorities from moored with swivel, 36 fathoms on each anchor. Chapigana, a village situated about 8 miles distant on the south bank of the Tuyra, containing about 150 in- habitants. These persons, viz: the Gefe Politico and Governor of the province, Don Manuel Borbina, the Alcalde, and Messrs. Hossack and Nelson, Scotchmen, gave us every information in their power of the route we were about to take, and obtained for us all the native assistance we required. Monday, 19th.-About noon a party in the cutter and gig, with a canoe for the Indians, left the ship fully armed and equipped with fourteen days provisions. The latitude and longitude of two principal points being given, viz: Fuerte del Principe, lat. 8° 34' n.—[The po- sitions of these places are according to Mr. Gisborne's recent survey, as laid down in his M. S. map, also adopted in an Admiralty chart just published—Fuerte de Principe lat. 8° 44' n., long. 78° 8' w., and Port Es- coces lat. 8° 51' n., long. 77° 36%' w.—ED.]—long. 77° 56' w., and Port Escoces lat. 8° 50' n., long. 77° 41' w., I deemed it better to work out our route as a course and distance, and cut our road accordingly, rather than trust to the uncertainty of the published maps, The survey made by Mr. Haydon, acting Second master of which appear to differ materially from each other. this ship, shows the course followed by the boats as far as the islands “Fairfax” and “Eliza,” which we reached at 3 p.m. and were joined by two more native guides (hunters) in a small canoe, who promised to accompany the expedition as carriers. Beyond this the Savana forms a reach about 3 miles long in a N.N.W. direction. Its western bank is entirely lost among small islets and other streams running into it forming a long shallow mud bank, the channel being apparently on the eastern At 3:45 p.m. we were abreast of a point opening into a side, where, at half-tide we found five fathoms. straight reach, and beyond it a conspicuous hill was vis- ible, which our guides named Periaki, estimated by us at about 300 feet in height; farther than this there were no hills. Following this reach about three miles, the river suddenly narrowed to 60 yards, taking a sharp turn toward the .N. E., bringing Periaki before us; thence the turns of the river became sharp and tortuous our soundings giving only one fathom and the banks consisting of mangrove trees and Swampy land. 5 p.m. reached the mouth of the Lara, the Savana running N.N.W., about thirty yards wide, its turnings sharp and stream sluggish; about one mile above this the eastern side began to assume banks, with large trees, the west- ern side still swampy. 5:30 p.m. abreast of Matuma- ganti, a small stream on the west bank; a mile above this our guide pointed out a spot on the same bank said to have been in former days the Spanish settlement of Fuerte del Principe; the absence of forest trees and the presence of brushwood and young shrubs was the only indication we could perceive. A short distance beyond this, as the sun had gone down, we were glad to stop for the night at an old rancho on the western bank, the boats now only just afloat in the middle of the stream. Tuesday, 20.-Taking advantage of the flowing tide we passed a small stream on the west bank, by our guide called “La Villa.” rancho; and half a mile higher up we were stopped by This was about a mile from our falls and rocks crossing the river diagonally in Several places. We had now ascended the river about 22 miles from its mouth; the tide appears to flow as high as this point, but only for half an hour; this obliged me to land the party here and unload the boats. In addition to a tent a large rancho was provided on the east bank of the river and the stores and provisions were left in charge of Mr. Hornby, midshipman, with a petty officer and twelve men, all well armed. During this short detention I ascended the river, accompanied by Mr. Kennish, a volunteer, in a piragua, which had to be carried over the various falls abounding at this point, called by our ca- noemen Point Chepo, some Indians of the tribe having once settled there. Alternately walking along the banks and poling in the canoe, we ascended with some diffi- culty about three miles, when the river became so wind- ing, shallow and blocked up with fallen trees, &c., that we were obliged to return. We were told that in the month of July we could have ascended two days journey until we reached its source. Its banks assumed a more perfect form, and the debris collected on the overhang- ing branches of the trees gave evident signs of the height and rapidity with which the stream runs during the floods of the rainy season. On my return to Rancho 65 *#.3%-º & , 3. *---t-t----, * * <-- --º,--- -t s— No. 1 I found all our party equipped and ready for a start, with the exception of two native volunteers of the previous night; their hearts had failed them, and they —remained behind with their countrymen, the huntsmen. Mr. Kennish had orders to steer N.N.E., compass in hand, and myself and Mr. Inskip, acting master, with small axes, to mark the trees, the latter carrying also a compass to check Mr. Kennish. L1eut. Moore and Mr. We left No. 1 Rancho about 2 p.m. on the 20th, and on— Gordon, mate, measured the road. Wednesday 21st: We were able to start early, cutting our way through the bush. Halted at a large ‘Caipa tree upon which we cut “Virago,” and commenced measuring with a line one chain in length which we continued until we returned South again, Many monkeys were seen and some shot; they made a savoury meal for our guides. Not far from Virago tree we discovered the remains of a well, and near it several pieces of earthenware, jars, etc., said by our Indian interpreter to be the work of some Indians. Encamped this night at Rancho No. 3, estimating our distance at nearly 3% miles from the boats. w Thursday 22nd: At our first halt a natiye climbed a tree, whence he saw over the dense forest “a white space like a river, but no hills.” The largest water course we crossed to-day with but little water in it. All the guides with Pedro (interpreter) exclaimed it was the Lara. Encamped at Rancho No. 4, having travelled over 219 chains, 2% miles, at 80 chains to the mile, while the rancho was being built I returned about three quarters of a mile to examine what I supposed to be a river we had passed on Our The cutting this day was heavy. As yet we have seen neither left hand, but it proved only a small stream. snakes, tigers, nor any ferocious animals. Friday 23rd: Our work did not commence as early as usual; the cutting was through thick underwood and stunted shrubs, which made it more difficult to get ahead. The supply of water was less plentiful. Soon after noon a tiger (jaguar) approached very close to us, but quickly made off. Two turkeys were shot. Tracks ** - 3. & of the wild hog, and also a large animal called the tapir, were seen near the streams. º *. Encamped for the night at No. 5 Rancho, having progressed 208 chains. From a tree level land was seen ahead, but no mountains. Saturday 24th: We struck on a considerable river flowing S. E. and built our 6th Rancho on its other bank making this day 249 chains. We here missed the fine leaves of the palm, which appears never to grow in wet, swampy land, but in its place is found another A fine deer passed close to me today, and many birds of beautiful species with thorns by no means so useful. plumage were seen. Pedro, our Indian interpreter, said Indians came up this river for he saw bamboo-trees, &c., cut through which otherwise would have obstructed the passage of a canoe. *S. Sunday 25th: The river we were encamped near, though at present containing but little water, is evidently a rapid stream when the freshes come down. Here we had the first intimation of being in the territory of the Indians of the interior, three shots during the day being distinctly heard to the North-westward, which our natives immediately said were fired by Indian hunters. Monday 26th: Our road lay through low, swampy, unpleasant ground as on the other side of the river, for about one-half mile, then over several streams to undulating ground from 50 to 60 feet high on which the wood was more open and breeze very pleasant, leaving higher ground sometimes on our left, at others on our right. On the slope of a pleasant hill we encamped for On the summit of this hill one of the officers climbed part the night at No. 7 Rancho, having gone 185 chains. of the way up a tree and saw a similar hill N. N.E. so that we were crossing over a range of hills varying from 50 to 60 feet high, running in a N. N. E. direction, this being the highest land we have yet been on. Tuesday 27th: Some rain fell during the night, but not sufficient to annoy us. Pioneers started fresh as usual, passing over the same kind of undulating hilly ground for 36 chains which brought us to a nice stream running to the eastward. Here we fell in with the 66 certain tracks of the Indians för the first time pronounced by Pedro to be the bare feet of men, a child or children and a dog both towards the E. and W., the most recent toward the E. The trees were the finest this day I have yet seen and well grown, the mahogany, fustic, caout- chouc and the tree of which the natives make their canoes most abundant. We met also the wild-lime which quite perfumed the air; also several most brilliant flowers of the fuchsia kind. At the foot of the last of the hills, 125 chains from our starting-place today, we came to the largest river we have yet seen, running pretty rapidly to the eastward, two feet deep. It had more water in it than at our sixth rancho, though its bed was not near so deep. After crossing this the ground became swampy, the road was soft and the day far advanced, so that after crossing three other streams flowing eastward, the palm disappearing, and our way becoming more Swampy as we proceeded, we determined not to cross it that night. After a slight examination we therefore retraced our steps to the first high ground, which was across the largest river, turning a short distance off the road, we selected a rising ground and though nearly dark, by the united exertions of all hands, we soon had a rancho built, No. 8; distant from No. 7 125 chains. Wednesday, 28th.—George Julier and an officer as- cended a tree this morning. From the summit of the hill near our rancho the former reported a mountain and a range of hills across our path, apparently about six miles off, with a few small risings of the ground be- tween them and us. He also saw a gap in the range away to the right, bearing about E. The latter re- ports “hills running in a direction about W. by N. 9% N. and E. by S. 9% S.” Those to the right of our N. N.E. course seemed the highest and the nearest about 6 miles distant; those ahead about eight miles; those to the left further off and not so high; saw what he thought was a gap bearing about N; could not see the gap. Julier spoke of the foliage of the tree he was in shutting out the view in that direction. The pioneers started alone this morning, as it was thought most prudent to find a road through the swamp before bringing up the provisions, &c. On we went, --~~ compass in hand, cheerfully retracing our steps of yes- terday in hopes of overcoming the difficulty we had met in the soft, black swamp about 3% of a mile distant. Steering the same course, N. N. E., we pushed through, sometimes knee deep in water, at others nearly the S211162 in black mud, but in a swamp with rather a hard bottom, This together with the fact of trees growing in it without brush or underwood gave us hopes it would not continue. - * Three hundred yards of this disagreeable traveling brought us at last to terra firma; the heavy cutting com- menced and we advanced on level ground, nearly 9% mile when we once again found the palm and other dry- soil shrubs and trees. Monkeys also began to chatter and we in high spirits hastened on to reach the Cordil- leras. The falling sun, however, reminded us it was time to rejoin our shipmates who were waiting anxiously at No. 8 Rancho. We arrived about five o’clock, having advanced our road about a mile beyond the swamp. This day we again fell in with the tracks of the Indians —their marks cut on a tree, but not recent, apparently intended to mark a spot we called the Tiger’s Den, an open space of about 3% an acre thickly covered with a species of wild grass. This space we supposed had some time or other been cleared for the cultivation of maize or other Indian food. Here too we saw the clear sky for the first time since leaving the boats—eleven days—so dense was the forest we had cut our way through. Thursday, 29th —Some were employed throwing a bridge across the river, improving the road, &c., others measuring the height of the adjoining hill and tree whence Julier observed the surrounding country, while the remainder accompanied me to reconnoitre the banks of the river; following its course in a S. E. direction for about 3% of a mile, we came upon a rancho. There were some marks of a canoe having ascend ca the river as high as this hut during the summer season; but only an Indian eye could detect them. Mr. Inskip, with a party of our native guides, was this afternoon occupied in throwing bridges across the streams and otherwise im- proving the road already cut before us Friday, 30th.-The pioneering party left early to continue our road-cutting; the remainder had directions to join us as soon as the petty-officer and his party re- ſ: 67 sº turned with provisions. Retracing our steps we soon reached the point we had left off at on the 28th; from No. 8 to the swamp 1% mile; distance across swamp 4 mile; length of road cut beyond 9% mile. The nature of the forest became quite changed; instead of the small underwood we came on almost impenetrable thickets of the prickly palm or aloe rather more than six feet in height, through which we with great difficulty cut our way for 34 of a mile The total absence of all under- wood, together with the thickly-spreading roots of large trees and the rich nature of the soil made one fancy that the whole of this belt of land had been once under culti- vation. At last we came to a small gorge between two hills (that on our right about 30 feet high) through which ran a small mountain stream due N. This gave us all great joy as we at once believed it to be the Cale- donia. In its bed we found stones, the streams hitherto met being generally over a bed of soft clay. On the right-hand hill we encamped for the night, making our No. 9 Rancho, distant from No. 8 283 chains. Saturday, 31st.—Started this morning as usual, the pioneers ahead iu high spirits, believing we had entered the Cordilleras and that we should soon be rewarded with a sight of the sea, more anxiously looked for by us than ever was the Pacific by Nunez Balboa. Having reached more undulating ground we lost the prickly palm which had so delayed our progress, crossing two mountain streams flowing W.N.W., which evidently joined that of yesterday, then ascending a hill about 30 feet high, from whose summit, being partially clear of trees, we fancied we saw the sea. Descending the side of the hill covered with large stones evidently washed by water, we came upon a noble river flowing swiftly towards the E.S.E. so suddenly that the foremost wood- cutter almost fell into it; another certain proof of the density of this forest. This discovery, however, quite puzzled me; the size of the river, 100 feet broad, appar- ently too deep to ford even at this time of the year, the rapidity of its current nearly 3 miles an hour, with its fine banks, plantations of bananas and plantains, were all certain signs of its being the Chuqunaque, which, by the Spanish charts and other public maps we ought to have left some distance to the eastward steering the course we had done from the Savana. We pushed on towards the westward along the banks of the river to a more open space distant ten chains, where there was evidently a ford. Here we determined to build our tenth rancho; but being early in the day we followed on another 4 of a mile hoping to 1meet SOme huts or a village, but without success. We returned to our first halting-place on the river and encamped for the night at No. 10. Sunday, January 1, 1854.—By measured distance we had advanced nearly 20 miles in a straight line from Our point of starting on the Savana near La Villa. If former reports are to be relied on this must place us only a short distance from Port Escoces. Still, knowing the difficul- ties we had to contend with, I hesitated to give the Order to go forward until the return of a party sent in search of the Indians, country on the other side of the river our pioneers To accomplish the examination of the crossed early by the ford, not more than two feet deep, cutting our way through a plantation of bananas and plaintains which were growing wild. Crossing several steep but small quebradas and broken ground cut up by small streams emptying them- selves into the main river, we reached the foot of a hill about 80 feet high, covered with fine timber, over which we crossed; then a steep descent to a mountain torrent or small river flowing N W., another tributary and a very considerable one in the rainy seas, 11. Reaching the summit of another hill about 120 feet high, the view became rather open and clear towards the N W.; turned in that direction, and while resting sent our liative guide Maria up a high tree on the brow of the hill. He re- ported a distant view of the sea to the N. W., with hills g on his right and the river we had left in the morning winding its course from the westward as far as he could see. In consequence of this report we altered our course to N.W., descending steeply the other side of the hill we had just mounted; crossed several mountain streams in the same direction and reached a high point whence from the highest tree we discovered a river at its foot with a rapid descent leading to it, and found it about 90 feet broad, flowing from N.N.E. to S.S.W. along a valley 105 chains distant from No. 10 Rancho. The day being far advanced we thought it prudent fi sº-ºººººº- to retrace our steps, and reached No. 10 a little before sunset. Messrs. Inskip and Gordon had returned with- out having fallen in with Indians, having followed the course of the river 3% miles, which they found to con- tinue its northwesterly direction, varying but little in size, depth and strength of current. Its banks were steep and precipitous and at least 300 feet high. From the nature of the country we had passed over this day it was agreed that each officer and man should ‘carry his own four days provisions, and that the remain- ing provisions with all unnecessary clothing, stores, &c., should be left at No. 10 Rancho as a depot for the ad- vancing party to fall back upon, in charge of an armed party. Having made all necessary arrangements and given my final instructions to the party to be left in charge of No. 10, we only waited for daylight to cross the river, hoping to see the Atlantic and return in safety. Monday, 2d.—We left early, fifteen in number, in- cluding four native guides. We soon reached the beau- tiful river of yesterday and followed its course for eighty chains, sometimes in its bed about knee-deep in water, at others cutting our road along its banks clothed with fine overhanging trees, until it became tortuous, winding away in a more westerly direction, when we ascended its eastern bank and cut our road over several Small hills, with quebradas between them, through which ran a stream toward the main river. Striking this river again we crossed it, flowing then more easterly. Here we came upon a rancho being built on the W. bank. Some of the party declared they heard the axe at work, which ceased immediately we approached. One hundred yards farther along on the opposite bank was another Indian hut, but apparently deserted; near it a tree almost chopped through, the marks very fresh. We observed also a curious hole, which appeared to us like a grave, but our native guides said it was made by the Conejo or wild rabbit. * Continuing our N.N.E. course we crossed over a high hill and on our descent struck another river flowing to the N.W. Ascending then along a ridge for 25 chains we encamped for the night at No. 11 Rancho, \. Tuesday, 3d.—The early part of this day we had climbing enough crossing several deep ravines, whose We, however, cut our way through in a N.N.E. direction steep and slippery sides caused many a tumble. and about noon reached the summit of a hill estimated by us at 800 feet high. Even from here we could see nothing of the surrounding country, so dense was the forest, until George Julier mounted a high tree, when on his right or to the eastward he saw a three-peaked mountain very distant and hills in our course not so dis- tant. Not long after this, having descended considera- bly, we came to a river flowing N. by w.which cheered us On, concluding it would eventually fall into the At- lantic. We crossed this, having travelled 144 chains from No. 11, and ascending gradually over high, undu- lating ground we came at last to a spot whence there was so abrupt a descent, 45 chains from the last river, that we could almost see the surrounding country. As Sunset was fast approaching and we were still Some distance from water, we had to turn our attention to the selection of a spot for encamping. The descent into the valley beneath was too perpendicular to attempt So we followed the r1dge downwards 25 chains, which brought us to another river in a most picturesque situa- tion flowing S.W. Here we built our twelfth and last rancho. Total distance measured 26 miles and 14 chains from Rancho No. 1. Wednesday, 4th.-Although finding ourselves in the center of the Cordilleras and I believe within a very few miles of the object of our search, yet having already ex- ceeded the limit of my stay, it became my duty to rejoin the ship without delay, still feeling confident that had time and our provisions allowed us we should have eventually reached the Atlantic shores and that easily by following one of the several rivers or streams which ap- pear to exist in this range of hills, forming certain pass- ages to the sea. We now retraced our steps to the river we had crossed yesterday flowing N. 34 W., and leaving one- half of the party there with directious to build a rancho for the night if we did not return before 2 p.m., we pushed on, following its course to ascertain as best we could in what direction it ran, and when we came upon 69 it again a magnificent sight was before us. Precipitous rocks causing a fall of at least 150 feet in something less than % of a mile, in which even at this season was a beautiful waterfall and several deep pools finding their way through, not over, masses of rock around them; the richly clothed hills, verdant with fine forest trees; and above all the perfect solitude, perhaps never broken by civilized man, made us feel ourselves already repaid for our labours. Our guide thought it too precipitous to follow, so we ascended one of its overhanging hills and from its summit commanded a view tolerably clear towards the S. W. over an apparently level country, but too distant to distinguish its true nature. The passage which the river might take towards the N. E. was very indistinct. Descending from this point at a very sharp angle we came again upon the river flowing southwesterly, which we followed till it took a turn W.S.W. between hills rising very high on both of its banks, when, finding it very difficult to pro- ceed, we returned to the remainder of the party, feeling sure it did not run through the passage we had supposed it did the previous night. Many fine fish were seen in it which Macao told us were only found near the sea coast. Having plenty of daylight we passed on to No. 11, which we found undisturbed and the fire still burning. • Thursday, 5th.-Started off at early dawn, hoping to reach our depot, No. 10 Rancho, in good time to rest and enjoy a fresh and cooked meal, half allowance of Re- turned to Rancho No. 10 by our old road without meet- pork with biscuit having been our mountain fare. ing anything worthy of notiee, except that in wading through the river as before we missed our mark for crossing over the hills; and following the stream lower down it gave evident signs of emptying itself into the main river. We reached the river Chuqunaque and crossed it by • the same ford, when, arriving at the rancho, to my utter astonishment and dismay, I found all the party gone, as well as all our provisions and stores, and there was every appearance of the hut having been ransacked. Our na- tive guides Searched in vain for traces of an Indian at- tack or even of their footsteps. Rancho No. 9 was soon passed and in Indian file we came to the swamp, and there plainly distinguished the marks of Indian feet. Still we were undisturbed and had reached within 4 of a mile of No. 8 Rancho, when, in taking a short turn in the road, to my horror I came suddenly upon the bodies of three of our shipmates, Thos. Hyde and James Per- kins, R. M. A., and Henry Windsor, A. B., lying dead in the pathway. At No. 8 Rancho we found the few stores and pro- visions left there untouched; the Indians had not ad- vanced so far; still we were liable every moment to the Our only resource appeared to me to push on to the boats by same unseen attack, had such been their object. forced marches, taking every precaution as we went along to prevent a surprise. My fears for the safety of those left at Rancho No. 1 were not allayed until we reached No. 6, where we found a day’s provisions, letters from the ship and a note saying a strong party had left that rancho only a few hours previous to our arrival. The moon lighted us to No. 5, where we arrived about 8 o’clock. Friday, 6th.-As soon as we could distinguish the bushes we were on the march towards the boats, which we reached about 11 o’clock, and found all well. . Saturday, 7th.-About 2 a. m. we reached the ship, much refreshed in body, but sad in heart and spirits. So toilSome was our journey that we spent fifteen days in performing a distance of little more than 26 miles, having to force our slow and laborious path through forests that seemed to stretch from the Pacific to the Atlantic shores. The trees, of stupendous size, were matted with creepers and parasitical vines which hung in festoons from tree to tree, forming an almost impene- trable network and obliging us to hew open a passage with our axes every step we advanced. There is also a map between pages 256 and 257 “showing the route of Commander Prevost from Rancho No. 1 on the Savana river to Rancho No. 12, beyond Prevost river, with sections of the isthmus, by Lionel Gisborne, Esq., C. E., 1854.” Loma Descada is marked on this map. It appears to be a hill near the junction of the Chuqanaque and 70 arº- Sucubti rivers, a good many miles S. W. of Port Esco- ces and a number of miles from Principe and La Villa. *** I also find, p c, Earl of Ellesmere's address, “America”: “This short summary does not allude to the interesting efforts which have lately been made conjointly by officers and men of the English, French and United States navies, to ascertain the character of the narrow strip of country which at the Isthmus of Darien separates the two océans. Much gallantry and some sacrifice of life appear to have led to results unpro- pitious to the scheme of a ship or other canal in this quarter, the summit level appearing to be considerably higher than had been assumed from less perfect explora- tion. It is a satisfaction to know that an English party from H. M. S. Virago had the good fortune to rescue Lieut. Strain of the U. S. navy and others of his party from a position of great danger and which had already cost the lives of several brave men. I rejoice to be able to mention this instance of friendly co-operation between the two services, and Lieut. Herndon’s volume will be found to contain several instances of the good will gene- rated by casual intercourse between the author and our countrymen.’’ I also find in The Illustrated London News of March 25, 1854, page 282: “THE DARIEN SHIP CANAL ExPEDITION. By favour of a correspondent we are enabled to illustrate another stage of this enterprise—a conference held on board H. M. S. Espiegle in Caledonia Bay, New Granada, On the 22nd January last sketched by Mr. W. F. B. Edwards of the above ship. The persons present were, commencing from the left hand of the sketch, Capt. Hancock, R. N.; Mr. Lionel Gisborne, C. E.; Dr. Cullen and Lieut. St. John, R. E.; and seated above is a party of the Darien Indian Chiefs; of these the first from the left is ‘Dennis of Sassardi’ and the fourth Robinson' Secretary of State to ‘Caloga' the old Chief of San Blas. The object of this conference or ‘pow wow' was to obtain permission to make a thorough survey of the route. The Chiefs were at first very averse to the parly landing on the isthmus, but they at length, however, consented that the English party should land but only for the purpose of reconnoitring the proposed route of the Ship Canal. On the 24th an English and French party were accordingly despatched in addition to a party of Ameri- cans who left the United States sloop of war, Cyane, on the 19th. The result, however, in each case seems to have been as unfavorable as that which had been pre- viously experienced by Commander Prevost engaged on the same service on the Pacific side. “Every party that returned,’ says the Aspinwall Courier, ‘expressed the same opinion that the route was utterly impracticable.”” Another account states: ‘‘The report of the American party is not at all favourable to the prospect for a ship canal for they estimated on a fair calculation that the elevation of the lowest points over which they passed is about 1000 feet in height. They followed the Caledonia River and you can judge the size of the stream when the party walked up the bed of the river all the way. The English and French party combined started on the 24th. On that day a party of five detatched from Strains party returned to the ship and reported the obstacles and hardships which they had encountered. They stated they had left Strain and his party in the They left the ship again with a reinforcement of ten men and ten days Imountains eighteen miles distant. extra provisions under the charge of Lieutenant Fauntleroy. While I write I see detachments of the French and English party returning to their vessels and am informed they have come after provisions. A glance at the letter of Lieutenant Fauntleroy, who overtook the English party the day after he left, fully indicates that their own conclusion upon the premises acquired thus far is that the route is impracticable. From this account in the Illustrated London News the reader might conclude that it was the unanimous opinion that the canal route was impracticable. But we have certain evidence that Dr. Cullen, who accompanied the expedition, thought otherwise and maintained it was quite practicable. Also the reader, by referring to the official report of Commander Prevost of H. M. S. Virago, may see that Prevost did not express the opinion the proposed canal route was impracticable. Lional Gisborne C. E. it is true did afterwards consider the route im- 71 Ir- *– practicable bnt as this appears to be the same Gisborne who on his first visit to the isthmus reported it as easy and practical, the question arises how can we have much confidence in Gisborne who tells two such different stories.” That there seemed no great difficulty in crossing the Isthmus of Darien in former days on or near this route from Caledonia Bay to the Gulf of San Miguel via the Savana River, I beg to call the readers attention to the (page 193 commencing Isthmus of Darien Ship Canal), “Official Report of Milla's journey in March 1788. (Translation) Diary and relation of the route that I followed in crossing the Isthmus of Darien from North to South. Sunday, the 2nd of the present month, I left Caro- lina at six a. m. accompanied by the Indian Suspani, Captain of the village of Sucubti, and two of his com- rades with the linquist Pius the fifth, commencing the journey by following up the waters of the Aglatomate with many and repeated crossings until we arrived close to the Cordillera, where the Indians of Chueti have a small house which is the same as that mertioned in my first despatch of the 22nd of January and serves as a hostelry to the above mentioned Indians, and those of Sucubti who are the usual traders to Carolina by this road. From Carolina to this place the distance is two and a half leagues, little more or less. Upon arriving at a place they call the two mouths it is necessary to follow that on the right hand which in the dry season is quite dried up and the better to know this place one will meet an Indian shed covered with plantain leaves and at a little distance from this, in the line of the Cordillera, will be seen a smaller hill than those to the right; up to this there will be found water in this branch of the river, which has in some places a bottom of Sand and in others of shells whilst higher up there are stones and pebbles. Taking care after recognizing these marks to keep to the right of the river, the path or trail leading to the above mentioned hostelry which is from sixteen to twenty yards from the river will be found; from thence the road over the Cordillera from North to South cannot be missed since after crossing three or four small rivu. * lets, or rather crossing the same one three or four times, with a little care a broken bank will be found on the right hand; this is where the path over the Cordillera commences and it is as wide and trodden as if it were made by our people (Spaniards); the whole ascent is rather steep and half way up a fallen trunk of a trée stops the path. From this place may be seen the Sea and Carolina. Following the path to the right and avoiding that on the left which leads to Chueti the mountain is crossed; the descent of which on the other side is more gradual and sloping; at its foot the river Forti unites with the Sucubti. Following the Sucubti down to the south after two or three hours of a good road a plantain ground and a very small hut will be found; in half an hour another, both on the right hand, and in another hour a third on the left hand side. down on the left hand will be met another, larger than A quarter of a league lower the rest, which is that of Ignacio, the elder brother of Urruchurchu, and the same in which they received me when I started on my first journey in January. In this house I stopped to rest having arrived at about two o'clock in the evening and after resting awhile I pro- ceeded by a road which is at the back of it; and ascend- ing a mountain, the path over which cannot be missed, it is so beaten, I descended again to the river which has here many rocks. Taking care not to lose sight of the river, there will be seen—first an Indian hut, then another, and then the village of Sucubti where Urru- churchu lives. This village consists of six houses together, those above mentioned and two or three lower down; and it may have about 30 Indians capable of bear- ing arms, a few more women and sixty children. Monday, the 3rd—I stopped at this village all day as Urruchurchu was making preparations for the con- tinuance of our journey. Tuesday, 4th–I started at day-break accompanied by the captain and two of his Indians and followed down the river over level ground and through an open forest; and about 10 a. m., after having proceeded about two leagues, we left the river altogether following a path to the left. forest exceedingly level and oped; here the Indians of All the rest of this day we walked through a 72 Sucubti hunt, on account of the abundance of all kinds of game; at about 5% P. M. we halted at a rivulet which had scarcely water enough to satisfy our thirst. Wednesday, the 5th–We pursued our journey through the same forest and at ten o’clock we again fell in with the Sucubti at the place where the Indians attacked the Lieutenant of the Stationary Batallion of Panama, and wounded his guide. As soon as we arrived at this place Urruchurchu told me that we could not proceed until some Indians should come with their canoes to carry us down a short distance to the road that the Spaniards had opened.* We were waiting for those canoes until Thursday, the 6th, when four arrived with eight Indians who as I understood were allied with the rebel Chucunas; and I found they were not of those who had entered into the peace with us buf were always watching to attack any of our people who might stray into the bush from the establishment of Port Principe. The above-mentioned Indians put many questions to me, all full of malignity and expressed themselves opposed to the opening of the road—saying that they would not allow troops to march through their territory and that as for the communication we desired with Puerto Principe it would be sufficient that they them. selves should carry our despatches and anything else we wanted; and that they wished to be at peace with us but on condition that we should keep in our country and they in theirs, to all which I assented in order that they might let me continue my journey whereupon they were satisfied and Urruchurchu made them a present of some yards of stuff that your Excellency gave him in Cartha- gena, and that he prudently brought with him for the This day at 10 A. M. we embarked on the river, and about two leagues lower down we halted at purpose. the road that they call Arisa's. Friday, the 7th—At daybreak we proceeded along the road opened by the Spaniards and after three hours walk we crossed the Chucuna river by a bridge and arrived at the island where Don Luis de la Carrera was (rancherías) of the Chucunas whereat Urruchurchu be- came alarmed, and to conduct me the more safely he went before with the other Indians, I following a good distance behind until we passed the other branch of this river lately named La Paz (Peace river). At this place the other Indians left us, considering us out of danger, but notwithstanding taking the pre- caution to efface the footsteps that I left in the sand and to warn us not to return by the same way lest we might fall in with the Chucunas. I proceeded then with Urruchurchu and about five in the evening had the felicity to arrive at Puerto Principe, where the said Suspani (alias Urruchurchu) advised that we should return by the river Savanas,” Chucunaqua and Jubganti, coming out at the village of Chueti, a short day’s distance from Carolina, which plan appeared the best to Don Andres de Arisa who con- sidered it attentively. The 10th I proceeded on my return back by the route above mentioned and was two days on my way to In this town I stopped till the 12th to get ready a canoe to Yavisa, as we only went when the tide permitted. continue my journey and at nine o’clock at night we started, but having informed Urruchurchu that the governor had written to me to say that two Indians had come close to Puerto Principe in pursuit of me; he be- came much troubled and said that those were Chucunas who were tracking us and that he was sure that when they saw we did not return the way we had come, they were so malignant that they would go to meet us at the mouth of the Jubganti; upon thus foreseeing the danger I determined to go back and send Captain Suspani to Carolina with the dispatches that I carried, which ar- rangement satisfied him, as he did not wish that any misfortune should occur to one of us, lest the blame might be thrown on him notwithstanding his good in- tentions. MANUEL, DE MILLA SANTA ELLA. Yavisa, 13th March, 1788. To His Excellency the Viceroy, Don Antonio Caballero y Gongora. encamped; here we found tracks and lately erected sheds *This was Arisa's road. The second Commandant General of the establish- *This is the only place in which I have ever seen the river Savana named. 73 ments forwards to your Excellency a dispatch of Adju- tant Don Manuel Milla, transmits the original diary of that officer and recommends to your Excellency’s con- sideration the singular merit that he deserves from his discharge of his important commission. \ Your Excellency—Under date Yavisa, the 13th of the present month the Adjutant Don Manuel Milla writes me the following: “Signor Don Francisco Fersen—By the adjoined diary you will know all that has been done, as well as . the motives of my taking this step,” since it would be very painful if after having accomplished my purpose Some fatality should occur. I cannot explain myself more fully, lest I may detain Suspani and his Indians, but as soon as I arrive at Puerto Principe I shall write you a more detailed account, and beg to acquaint you that my return to my post (at Carolina) will be with all possible haste. God keep you many years. MANUEL DE MILLA SANTA ELL.A.’’ Yavisa, March 13, 1788. © The which I transmit to your Excellency with the original diary of the journey of that officer, whose sin- gular merit and love of the service have been manifested in so distinguished a manner on this important Occasion, that I doubt not your Excellency, who knows So well how to appreciate merit, will consider him worthy of being introduced to the notice of the Sovereign, that he may receive from the royal bounty a reward correspond- ing to so distinguished a service, and I make the present known to your Excellency in fulfillment of my duty. God keep your Excellency many years. 3 ; ; , , FRANCISCO DE FERSEN. Carolina, March 24th, 1788. I desire to call the reader’s attention here to the fact that Suspani advised Adjutant Don Manuel Milla that he should return from Puerto Principe by the rivers Savanas, Chucumaqua and Jubganti, coming out at the village of Cheuti, a short day’s distance from Carolina, which plan appeared the best to Don Anders de Arisa, who considered it attentively. *That is, returning to Carolina by way of Panama and Por- tobello instead of by the Chuquanaqua. . “This is the only place in which I have ever seen the river Savana Dr. Cullen also makes a note, stating: named.” I also find in “Current History,” first quarter, 1895, commencing page 164: “THE NICARAGUA CANAL.” “The Nicaragua Canal bill, the main provisions of which were outlined in the last number of this quarterly (vol. 4, p. 870), passed the senate on January 25, by a decisive majority, 31 to 21, after being debated many weeks.” Also page 870, fourth quarter, 1894: “Senator Morgan brought in a bill in the United States senate, which was eventually passed, by which ‘The Maritime Canal Company of Nicaragua' was to be continued, with the United States as the leading stockholder.’’ The capital stock was fixed at $100,000,000; of this amount $70,000,000 was to go to the United States as paid-up stock. To the government of Nicaragua $6,000,000 of the stock was to be given ſor concessions, and $1,500,000 to the government of Costa Rica. New stock was to be issued to an amount not exceeding $7,000,000 for the purpose of extinguishing all issues of stocks or bonds previously made by the Maritime Canal Company, the old stock of the company to be cancelled as the new stock was issued; the $70,000,000 of stock to be issued by the United States in consideration of its guarantee of the bonds of the company. To obtain money for the construction of the catal the company was authorized to issue three per cent bonds to an amount not exceeding $70,000,000, which bonds were to be guaranteed by the United States and secured by first mortgage upon the canal and all property of the com- pany.’’ Also in fourth quarter, 1895, page 927: ‘‘THE NICARAGUA CANAL.” “The annual report of Hiram Hitchcock, president *—º- of the Maritime Canal Company of Nicaragua, was sub- The - Nicaragua Construction Company has been reorgan- mitted to Secretary Hoke Smith in November. 74 ized under the name of the Nicaragua Company and is making active preparations to resume work under the contract of the old construction company with the Mari- time Company.” Also page 927: “The report of the government commission appoint- ed early in the year to examine the route of the canal (p. 165) was published about December 1. Its findings are unfavorable to the enterprise. The surveys hitherto made are declared to be in- complete and untrustworthy and the estimate of the cost is said to be far too low; the commission believes that the “keystone of the whole project’—the Ochoa—‘rock fill dam has not yet been demonstrated to be practicable. Many important changes in the plans of the company are recommended, and the conclusion is reached that a more thorough survey is necessary. The commissioners suggest that congress should appropriate $350,000 for a commission of competent engineers to make an exhaust- Eighteen months are ive study of the whole scheme. said to be required for such a study.” Also in fourth quarter, 1895, page 927: ‘‘PANAMA CANAL.” “The French company formed last year (vol. 4, p. 871) has 1800 men at work on constrnction and is pre- paring to add to that number. In the opinion of Sir Henry Tyler, late president of the Grand Trunk railway, who recently visited Panama, there is no insuperable difficulty in the completion of the canal in six years at a cost of $100,000,000 by utilizing the work already done for a distance of sixteen miles from Colon and four miles from Panama. On the other hand, Mr. Colquhoun, cor- respondent of the London Times, who has recently in- spected the route, estimates that, even supposing one- third of the work to have been concluded, it will cost more than $200,000,000 to complete the entire undertak- ing. He declares that the Chagris river and, the Culebra cut of the present Panama canal plans are insurmounta- ble obstacles.” I also find in The Inter Oceanic Canal of Nicaragua, New York, published by the Nicaragua Construction Company: -*. Page 9. Of the numerous projects for inter-oceanic communication by canal many were soon seen to be impracticable. Only eight routes were deemed worthy of particular investigation; the length of each route and the altitude of the divides traversed were found to be as follows: Altitude Feet Tehuantepec length, 150 miles 755 Nicaragua, 169 “ 153 Panama, 41 “ 295 San Blas, 30 “ 1145 Caledonia–Tuyra, 187 “ 1008 Atrato–Tuyra, 115 “ 800 Atrato—Truando, 125 “ 950 Atrato—Napipi, 180 “ 180 Page 41. Harbor of Greytown—some thirty years ago this was a good and capacious port. The latter remark may give the reader some idea of the shifting sands near Greytown on the Atlantic. Dr. Cullen also states in his preface to “Isthmus of Darien Ship Canal:” 33 “The interest excited by a project which not only involves the mighty advantages to commerce, by which Columbus was attracted on his first voyage to shorten the road to the East, but also has for its ultimate Scope and tendency the enduring Peace To A11 Nations by making it a necessity as well as an advantage to avoid disputes induces me to publish another edition of ‘The Isthmus of Darien Ship Canal.’ In doing So I have made no change in the matter, but have by an alteration in the arrangement of the text endeavored to place the facts in a more clear and lucid order before the reader. I have added in the present edition a few corrobora- tive notes and concurrent passages from various sources, some of them of 150 years date which may serve to elucidate and perhaps enliven the dryness of the more Sober form in which I have considered it my duty to the mercantile public to cast the details of the present narra- tive. I have also added a brief sketch of the History of the Scotch Colony of Darien, the fate of which is to me the more interesting as I came out in December, 1849, upon the exact spot of its settlement after four days 75 *~ lonely wandering in the bush and fixed upon it at once and without any hesitation as the terminus for a ship canal and a station for a colony without any knowledge then of its previous history save that there had been a colony Somewhere on the coast of Darien and that it had been cruelly been made to fail. As I was the only European who ever crossed by the route I have proposed, and as the terror of the Da- rien Indians had been for three centuries so prevalent along the whole length and breadth of Terra Firma, I found it impossible to induce any one to accom- pany me in my subsequent journeys in 1850 and 1851, and consequently had to contend in England against the enormous difficulties necessary to be encoun- tered in my early attempts to bring forward a project of such magnitude, supported only by my own statements, which appeared the more singular from the extraordinary fact of this tract of country having remained totally un- known and unexplored up to the period of my first jour- ney to Darien. Upon my return to England in December, 1851, Sir Charles Fox, Mr. Henderson and Mr Brassey, upon a minute and careful examination of my topographical map, entered into an agreement with me whereby they engaged to send out engineers to verify my observations (whilst I proceeded to Bogota to obtain the concession of the territory from the government of New Granada). The result of the expedition dispatched for the above purpose has been a complete corroboration of my state- ments, and the formation of a company—The Atlantic and Pacific Junction Company—for the carrying out of this great undertaking. EDWARD CULLEN. 302 Strand, Feb. 23, 1853.” Regarding the Scotch Darien Colony I find p. 62, note 37, in Cullen's Isthmus of Darien Ship Canal: As soon as they were arrived safe in the bay, after their hearty thanks to Almighty God for their safe arrival, they fell to Sounding the coasts and found with- in a great chain of islands (among which is the Golden Island, by the Spaniards called St. Katherine) a most large and capacious port where ships of the greatest burthen may ride safely secure from wind and weather. :* 76 • The entrance of the port to which they have given the name of the Port of New St. Andrew is not above cannon-shot over so that it is very capable of being de- fended against the attacks of any enemies they have already raised platforms for that end. Upon the low neck of a promontory (see map with this pamphlet) and which contains not above thirty acres of land they have began to build them such houses as so short a time C2.11 give them leave which they Have covered Over with the leaves of a tree called Plantain whose leaves are about a foot and a half long. For the better security of the new ſort they have cut the isthmus or neck of land on which it stands for about 130 paces and let in the sea, so that it has no communication with the land but by a bridge. In this fort they have already mounted fifty guns and placed in it a garrison of near 600 men.” * History of Caledonia or the Scots Colony in Darien by a gentleman lately arrived London, 1699. Page 11. (Isthmus of Darien Ship Canal). ‘‘IGNORANCE RESPECTING DARIEN. It is a very singular circumstance that the Coast of Darien the first settled in America (Santa Maria having been founded in 1509 and Agla in Caledonia Bay in 1514) within eighteen days steaming from England, close also to such frequented ports as Chagres, Carthagena and Kingston, Jamaica should be at the present day as un- known as the Coasts of Patagonia or of New Guinea and that the vast advantages of this tract of country for a canal should have escaped the penetration of the great * Humboldt who after having examined all the maps in the Deposito Hydrographico of Madrid appears to Sug- “On the Pacific Coast also the deep Golfo de San Miguel into which gest the Chuquanaqua.” He says: falls the Tuyra with its tributary the Chuchunque runs far into the isthmus; the river Chuchunque, too, in the upper part of its course, runs within sixteen geographi- cal miles of the Antillean shore of the Isthmus westward of Cape Tiburon.” Views of Nature, Potsdam, June, 1849, p. 432 of Bohn's translation: Page 20. Of Port ESCOSces is the site of the old Spanish settlement of ‘‘Twenty-two miles S. W. Fuerte del Principe on the river Savana established in {{`ſ o t 1785 and abandoned in 1790. From thence the river Savana has nearly a S. by E. course for fourteen miles to its mouth which opens into the river Tuyra, Santa Maria, or Rio Grande del Darien three miles above Boca Chica and Boca Grande, the two mouths by which the latter discharges itself into the Gulf of San Miguel on the Pacific. Thus the distance from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean by the route from Port Escoces or Caledonia Bay to the Gulf of San Miguel by way of the river Savana would be thirty-nine miles. In a direct line from Port Escoces to the Gulf the distance is thirty-three miles.” Page 24—"Details of the Route Proposed.” I shall now enter into a more detailed description of this route which I discovered in 1849 and proposed for a ship canal communication between the Atlantic and Pa- cific oceans in the Panama Echo of February 8th, 1850, in the Daily News and Mining Journal of May, 1850, in a paper presented to the Royal Geographical Society and read at the Edinburg meeting of the British Associa- tion in July, 1850, and in a report to Lord Palmerston of January 15th, 1851. Note 14, page 28: “These hills are clothed with tall trees without any underwood, so that one may gallop conveniently among them many miles, free from Sun and rain, unless of great continuance. The air makes On the top of the trees a pleasant and melancholy musick, so that one of the colony, considering the coolness, pleasant murmuring of the air, and the infinite beauty of a continued natural arbor, called them the ‘Shades of Love.’”—History of Caledonia, 1699, p. 15. Also note 15: **The valleys are watered with rivers and perpetual clear springs which are most pleasant to drink, being as soft as milk and very nourishing.”—History of Caledo- nia, 1699. Page 37—“Animals:” The peccary, or wild hog; cogue, or deer of the species known by the name of wirribocerra in Mexico; conejo, or rabbit; macho del monte, a sort of ass; mon- keys; peregas, or sloth; hormigueros, or anteaters; igua- nas; wild turkeys, parrots, macaws, wild ducks, pigeons, etc., abound in the forest. There is abundance of fish on both coasts of the isthmus, known to the Indians by the name of the beru- gati (fifty pounds weight), robalo, bagre, parvo, hurel, barbu, Corvina, hurello, mero, cassou, cominata and rayo, etc. All these are good eating and easily caught. Oysters are plentiful about the shores of the Gulf of San Miguel and at the mouth of the Savana. There are extensive beds of pearl oysters near the Shores of the Island of San Miguel, or Isla del Rey, the largest of the Pearl islands, in the bay of Panama, just Outside the gulf, and the natives of the villages on the island Occupy themselves very profitably in diving for them. } Turtle are very plentiful on the Atlantic coast, and the Indians there carry on a trade in tortoiseshell. Page 54—“Rise of the Chuquanaqua.” The Chuquanaqua rises very near the Atlantic Coast, from Loma Deseada, the ridge of hills behind Carreto, and has a very tortuous course. 31: “In a letter from a person of eminence and worth in Caledonia to a friend at Boston in New England (written by Paterson): | “Certainly the work began here is the most ripened, digested and best founded as to privileges, place, time and other like advantages that was ever yet begun in any part of the trading world. We arrived upon this coast the first and took possession the 30th November, 1698; our situation is about two leagues to the south- ward of Golden island (by the Spanish called Guarda), in one of the best and most defensible harbours perhaps of the world. The country is beautiful to a wonder, inso- much that all our sick, which were many when we ar- rived, are now generally cured. The country is exceed- ingly fertile and the weather temperate. The country where we are settled is dry and rainy, grand hills but not high, and on the sides and quite to the top three, four or five feet good fat mould, not a rock or stone to be seen, We have but eight or nine leagues to a river (the Chuquanaqua) where boats may go into the south sea. As to the innate riches of the country upon the first information, I always believed it to be very great, but now find it goes beyond all that ever I thought or conceived in that matter.’’ Page 56, note 32, Paterson says in his “Second Pro- posals”: “In our passage from land from Caledonia harhour we have six leagues of very good way to a place called Swetee; from Swetee to Tubugantee we have be- tween two and three leagues not so passable, by reason of the turnings and windings of the river, which must often be passed and repassed. But a little industry would make this part of the way as passable as any of the rest. At Tabugantee”—which is one of the upper branches of the Chuquanaqua—“there is ten feet of high water, and so not less in the river till its fall in the Gulf of Ballona” (the Gulf of San Miguel), “which enters the south. This Gulf of Ballona receives several great riv- ers and hath excellent harbours and roads for shipping. This we commonly call the Pass of Tubugantee.” Note 37, com. p. 62: “The locality says Captain Fitzroy (p. 25) was so much liked by the Scotch adventurers that even after their utter ruin and dispersion, the leaders (in particular Paterson) wished and endeavored to organize another expedition to the same place. In those days much gold was obtained near St. Miguel Gulf. The climate of the higher ground was pleasant and the soil remarkably fertile. General commerce with the Indies and Europe, slave-trade with the Spanish colonies (?) and obtaining gold from the neighboring mines were no doubt chief inducements to the Scotch colonists, besides opening a way through the Isthmus which there is so narrow.” “As we grow stronger we shall endeavor to procure a port in the South Sea from whence it is not above six weeks’ sail to Japan and Some parts of China; so that bating distress of weather by bringing the commodities of these countries Over this narrow Isthmus the riches of these kingdoms may in three or four months time arrive in Europe.” History of Caledonia or the Scots Colony in Darien, page 53. Note 37 com: “The Scotch Colony was only broken up at last by the desertion and discountenance of the English sovereign and his command that no supplies should be sent to them from the neighboring English colonies, and they ultimately after three successive attempts were com- pelled to surrender, after a gallant defence, to a greatly superior force of Spaniards.” Com. p. 62: New Edinburg—The Scotch Colony of Darian.— The Scotch Colony erected their town of New Edinburg on the promontory outside of Port Escosces; the settle- ment of Agla founded in 1514 by Gabriel de Rojas was situated on the west bank of the mouth of the Aglaseni- Qua. Page 63, Fort Carolina. The same place was after- wards selected by General Arebalo for the Fort of San Fernando de Carolina established in 1785 and abandoned in 1790. tiles indicate its site. A grove of cocoanut trees and some bricks and Note 42, page 66, Paterson in his report to the directors says of the Indians: “They exprest a wonderful hatred and hor- rour for the Spaniards and seemed not to understand how we could be at peace with them. “They pressed us very hard,” says Mr. Rose in his journal, ‘to come and live by them, as also jointly to make warr with the Spaniards, whom they would engage upon the forfeiture of their heads, if wee would but assist them but with 100 mean and as many arms with 2000 of their own people to drive them not only out of all the mines, which are but three days journey from us, but even Out of Panama it- selfe. We gave them fair words and promised to go to the westward with them to view the coast, and if there were any convenient harbours for our shipping, wee should be their neighbours.” (Darien Papers, p. 68.) Note 44, p. 68: “Thus (says Dampier, vol. 1, p. 23) we finished Oldf journey from the south sea to the north in twenty-three days; in which by my account we travelled 110 miles, crossing some very high mountains; but our common march was in the valleys, among deep and dangerous 78 rivers. At our first landing in this country we were told that the Indians were our enemies; we knew the rivers to be deep; the wet season to be coming in; yet, except- ing those we left behind, we löst but one man, who was drowned. As I said, our first landing-place on the South coast was very disadvantageous, for we travelled at least fifty miles more than we need have done could we have gone up Cheapo river or Santa Maria river, for at either of these places a man may pass from sea to sea in three days time with ease; the Indians can do it in a day and a half, by which you may see how easy it is for a party of men to travel over. I must confess the Indians did assist us very much But if a party of 500 or 600 men or more were minded to travel from the north to the south sea, they may do it without asking leave of the Indians; though it be much better to be friends with them.” Page 71—“Villages on the Coast.” The principal villages on the Atlantic coast are Carreto, Sassardi, Navagandi, Putrigandi, Cuiti, Pitgan- di, Rio Monos, Playon Chico, Playon Grande, Rio Azu- car, Rio Diablo, Carti and Mandinga. Commencing page 71— At the mouth of the Aglasenigua or Caledonia river there are five huts, as I have mentioned above; and At Caledonia resides an old man named Robinson, and up about two leagues up the river a small settlement. the river one called Juan Seva. Denis, the principal man at Sassardi, who has great influence over the Cale- donia people, was the person who prevented Messrs. Gisborne and Forde from penetrating farther into the interior from the north side. Upon my sending a mes- sage to this man he came down to Caledonia with about forty men to see me. I endeavored to get his consent to the cutting of a canal, but he would not entertain the proposition and requested me to bear a message to the Queen of England to the effect that he did not wish her to send any of her people to the coast. He was very friendly, however, called me his “Aza Nugueti” (good friend), and came with me to Sassardi, where I gave names and presents to his boys whom he promised to let me take to England upon my next visit to him; he even offered to take me in his own eanoe to Portobello or -- Limon bay, but afterwards declined, saying that he could not get men. I believe the real cause to have been a report of the existence of small pox and cholera at Limon Bay. Before taking leave of me he said that if the old men of the other settlements were willing to allow foreigners to come and cut a canal he would not object; and advised me to return again and hold a formal meeting of the old men. Note 45, p. 71: Had not a tedious passage up the Magdalena, a pro- tracted session of congress and the necessity of waiting until the concession was granted, detained me in Bogota until the 4th of June last and beyond the time when I had arranged with Sir Charles Fox to return to the coast and join the engineers at Carthagena, Messrs. Gisborne and Forde would not have left that city nor have landed amongst these Indians without a protector, all the Cale- donian and Sassardi Indians having been my personal friends. When I arrived at Caledonia Bay from Cartha- gena Messrs. G. and F. had been ten days gone and I found a great deal of excitement to prevail along the coast in consequence of their attempt to traverse the country; but upon my explaining that they were friends of mine the Indians became satisfied. Whilst I re- mained in Caledonia Bay the Aglasenidua river was so flooded from the heavy rains that I could not ascend it or send a message to my friends in the settlement above mentioned. Note 49, p. 83: “See the report in the ‘Morning Advertiser' of 2nd December last of a meeting of the Eastern Steam Navi- gation Company, held at the London Tavern, Bishops- gate street, H. T. Hope, Esq., in the chair; at which meeting Sir Charles Fox said, “He might mention as in some degree connected with the enterprise in which they were about to enter that he had with his partner Mr. Henderson and Mr. Brassey, the great contractor, signed 3. contract for the construction of a great ship canal across the Isthmus of Darien, designed by Mr. Gisborne, the civil engineer. That canal was proposed to be a cut 30 feet deep at low tide, 140 feet broad at bottom and 160 feet at low water surface. Such a cut as that they considered equal to the trade of the world as well as for permanent safety and rapidity of transit.” 79 Note 56, p. 93: “Althongh it is difficult,” says Captain Fitzroy, “to burn forests in a very wet climate, it may be done by first cutting a quantity of inner or Solid wood, piling it in a great heap and setting it on fire close to a thick part of the forest. The heat caused will soon dry the nearest trees which will then catch fire; and when Once a sufficient body of heat is generated a rapid conflagra- tion will follow. Green wood burns faster and gives more heat than dry wood under the influence of a fierce fire. Even on the humid banks of the Atrato, Cochrane (vol. ii, p. 452) saw the underwood catch fire and burn The in- salubrity’ even ‘of Porto Bello was diminished by clear- rapidly consuming a great part of the forest. ing away wood and might be much improved by draining marshes, burning down forests, etc.” Page 133; Sir Charles Fox in a 1etter to the editor of the Times (on or about probably 11th Feb., 1853) writes: “It is true that in a voyage from New York to California, a distance of Something like 700 miles (as stated by the writer) would be saved by the Nicaragua route, but then the gain in time by the short passage through the Isthmus of Darien would more than counter- balance the increase of distance even to that portion of the traffic; while to the British and general commerce of the world the Darien navigation would be decidedly preferable both in time and distance.” Page 152. (The S&otch Colony cf Darien.) t “The William Paterson here mentioned was the founder of the Bank of England, a plan from which he ' derived no advantages, it having been taken out of his hands by larger capitalists who went to the extent of even denying his right at the time, either to renumera- tion or original property in the conception. Bishop Burnett, indeed, who stopped at nothing in behalf of his hero, King William III, readily discredits Paterson's claims, as may be seen by a reference to his history, or to the Gentlemen’s Magazine, vol. ixii, p. 990, where some curious passages are collected on this point. Posterity however has done him justice; and in Mr. Francis's History of the Bank of England, an elaborate memoir of William Paterson appears as the acknowl- edged first governor and originator of that admirable institution.” tº. Commencing page 179. The news reached Scotland in the following letters to the company; they are in the chest of the Darien Papers in the Advocate's Library: “The reason for their coming away Captain Drum- mond advises, was want of provisions and liquors, being forced to eat yams, etc., which brought sickness amongst y” that had not healthfull people to watch and ward and dyeing 10 or 12 in a day not through any unhealth- fulnesse of the climate but meerly want of wholesome dyet and liquors; the climate is acknowledged to be healthful by ye generality of all ye persons come from thence as doe understand. You now see the effects of the prohibitions published in all ye plantations it may be reckoned the intended effects. Mr. Paterson at New York is in worse condition as to health; had a line from I,etter of Mr. Balard to Mr. Mackay, 7th September, 1699. It adds “that Mr. Paterson has lost his senses and does not meddle with him last post.” Boston, 5 y anything. Again, “meantime the grief has broken Mr. Paterson’s heart and brains, and now hee’s a child; they may doe what they will for him.” In a letter from Adam Cleghorn to Baillie Black- wood, dated August 14th, New York, 1699, sent per Newfoundland (Bannatyne Papers 147) the writer in giving an account of the miserable condition of the Colonists who returned on board the Caledonian, says: “The cause of their leaving Darien was as they say for want of provisions and fresh supplies from Scotland. Besides, they add that they never had soe much as one letter or Scratch of a penn from the Çompany all the tyme they were a standing colony. Thus, despairing of supplies and a great sickness and mortality befalling their men, they thought fit ray" to commit y”selves to the mercy of the seas with their remaining provitions than to dye upon the spott with out hope. This sickness was no wayes occationed by the unhealthiness Of the climate which all of y" say was very wholesome, only mere want starved y” out 6f the place.” The reader however I think will be pleased to learn …ºr ** ... * * 80 *** *** ***... --r 3---> -->-a-ºx––3–2–3–S. -- ‘. - ~~ * * * ~ * ~ * * - ** - A * ſº- - * ... * * * ...* that Mr. Paterson survived this terrible shock, for I find commencing page 180: Once More.— Paterson had scarcely landed in Scotland when he hastened to the Council to account for the defeat of the expedition and to counsel them to new enterprises. Once more his sanguine spirit com- municated itself to the Company. They prepared a new expedition, and made a new appeal to the justice of King William. New Proposals.-Paterson now proposed that the Company should assume an English character, two- thirds of the members to belong to that nation and one- third only to Scotland. A portion of these proposals ran as follows: ‘‘Darien lies between the golden regions of Mexico and Peru; it is within six weeks’ sail of Europe, India and China; it is in the heart of the West Indies, close to rs the rising colonies of North America. The expense and danger of navigation to Japan, the Spice Islands and all the Eastern world will be lessened one-half; the con- sumption of European commodities and manufactures will soon be doubled. Trade will increase trade; money will beget money, and the trading, world will need no more to want work for its hands but hands for its work. “Darien possesses great tracts of country as yet unclaimed by any Europeans. The Indians, original proprietors of the soil, . will welcome to their fertile shores the honest, honourable settler. Their soil is rich to a fault, producing spontaneously the most delicious fruits and requiring the hand of labour to chasten rather than to stimulate its capabilities. Their crystal rivers sparkle over sands of gold; there the traveller may wander for days under a natural canopy formed by the fruit-laden branches of trees whose wood is of inestima- ble value. The very waters abound in wealth; innumer- able shoals of fish disport themselves among coral rocks, and the bottom of the sea is strewn with pearls. From the first dawn of creation this enchanted land had lain secluded from mortal eyes; to the present generation, to Scottish enterprise it was now revealed; let us enter and take possession of the promised land. There a new Edinburgh shall arise; The Alexandria of old, which was seated in a barren Isthmus and grew suddenly into prodigious wealth and power, by the mere commerce of Arabia and India shall soon yield in fame to the new Emporium of The World.” Note 59, commencing page 83: ‘‘ ‘The population’ (the Granadian) “is nowhere in- dustrious,’ says Colonel Lloyd in his notes on the Isth- mus of Panama, read before the Geographical Society March 13, 1831, ‘though strong and enduring under occasional fatigue. Their indolence is not to be attrib- uted wholly to the climate or their own original consti- tution but chiefly to the extreme fertility of the soil and the comparative ease with which a man and his family can derive subsistence from it. With a gun and axe individuals otherwise unprovided take up their residence in any corner of the woods and in two or three days will have erected a substantial hut with upright posts and cross-pieces as firmly fastened with vines as any nails or clamps could make them and thatched with the split branches of the wild palm tree, one of the best materials possible against wind and rain. The family at their leisure then form a stage or second floor, to which a piece of balsa cut with notches serves to ascend; and a few stones for a fire-place, an iron cooking pot and some pieces of wood to sit on complete the establishment. The nearest trees to the habitation are cut down, fire is applied to the more distant, which after burning some days leave the ground ready for a crop; advantage is taken of the first rainy season to get in the requisite seeds; and for everything else implicit reliance is placed On the gun; none of these people stir even to work with- * out this their constant companion, generally an old mus- quet; and in an hour or two they are certain of bringing down as much animal food as they can consume in a week, with sufficient besides to barter at the nearest vil- lage or town for rice and plantains.” But this indolence does not avail to prevent their employing themselves in any great public works, as has been shewn in the case . of the Panama Railway. “There are within the prov- ince,’ says Colonel Lloyd on this head, ‘several regi- ments of militia formed by the lower class of people and Indians, excellent workmen in felling timber and clear- ing ground and particularly apt in acquiring any me- 81 | tº-º. --—º-----et--- * ~3–2-ºxº--a ºr ºttes-— reº. —f. * ...A-...sº-ºs- $º-º-5- 3. -* aſ: chanical art. They have advantages over Europeans which from the nature of their climate will always exist. Their habits are most simple; with a piece of tasajo or dried beef, a few plantains and some rice they are pro- vided with the sustenance on which they live from youth to age; and with a skin in their huts on which to sleep and a block of wood to sit on their establishment is com- plete. Their dress never alters winter or summer; it consists of a short brown holland or check shirt and a pair of calzoncillos or drawers reaching to the knee, which are generally cast off when at work; shoes are known to them only as articles of great luxury; they seldom want anything to protect their feet; and if they do a piece of hide is used, cut and dried very neatly, as a sandal. Their common wages are from two to three reals a day (1s to 1s 6d), with their meals, which as they are few may cost about 4d per day more. These men there is no doubt the government would gladly place at the disposal of a company with individuals to command and keep them in order; and in one instance this has been already offered, though not accepted, to the extent of one thousand men.’ When I was last at Panama the governor offered me a company of soldiers to assist me in clearing bush-paths but as I was then about to return to England I could not avail myself of his very kind offer, though I shall do so at the earliest opportunity.’” I also find commencing page 138: “THE MOST PRACTICAL NATION.” “To the Editor of the Times: “Sir, I have read with much satisfaction a letter signed ‘Nemo,” in which the writer among many other sound observations, alludes to the great waste of money and valuable energy in the futiſe attempts to find a northwest passage through the ice of the polar regions from the Atlantic to the Pacific ocean, while at the same time our government has wholly neglected the vastly more important question of a feasible ship canal route across the narrow barrier which from Mexico to the terra firma of New Granada separates the two oceans. So just are his observations that I cannot avoid mentioning a fact which I have lately ascertained and which most powerfully corroborates his assertions of the singular apathy which has hitherto prevailed regarding ~º-º-º: —-º a country lying within 18 days direct steaming from England and four days of Jamaica. Upon examining the Admiralty charts with a view to the compilation of a full and accurate map of the whole isthmus, I found to my amazement that there was a discrepancy of no less than 13% miles in the longitudes of the isthmus in two consecutive charts—viz: Nos. 10 and 11 of the West Indies. Lest this most extraordinary error may be doubted, I may make reference to the longitude of Gar- achine Point, the southern boundary of the mouth of the Gulf of San Miguel, which is laid down in sheet 10 as in . longitude 78° 10' and in sheet 11 as in longitude 78° 23%'. urgent necessity of at least a survey of the coasts and of Volumes could not more strongly show the the publication of Captain Kellett’s chart, which, how- ever, only contains the Pacific coast. The writer proceeds to state his opinion of the prob- ability of the existence of a transverse valley of low ele- vation somewhere across the isthmus, and will no doubt be pleased to learn not only that a valley has been found but that in a line across the Isthmus of Darien from Caledonia Bay and Port Escoces, the site of the Scotch - settlement of 1698–99, to the Gulf of San Miguel the whole country is a plain with the exception of a single ridge of hills at two miles distance from the Atlantic, with a base of only two miles in width, and that this ridge is divided by transverse valleys (through which the Aglaseniqua, Aglatomate and other rivers have their course) into almost isolated hills, as has been minutely explained in my paper read before the British Associa- tion at their Edinburg meeting in July, 1850, in my re- port to Lord Palmerston dated 15th of January, 1851, and in a pamphlet on the “Isthmus of Darien Ship Ca- nal’’ lately published by me. Not satisfied with crossing the isthmus once only in 1849, I returned again from the Atlantic to the Pacific, having cut a picadura or track for myself through the bush from Port Escóces to the river Savana, which I navigated always except on one occasion alone, paddling myself in a little canoe. In 1850 I again crossed and recrossed this part of the isthmus and again in August and September, 1851, I at several times and in different lines crossed from the Savana river to the seabeach on 82 ****** * re--wº-ºf" ecº º-wº-ºº-º-º-º-º-º-º-º: *-w- the Atlantic. Further, I have resided on several occa- sions with the Indians who dwell at some distance from the route and have invariably been kindly treated by them, and more particularly by those who reside on the banks of the Aglaseniqua or Caledonia river, called by the old Scotch colonists Rio del Oro or Golden river. Thus more has been done in the exploration of the isthmus than ‘Nemo' appears to be aware of, though what has been discovered has been the result of personal and private enterprise and adventure and not of any as- sistance from government or any public company. I am, sir, your most obedient humble servant, “EDWARD CULLEN, M. D.” 302 Strand, Feb. 14. From The Times of 16th February. I also find commencing page 137: “THE ISTHMUS OF DARIEN. TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES: Sir—The tone of the concluding observations of the writer of your City article of this day is such as to deprive me alike of the power and the inclination further to pursue a course of observations which appear to convey to his mind an impression of personality, however contrary to my intention. Allow me however in conclusion, simply to state the broad grounds which induced me to decide in favour of the Darien route and to ask eminent men to join me in inviting the public to raise £75,000 for the prelimi- nary development of this project instead of adopting the previous Nicaragua scheme. The Darien navigation as proposed will be 40 miles long, 30 feet deep without locks and with an excellent natural harbour at each end. The Nicaragua Canal as proposed would be 195 miles long, 17 feet deep, with 28 locks and between harbours artificially constructed and still altogether in- adequate. At equal depths the Darien navigation could be made for less than half the sum which the Nicaragua must cost. But no depth short of 30 feet will accomo- ãº. _º - *'. -- rº *- * < - *...*** f == i date all the shipping which could benefit by the passage. The Darien navigation therefore once made will be a perfect and complete measure; while the Nicaragua Canal at 17 or even 20 feet, would afford at best imper- fect and limited accomodation. Thanking you for the courtesy which has accorded to me so much of your space, I am, Sir, your obedient humble servant, CHARLES FOX. 8 New-street, Spring-gardens, Feb. 12. From the Times of 14th Feb. I also find, commencing page 1: Commercial Advantages of a Ship Canal Across the Isthmus of Darien.—A moment’s glance at the map of the world must convince the most skeptical of the im- mense advantages that would accrue to the commercial world by opening a ship canal communication between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Not only are there ad- vantages universally acknowledged and appreciated but the time is fast coming when a ship canal will not only be desirable but actually indispensable. The necessities of commerce even now demand that the two oceans should be connected in such a way that ships car freely pass from one to the other without going round Cape Horn or the Cape of Good Hope and these necessities must in some way be met. —, Not only would all the commerce to the western shores of America pass through the proposed canal but after its opening no voyages would be made round the Cape of Good Hope to any place eastward of Cape Co- morin or Ceylon as the Coromandel coast of India, China and Australia would be much more accessible in either monsoon by the Darien canal than by the present cir- cuitous route and the voyage out and home or to and from India and China could be made within one tropic, whilst at present a vessel must pass four times through each tropic in a single voyage out and home. As regards passages to and from the west coast of North or South America it will be sufficient to mention that to pass from Chagres to Panama for instance by sea it would be necessary to sail from 9° n. 1atitude to 55° 83 ... N, - S. in order to weather the stormy Cape Horn and to re- turn up the west coast to 9° N. on the Pacific side, thus going over sixty-four degrees of latitude on the Atlantic and sixty-four degrees on the Pacific side, or 7,680 miles unnecessarily on a single passage or 15,360 miles on a voyage to and from; and besides this enormous cir- cuit it must also be taken into account that on such a passage a vessel must run off to the E. as far as 30° W. long. in order to avoid the coast of Brazil and must beat down both in the Atlantic and Pacific against the S. E. trade wind, in the former when bound from Chagres to Panama and in the latter when bound from Panama to Chagres. Moreover the terrific storms from the west often experienced off Cape Horn might delay her pass- age into the Pacific for weeks. In a passage to China by the proposed canal a vessel having cleared its Pacific terminus would at once enter into the tract of the N. E. trade wind which blows be- tween the parallels of 10° and 23° N., and her course being west she would be carried with a fair steady breeze directly to her destination; in like manner a vessel bound ’’ fºr to India would pursue her course under the same favor- able circumstances as far as long. 140° E. when she would enter the region of the monsoons, where, should the S. W. monsoon blow (as it does from April to Sep- tember) she could enter it so well to windward that it would put her but little out of her course from its east- ern edge to the Straits of Malacca, whilst from those straits to Calcutta it would be fair wind. On the return from China or India to the entrance of the canal a ship would at once run up to between 30° and 40° N. So as to be clear out of the region of the N. E. trade and avail herself of the strong west winds which prevail between those parallels to steer an east course to the coast of Mexico, where she would meet the north land wind which would carry her with a flowing sheet down to the isthmus. On a passage out to Australia a ship would, after leaving the canal, enter a narrow tract extending from 10° to 4° N., in which the winds are variable; after hav. ing crossed this she would enter the region of the S. E. trade, which as her course would be about W. S. W., would be a perfectly fair wind. Having passed the whence her course, being about E.N.E., she would have part of her easting within the limits of the N. W. wind be safely calculated upon. - expedition into the South Seas by private persons in the * - ... --- ~~ ... - -- - = ------------------ * -- *--—— ----- - - - - - - ----, - - - - -* : - - a *-----~~~~~ southern limit of this wind in 29° S. she would enter the region of the N. W. wind, which would also be a favour- able breeze. On her return from Australia to the canaſ she might at once run up into the S. E. trade in lat. 23° S., from a perfectly fair wind all the way; or she might run down. and then run up into the S. E. trade by doing which she would have the wind a couple of points more free. Thus vessels - bound either to or from India, China. and Australia would have such fair steady regular winds that their arrivals might be calculated upon with pre- cision and accuracy. Not only will a great saving of time be effected by the direct diminution of the distance to be traversed be- tween Europe and America and the east and west shores of the Pacific, and vice versa, but also by the avoidance of the loss of time occasioned by calms in the low Hatitudes, hard gales off the Capes, and the very long tacks to the Eastward and Westward beating against the S. E. trade wind in the South Atlantic or the N. E. or S. W. monsoon in the India or China seas which vessels are now obliged to, make; whilst by the proposed route fair steady breezes, smooth seas and pleasant weather throughout the voyage both out and home may Nor are the benefits resulting from increased inter- course and proximity, the only advantages which may be hoped for; the safety of life and property will be greatly increased; the hardships of thousands of mari- mers will be lessened to an incalculable extent, and the facilities for benefiting our fellow creatures will be greatly multiplied. Ere long Darien will become the great inter-oceanic portal, the entrepot of the world, the store-house of nations, the grand highway of commerce. - In the appendix to Sir J. Dalrymple's memoirs the following passage occurs in an “Account of an intended 3. 84 - late war:” - i 3.53% º A * - * - *, - - . . . . ! :- - - - . . º - . • -- r - - - - . º is , - = . . “Vessels meet with a southland wind from the southmost point of chili, all the way to the Bay of Panama. This wind neve varies ; carries ships above a hundred miles a day and ths tract in which it runs reaches a hundred leagues off the coast to the west. From the Bay of Panama ships as carried to the East Indies by the great trade will at above an hundred miles a day. This is the tract of Spanish ships from their dominions on the South Seas to their possessions in the Philippine Islands. From the East Indies to the South Seas there are two passages, One by the north to sail to the latitude of 40 degrees north, in order to get into the great west wind which about that latitude blows ten months in the year, and which being strong carries vessels with quickness to the northern part of the Coast of Mexico. From the extreme point of Mexico in the north there is a land wind which blows all the way to the Bay of Panama from the north to the South per- cisely similar in all respects to the land wind which blows along the Coast of Chili to that bay from the south to the north. This first tract into the latitude 40 degrees north and then along the Coast of Mexico is the route which the Acapulco ships take in '. coming from the Philippines to the South. - The other route from the East Indies is by the South to get into the latitude of 40 degrees South or New Holland and from thence to take advantage of the great west wind which about that latitude blows ten months of the year, in order to reach the Southern part of chili where the southland wind will be found. The facility of this last route was not known till the late dis- coveries of Captain Cook.” • I also find commencing page 485 in Proceedings of well's Exploration of Darien): “Mr. L. Gisborne, F. R. G. S., had been twice to the Isthmus of Darien and he had heard the paper with kreat interest because it showed that the author had fallen into the same error that he (Mr. Gisborne) had O]] his first visit. The only difference was that he did not hall in with Indians. Dr. Caldwell stated that on the fourth day he saw the Atlantic, The Society had in s their archives his own report on the last expedition to the Isthmus of Darien. It was undertaken at the request of the three governments of France, England and Amer- ica and with the consent of the government of New Gra- nada, and he might therefore call it an official survey. - They found out for the first time that the whole coast on the Atlantic was eight miles out of longitude, an error so important that another explorer of Darien, Captain - Prevost, who he believed was the first man that went so far into the interior, starting from the same place that Dr. Caldwell did, with the best Admiralty maps before him and intending to proceed to the east coast, found that he was steering towards a point really 25 miles to the north of it ; the geographical error in the position of Caledonia having misled him that much. This error was corrected by the surveys which were undertaken in 1853. With respect to Dr. Caldwell’s paper, all the in- formation he had collected was evidently wrong. The summit of the range was within five or six miles of the Atlantic, and that range consisted of mountains from 900 to 1000 feet high. There was a map upon the table, the official map sent there by the Admiralty, which showed different heights taken by instrumental observa- tions, with spirit levels or mountain barometers. As to a ship canal across this portion of the isthmus he (Mr. Gisborne) really considered it to be an absurdity; the ridge was like a backbone; he had walked upon the top of it for miles and miles together, and it was so narrow that few men could walk upon it abreast. The President—Is there not any point of depression? Mr. Gisborne—There is none. The sources of all the rivers were from 500 to 700 feet above the level of the sea; it was therefore impossible to suppose that there he Royal Geographical Society of London, vol. 1 (Cald- - -- could be any break in the mountains below 700 feet. That alone would render the question of a canal in this spot impossible. He had levelled the range instrumen- tally and barometrically and there was no point in it that was less than 900 feet high. This might be taken a.S all established fact. He had also made a survey of the Caledonia, with the object of following the traces of the Americans who under Lieut. Strain were upon that river in a state of starvation. He had with him a copy of a map of the river made by a Spanish officer 130 years ago and the survey made by himself placed a position within a short distance of the spot where the Spaniards had placed it so many years before. Now that his own survey had been completed and the report placed in the possession of the Society, he hoped they would let it go forth to the world that a ship canal across the Isthmus of Darien, as far as geographical difficulties were con- cerned, was perfectly impossible.” I desire to call the reader’s attention to the fact that this Mr. L. Gisborne, F.R.G.S., appears to be the same party as Lionel Gisborne, civil engineer, who returned • * > *~ * * rº -g such a very favorable report to Sir Charles Fox and y others upon his (Gisborne's) first visit to the isthmus. I think the reader will be inclined to share the surprise of the writer that the president at this meeting should have accepted the evidence of Gisborne as conclusive; for the fact is the story of Dr. Caldwell’s exploration is a very plain one and we should have, I think, some other evidence besides Gisborne's before we conclude that the route is impracticable. I also find in “Interoceanic Canals,” by Henry Stuckle, 1870, late general superintendent of the Alsac- ian railroads, pages 12 and 13: “DARIEN.” “There are three other localities which command great attention. These three routes are from San Blas or Mandonga Bay to River Chepo or Bayamo, flowing into the Pacific; from Caledonia Bay to the Gulf of San Miguel, and from the southern part of the Gulf of Dari- en to the Gulf of San Miguel, In 1864 Mr. Fred Kelley, of New York, surveyed the route from the Gulf of San Blas to Chepo. He found the harbor of San Blas 'spacious and deep,” while on the Pacific side the channel of the Chepo had ‘not less than eighteen feet of water at mean low tide,” A canal in this direction would require a tunnel of about the length of that of Mount Cenis (seven miles) through the Alps. The canal would be a ‘thorough cut' about thirty miles long. . . . . . . k The next line, from Caledonia Bay to the Gulf of San Miguel, which at both ends pres;ts harbors’ ‘spac- ious and admirable in every respect,” has been partly"' . That which the latter gentleman has published with relation" explored by Commander Prevost asſi Dr. Cullen. to this route seems to be ** encouraging to the con-" struction of a canal without lockage. His plan would ¥ be to unite the waters of the Atlantic at Caledonia Bay. with those of the Savana flowing into the Gulf of San - Migue1.* ,- -º- I also find in ‘ºnteroceanic Railroads and Canals,” }. commencing page 24: “Description of the province of Darien or great Golden Castile, being an explanation of the map of the interior of this province and of the new discoveries made. by the governor, Don Andres de Ariza. Reduced and revised by him by order of his Excellency, the Viceroy Senor Don Manuel Antonio Flores in the year 1781:f *We quote as to the probable cost of the undertaking the .* following paragraph from a memoir concerning this project presented in 1868 to the Society of Engineers in London: “There are as yet no data upon which the cost of the work could be framed. A rough approximate calculation has, how- ever, been made under the following circumstances: The au- thor having in 1857 presented all the plans and documents bear- ing in the matter to the Emperor of the French, His Majesty, after examining them, forwarded them to Count Walewsky, who appointed a commission of engineers of the Corps des Ponts et Chaussees to study the question. arrived after an investigation which occupied three weeks, was that the canal was practicable without a tunnel and could be completed for 150,000,000 francs. “The estimate drawn up was as follows: frºg,027,437 25 3,080,000 00 490,000 00 1,241,660 00 38,176,080 00 Excavation of the canal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Aqueducts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Turning the course of the river. . . . . . . . . Machinery, locks, etc Material, buildings, tools, clearing for- est and expenses of administration.. Contingencies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . fr178,000,000-00” It should be noted that these views and estimates are based * upon data the exactness of which has been put in doubt by sub- Sequent examinations. e s ∈ e º 'º - e. e. e. e. e. * * * * * * * 19,400,000 00 39,584,822 75 +General Office of Archives in Saville. This map and description is copied from the originals con- tained in a package marked “Council of Panama,” despatches relating to Darien and Caledonia from the year 1772 to the year 1787 found in the portfolio marked “General plan of the isth- mus” accompanying the annexed despatch of the year 1786." Page 25: This island of Boca Chica is about two miles long and less than one broad, is very conveniently situated y The result at which they § *~~~xia—-tº- º ** --- º -º- for a fortified city, enjoys a cool and healthy climate and is the entrance to the whole interior of the province. *-* :* * AIſ the rivers which fertilize the province on this side of the Cordilleras discharge themselves in this place through two passages. There are two extensive bays, one within the river more than ten miles long and three broad, and the other outside, of th: same dimensions more or less, where vessels of .* anchor under the protection of the guns. Within tº bays are found stone quarries and timber adapted for large works, and in one word this is the spot to which on account of its situation and surroundings the government should devote its whole attention if it wishes to preserve this valuable isthmus. The province possesses two avenues of hostile approach, one the Boca Chica, just mentioned, the other Caledonia Bay, which in my opinion is no less exposed. It seems to me that there is no other country in the world better protected from attacks or landings and if it were suita- bly fortified at each of the before mentioned avenues, two thousand men could repel a force of more than twenty thousand; and if the enemy should fail to make himself master of both posts at the same time he wonld not be able to communicate between the two seas. It is true that a superior force might effect a landing in the gulf on the north or inside of the Mulata islands, but to undertake to get possession of the general Cordillera through any other point than Caledonia Bay would be an act of rashness that would surely meet with punish- ment.” Page 26 and 27: “Post of Laloma in the river Chucunaque occupied to prevent the passage of the English during the present war. This was burned by the Indians of the river in the month of October during the past year and has ever since been abandoned. a. a. Pass or crossroad followed by these Indians in their attack on this last place which was unknown until discovered in the sortie of the month of March of this year when fortunately was also found the narrow neck of this part of America which divides the post of Caledonia on the north from that of the Savana on the south, § b. b. b. b. cumaque made use of to carry on their hostilities at the Crossroad which the savages of Chu- entrance of the province in the light boats mentioned before. These boats were constructed in the creek of Yglesias. ... I broke them up in December 1779 up to which time the road had been unknown to us. c. c. c. c. A road recently discovered leading from . the port of Savana to that of Caledonia. It is level and suitable for wheels as far as the mouth of the Sucubti and from here it is easy to cross to the coast with beasts of burden. * c. a. District of Coco Bolo where the wood has been recently cut by the savages. From this point I corrected the return route from the mouth of the Sucubte. d. d. Short cut from the bend of Tupira to the islands of Fichichc—a journey of two hours. e e. e. e. Short cut from Yavisa to the villages of Pinogano and Molireca. f. f. f. f. This is a journey of two days in which we encountered Path from the village of Darien to Cana. many small rivers intercepting the way, especially the river Cupe which in its various turns is passed sixteen times. The journey is not however interrupted by the freshets which are drained off as rapidly as the accumu- late. h. h. Crossroad or portage discovered in the year 1777 from the river of Balsos to the river Jarado by means of which small canoes pass from one river to the other to travel along the coast of Choco and to the new port of Cupeca; they are not able to make the usual voyage in the winter on account of the rapidity of the currents and the roughness of the sea. Rivers which facilitate the crossing of the Cordillera from the south to the north. The Arquali affords a pass to Navigandi on the coast of Caledonia, the Yublugande for the same, the Sucubte to Caledonia, the Chuety the same, the Tuquesa (or Some such name) to the beach of Cares and to Armisa, the Tupisa to the river Glande, the Yavisa to the Tarena and to Cuty, the Puero and Paya to the marshes of Tigres and Arquilla, the Penusa to Yoo Cacarica and Moteli, the Moleti to Sasardi, w The headwaters of the Chucunaque spread them- selves over level ground and approach a branch of the Chepo so that small canoes pass from one to the other by means of a portage which divides them. The flood tide ascends the rivers of this province up to the points marked –|– which is very convenient for transports regu- lating their journey by the periods of the tide. The tidal currents are very strong in these rivers being equal to any freshet and accordingly it is said that the rivers of this province run up further than their natural limits. In general the rivers that "receive the tide overflow their banks more or less according to their proximity to . A ſ § the Sea. All the rivers which fertilize the soil are without tide and are remarkable for their being covered with all sorts of timber from their very mouths. This country abounds in woods suited for public works and dwellings and the materials are easily trans- ported from the mountains through the numerous creeks, ravines and rivers which empty into the principal Stream.S. * Wherever the tide enters large vessels of the size of frigates can be built with facility and launched from the stocks without the expense of ways solely by the help of the tide which rises more than three fathoms (toises). All these mountains and river valleys are in general full of native gold ores, particularly the mountains of Espiritu Santo from which it has been taken in such abundance as to be measured by the half bushel and weighed by the hundred weight. Although the territory of the province is somewhat mountainous it has nevertheless extensive valleys on both sides of the Cordilleras which is here for the most part narrow and of little elevation. The climate is good and the fertility of soil excellent for cultivation or grazing. All the rivers, river mouths and marshes which are numbered for reference in the text are enlarged for practical uses and are not in themselves mathematically correct. The red numbers on the Indian rivers denote the number of men able to bear arms (armas) in each case. The black figures donate the number of cocoanut trees in the year 1761. ANDRES DE 2814A. Yavisa, October 28, 1781. - * There is a sign manual. Iph Dias Pedregal. Dias Pedregal. I also find commencing page 21: & sº “I have reported upon their relative merits as practi- cable lines for the construction of a *canal,” and it now remains for me to express an opinion whether “the isthmus of Darien has been satisfactorily explored.” The isthmus of Darien has not been satisfactorily explored. With the exception of the line of survey from Chepo to San Blas the knowledge of which through the kindness of Mr. Kelly is first given to the world in this report and with the exception of the explorations of Prevost and Gisborne and the solitary and unrewarded and therefore unsatisfactory journeys of Dr. Cullen,* the interior of the Isthmus of Darien east of the Panama railroad is almost a terra incognita. Strange as it may seem when it is considered that this is the part of the continent first settled and that it has always commanded the greatest attention on account of this very question now before us yet it is strictly true with the exceptions above that the best knowledge We possess of the isthmus is derived from the journals of Dampier and his companions, from the reports of Paterson and from the brief journal already quoted of Milla. There does not exist in the libraries of the world the means of determining even approximately the most practicable route for a ship canal across the isthmus; our really authentic information amounts to this that at that part of the American isthmus where the oceans approach each other nature has supplied harbors of un- surpassed excellence on both sides and navigable rivers that invite the traveller to penetrate into the wilderness while on one side she has established a tidal condition in the highest degree favorable to the needs of a com- merce which traverses the great seas. In the immediate *Not only unsatisfactory but it is my {#ty to say even doubtful, f tº * * As § 88 º fººt- * — a tº ***, fº. A * - * --sºº, , , , ºr :- - neighborhood of this isthmus is a country (of which it forms a part) possessing features that give it eminence among thanations. It has good ports on the Atlantic and Pacific oceans; it is mistress of Panama and Darien which already enjoy great importance in the world's commerce and are destined hereafter to acquire still more, it has seat agricultural resources; while in its physico- * geographical structure it embraces valleys traversed by noble rivers; table lands at different elevations that afford a variety of climate and productions and moun- tains in which still lies buried an incalculable amount of mineral wealth and at the foot of which the native Indian with the rudest means and appliances collects in a few hours gold enough to enable him to pass weeks or months in indolence and diversion. It is to the Isthmus of Darien that we are first to look for the solution of the great problem of an inter- oceanic canal. We know enough of the interior topo- graphy to adopt the view of Dr. Cullen that if we leave the Indian trail which always passes over the highest ground and explore the country beyond the ordinary line of travel we shall probably find a valley transversely dividing the Cordilleras or at least a lower ridge than any yet surveyed. Our most trustworthy engineers in these regions, Trautwine, Michler, Prevost, McDougal and others tell us that it is impossible from the very limited inspection of the country taken on the Indian line of travel to form any conception of the nature of the ground even in the immediate vicinity. This is owing to the unbroken forest of heavy timber of which Pater- son gives an idea in the first letter to the directors in the following words: ‘The hills are clothed with tall trees without any underwood, so that one may gallop conveni- ently among them many miles free from sun and rain unless of a great continuance.” (Dalrymple ubi supra.) . But there is also abundant evidence in the accounts of Our most recent explorers that there is to be found in many places a dense and tangled underwood which ad- mits of no progress except by removal. The future sur- veyor must therefore go prepared to encounter this as well as other difficulties. There are two provisions which appear to me indispensable in future expeditions: First, rations in a concentrated and portable form to " b-,- § r * :: T }* { } ~~~~} iº iº Y Sºº-º-ºxº~...~ * – Tºº-º-º-, **, * > a. º. 1-f_* *:A sº ºf = ~~~~~!-- .45 enable the surveyors to prosecute their investigations at leisure. Secondly, the means of removing the under- growth and clearing the way for pioneers; and for this fe • X , ºf 1atter purpose a corps of native Indians may be em- ployed with their machetes, and fire may be resorted to, -k * + * 3& * f • * ~ ; ; ; as suggested by Fitz-Roy. * 3: % 3& * 3& 3: # * {. ; : " : C. H. DAVIS, Rear Admiral, Superintendent United States Naval Observatory. Washington, D. C., July 10, 1866. * That the reader may have some idea of the awful dangers and difficulties of this San Juan river in Nicara- gua which is to form so many miles of this long-pro- posed Nicaragua canal, I quote from an interesting arti- cle in The Cosmopolitan of June, 1898, entitled “Some Previous Expeditions to Tropical Countries; by Gen. A. W. Greely, U. S. Army,” commencing page 138: “Concerning Dalling's disastrous expedition to Nic- aragua in 1780 in which the immortal Nelson partici- pated in his twenty-second year in command of his first ship as a post-captain, the New York Historical Society has published a full account in its ‘Kemble Papers, Vol. ii:' These journals are those of Col. Stephen Kemble, who had previously served as a deputy adjutant-general under Sir Henry Clinton in the revolutionary war. The expedition referred to was composed"of British land and naval forces for the reduction of the Spanish main and the capture and occupation of the Castle of San Juan and the country tributary to Lake Nicaragua. The absolutely imperative necessity of wisely ehoos- ing his time so as to land the expedition in Nicaragua at the beginning of the dry season failed to impress it- Self on Dalling’s mind, with results so disastrous that they should ever remain fixed in the minds of future chieftains in tropical warfare. The immortal Nelson, then a captain, was given command of the naval forces while Major Polson CO111- manded the troops. Dalling ordered Nelson to convoy the troop transports and supervise the landing of the army; afterward Polson was to seize upon Fort San Juan, which was to be a grand depot of provisions gar- risoned by five hundred men, of whom two hundred were regulars. 89 —w The troops arrived on March 24th in good health at Rio San Juan, where they were reinforced by a consider- able number of the Mosquito Indians, who at that time were said to number from seven thousand to ten thous- and fighting men. How many Indians accompanied the expedition is not set forth, but it is evident they were in considerable numbers." Nelson, recognizing the hazard- ous character of the expedition and discovering the utter ignorance of every man in the party regarding the Rio San Juan, exceeded his order, manned the water trans- portation and personally supervised the conveyance of the soldiers some fifty miles to the islands of San Bar- tholomew, sixteen miles below the Castle San Juan. The troops had landed at the mouth of the Rio San Juan on the 28th of March, 1780, near the end of the dry season. The low state of the river not only entailed great hardships in connection with the forcing of the boats through the shallow water but also necessitated frequent and prolonged exertions in the stream, an ex- perience always dangerous under a tropical sun. ‘The men,’ says Clarke in his biography of Nelson, ‘were much exposed to injury from the violence of the sun for seven or eight hours every day, besides a still more intense heat that was reflected from many dry shoals covered with a whitish sand which sometimes rendered the air intolerable, and this was followed by as dangerous an exposure to the heavy dews at night. Dr. Moseley’s account in “Tropical Diseases” of the conditions under which the march was made accords fully with the reports of later and disinterested travelers. He says: “The heat of the climate must necessarily be ex- cessive and this is augmented in the course of the river, the high woods, without sufficient intervals in many places to admit of being refreshed by the the winds. * >{< The river has in its course many noisome marshes on its sides and the trees are so thick as to intercept the rays of the sun, consequently the earth beneath their branches is covered with rotten leaves and putrid vegeta- tion. Hence arise copious collections of foul vapors which clog the atmosphere. These unite with large clouds and precipitate in rain. The rains are no sooner &–rºarº cº-ºxº~~~$º-º-Yea, --Pe. § *— 3. ** § 3.x-e .** & -- ºr , ºrº----- *** *...s.º. tº re--→ ~ * * * * * *...*.*.*, *.*.*-- 3:3s. A- 3-ºxº~ -- * . 2– over than the sun breaks forth and shines with scorching heat. The surface of the ground in places not covered - with trees is scarcely dry before the atmºsphere is again loaded by another collection of clouds and exhalations and the sun is again concealed. >k >k >k >k In the rainy season of the year months succºsively pass away in this sort of vicissitudes without .*. dimin- ution of heat excepting at night when the air is poisoned with noxious, chilling dews.’ “K. The country was so unfavorable to travel that al. though San Juan Castle was situated only sixty-nine miles from the mouth of the river the troops did not ar- rive before it until the 11th of April. $ Ignoring the rapid advance of the wet season Polson decided not to On the 24th of April the castle capitulated, with the loss of two carry the castle by storm, but laid siege to it. killed and ten wounded among the attacking party, and they congratulated themselves on their easy victory. “But,’ says Clarke, ‘bad weather setting in, the whole army, both sailors and Indians, began to fall sick, espe- cially the latter and soon afterwards the dis- affection and desertion of the Indians became general.’ Dr. Moseley in his account says: “From the unfortunate delay before the castle which surrendered when it was summoned the season for the spring periodical rains, with their concomitant diseases, now advanced; and the little army had lost the opportu- nity of pushing rapidly on out of those humid woods by which they were environed to the dry, pleasant and healthful plains and agreeable towns of Grenada and Leon near the lake in the province of Nicaragua, which from its salubrity and situation is justly termed by the Spaniards the Mahomet’s paradise. But they were shut up in the castle as soon as they were in possession of it. The troops were attacked with fluxes and intermittents and in want of almost every necessary, for the rivers became so swollen and rapid by the rains that the navigation from the harbor where the provisions and stores were was tedious and almost im- practicable. Here the troops, deserted by those Indians who had not already perished, languished in extreme misery and gradually molded away until there was not 90 sufficient strength alive to attend the sick nor to bury the dead. The Spaniards retook the field as soon as the season permitted. The castle San Juan was captured April 29, 1780, and owing to the illness of Colonel Polson the command devolved on General Kemble May 15, who records: ‘Took Gommand of the troops; find everything in disor- der, owing 19 the weak state of the whole, not having a relief of the guard. Gave every direction for the preservation of provisions, stores, etc., but have no one to put it into execution, all being sick. Orders for all soldiers who die to be buried a distance from the encampment. Affał go from bad to worse. From 22d May to the 9th June the officers have been to a man almost all sick. The men’s tents are so bad that they keep out no water. Relapse is almost certain the moment a soldier goes on duty. The troops so sickly that some corps have not a man fit for duty and the few guards we have obliged to remain from two to six days on duty. The negroes from the Bay of Honduras stand the climate and are better calculated for service in this country than any other people. The moisture is so great that small boxes joined by glue fall asunder. & From December to May is the proper time for expedi- tions to this country.” On July 13th there was no officer of either the 60th or 79th regiments fit for duty. Two days later of two hundred and fifty soldiers embarked for a short recon- naisance fully one hundred proved useless from their enfeebled condition. July 26th there were two hundred and eighteen officers and men on the sick list and Kem- ble records: ‘The troops die very fast, burying from six to eight a day; such distress is not to be conceived.’ On August 5th he finds ‘the redoubt much as I had left it and the sick in a miserable, shocking condition, with- out anyone to attend them or even bury the dead, the same mortality raging among the poor soldiers on board ship, where accumulated filth had made all the air pu- trid. Officers were dying daily and so worn down with dissorders, lassitude, etc., that they are even as filthy and as regardless where they lay as the soldiers, never stirring from their beds in days.” In an official report to General Dalling, Kemble says: “The melancholy condition in which I found the troops, the impossibility of getting fresh provisions for the sick and the amazing mortality that raged aſluong the troops, though every comfort in my power was administered, may be faintly described, but words can- not express my feelings at such a complicated Scene of misery. I am informed by Dr. Saunderson that of the sick on the ‘Flora’ fifty-seven (out of one hundred and fourteen) have died since their embarkation at St. Johns, although every assistance was given them, and wine, sugar, etc., liberally distributed under the eye of the surgeon.” Dalling referring to “the unfavorable season of the year, the unhealthiness and debilitated state of the trocps, the mortality among the seamen and the almost unsurmountable difficulty of transporting troops and provisions during floods,” finally wrote that “with great regret I find myself compelled to abandon an enterprise from which so much honor and national consequence were expected.” The remnants of the garrison were withdrawn and Jan. 2, 1781, the Spaniards reoccupied the castle. How many perished under Kemble's command he does not state, but he enumerates the names of forty five officers. The crews of the transports and convoys approximated fifteen hundred of whom at least a thousand lost their lives. Nelson said of his ship's crew, “of the two hundred one hundred and forty-five were buried in my own and Collingwood’s time, and I believe that not more than ten survive of the ship's crew.’’ Dr. Moseley, in “Tropical Diseases,” writes with reference to the land forces: “Of about eighteen hun- dred people who were sent to different posts at different embarkations to connect and form the various depend- encies of this expedition, few of the Europeans retained their health above sixteen days and not more than three hundred and eighty ever returned, and those chiefly in a miserable condition.” Of the returning convalescents he adds that many became imbecile or insane. y I also find in “Report of Historical and Technical Information relating to the Problem of Inter-oceanic Communication by way of the American Isthmus by John T. Sullivan, Lieutenant U. S. Navy, by order of the Bureau of Navigation, Navy Department, Washing- ton Printing Office, 1883:” Page 17: “In 1788 Manuel Milla, adjutant of the post of Agla, accompanied by Suspani, a Sucubti chief, left Caledonia Bay to pass over the Cordillera and report upon the practicability of constructing this road. He arrived safely at Puerto Principi. In his report he says that in crossing the ‘Montana Grande’ there is not a difficult pass ‘with the exception of a ravine at the com- mencement which four men could level off with spades in 1ess than an hour.” It must have been an extraordi- nary ravine. In another place he mentions the chief obstruction in the road to be a large tree which has fallen across the trail and very ingeniously suggests that the difficulty of cutting it in two may be avoided by walking around it.” Page 46: “As already stated Gisborne made a favor- able report of the result of his examinations and, while not exactly in agreement with Cullen, he presents a route that is essentially the same and equally attractive.” . (Mr. Sullivan refers here to Gisborne’s first report on page 33). Page 50: Prevost's plan was to push forward as 91 …" 2 rapidly as possible on this course and open a well- marked trail. Progress was slow and laborious as can be judged from the fact that it required fifteen days to cut through twenty-six miles of the forest. By this time, having ex- ceeded the limits of his stay, anº' having come nearly to the end of his provisions, he was compelled to retrace his steps without being rewarded by a sight of the Atialitic although he had during the last few days of his advance momentarily expected it would burst upon. his view. Had he been able to continue in the field he would have been still further disappointed as it would have required much hard work and nearly a week at the rate he was proceeding before he would have reached the desired shore; and then, as stated, not at Caledonia Bay, but many miles beyond it. Although Prevost failed to accomplish what he hoped for he rendered a good service in stating only what he knew to be facts and from the limited amount of information thus furnished showed how little could be gained from a reconnaissance without instrumental aid. Page 54: Engineer Winthrop's notes read: “We have here impenetrable forests, dense and dark; lofty mountains, no Indians, very little animal life, no game, no Snakes, no mosquitoes.” Subsequently in April, 1861, Mr. Bourdiol as engi- neer in chief joined a party of fourteen persons sent out by the Society to make an actual survey from the Pacific side to Caledonia Bay. This was the first expedition to this region which employed instruments of precision. Work was commenced at the mouth of the Lara and a course (N. 49 degrees E.) followed which it was supposed would strike the Chucunaqua. It was estimated that they struck the Chucunaqua a little above the Sucubti and La Paz, but they really came out below the former and much above the latter. The elevation of the Chucunaqua at this point as given by Bourdiol 29 meters (95 feet) is substantially the same as that given by Cadozzi and Gisborne but does not agree with the elevations subsequently determined by Selfridge who found the elevation of the mouth of the Sucubti to * be about 146 feet. The difficulties which Bourdiol encountered in prosecuting the survey and the fact that the level line was not complete to the Chucunaqua may account for the error. Page 73: Panama Railroad: “The summit grade on this road is 258 feet above the assumed grade at the Atlantic and 242.7 feet above the assumed grade at the Pacific terminus. feet above the mean tide of the Atlantic Ocean, and the summit ridge is 287 feet above the same level. The maximum grade is 60 feet to the mile. * : The total length of the road is 47 miles, 3020 feet; of this distance 23% miles are level and 28° straight. Some curves are very abrubt. To cross the numerous It is 263 aloft. our stay. *- - l t - - - $ - - =s* - - - - - -- --> – ~~~~ * streams and rivers it was necessary to build 134 culverts, . drains and bridges of 10 feet and less, and one hundred . and seventy bridges of from 12 feet to 625 feet span. The track is a single one but has four sidings. Work was commenced in January, 1850 and the last rail was laid on the night of January 28, 1855, - Page 105. It appears that the scheme of an inter- oceanic ship railway was proposed by Dr. William F. Channing of Providence, R.I., during the discussion which preceded the construction of the Panama Railroad; and that later in 1865 he secured a patent * a method of transporting vessels on a multiple track railway. His method included the ship-car and cradle, tilting tables for Overcoming changes in grade and turn-tables to effect changes in direction. Page 116: “The project of a tunnel if successfully carried out so far as its construction goes would still be subject to many objections. A convulsive effort of nature might in a moment destroy the whole work. Some new system of towing vessels through would have to be devised and it would be quite a problem to deal with the smoke and gases arising from the steamers using the canal.’’ - Page 117: I can cite an experience of nearly four months on board of one of our war vessels stationed at Aspinwall during the rainy season. Out of a comple- nient of one hundred and eighty officers and men only a few individuals escaped an attack of the Chagres ſever, and the sick list, always large, increased to such an extent that the commanding officer was compelled to take the responsibility of leaving his station without rders and on the day of our departure there were eighty of the ship's company down with the ſever. Here was an abundance of malaria; we will now see about its com- panions, the fungi. Several varieties appeared soon after our arrival; an increase in variety and quantity took place until the ship became completely stirr, unded and permeated with fungi. During the morning when cleaning ship it became liecessary to sweep in: 1) ſense mushroom-like growths from the coils of rope, and when the Sun appeared its rays were eflected from myriads of long gossamer webs floating from every piece of rigging Between decks there was always a damp, musty sºme11, and during a single night blue mold would collect in large quantities upon shoes, books and other articles in a state room. A pair of cloth pantaloons left for a few days in a drawer would when taken out look and feel as though they had been soaked in a week solution of flour paste. An entirely new set of rigging and awnings was gendered unserviceable by mildew in the short period of If under such conditions favored by an occasional sea-breeze and intervals of sunlight and dry weather the development of fungous life was so great . and the sickness so general what is to be expected in a stabterranean passage where the most favorable condi- a 92 s-a-- *-* * * * - ----------- - -------------- - - tº: tions exist for the development of the fungi and the worst possible for human existence? Whether it is the fungus or something invariably associated with it that causes the poisoning is immaterial as far as the present discussion goes. The gloom of the tunnel, the constant shower of chilled water from its roof and sides and its deoxygenated atmosphere would rapidly lower the tone of the human system far below the normal condition, and in this state it would be unable to combat success- fully against the invasion of the poisoning element.” Page 168: “Both at Panama and Nicaragua at various periods throughout the year calms prevail to an extent which would greatly decrease the value of either of the routes for sailing vessels.” Commencing page 192—Letter from Mr. James B. Eads: WASHINGTON, April 14, 1882. Page 194: “In connection with the question of practicability the committee should not lose sight of the fact that I propose to demonstrate the entire practica- * town is one of great gravity. bility of the ship railway before the government of the United States becomes in any way liable upon its guar- antee. In this connection also I desire to again express to the committee my solemn conviction that the question of the practicability of constructing a harbor at Grey- I have devoted much time to and have had no inconsiderable experience in hydraulic engineering and I have moreover examined with some care the problems presented at Greytown. I have no hesitation in placing my opinion distinctly on the record that all the questions involved in the con- struction of the ship railway and the transportation of vessels over it taken together do not begin to present as grave uncertainties as those involved in the improve- ment of this harbor. It is scarcely correct to speak of the harbor at Greytown for there is no longer a harbor there. The San Juan river, having deserted its old channel, the only means by which a depth of water was maintained, ceased to exist and the harbor where Once the vessels of the government floated has become obliter- ated and closed up by a mass of drifting Sands. I do not say that a harbor cannot be constructed at Greytown, for with sufficient money and time the engineers of the present day can accomplish almost any work, but if many years of time and many millions of money are to be regarded as factors in the problem then it may be truly said that the improvement of this harbor is im- practicable. If the plan as laid down on the large map in the committee room be the one proposed to recon- struct the harbor then I am willing to ignore the ques. tions of time and money and positively declare that such works are as shown on the plan will never produce the desired results. The advocates of the Nicaragua canal scheme have studiously avoided submitting to the com- mittee any definite plan for harbor improvement, but have contented themselves with the oft repeated general assertions of Captains Phelps and Merry, that the work could and would be done. Shall the opinions of such men as these have any weight with the committee upon the practicability of this harbor when no experienced hydraulic engineer has been willing to certify to it? Captain Phelps talks of digging a canal of sufficient capacity to accomodate the commerce of all the future, and Captain Merry draws the picture of 10,000 and 15,000 ton vessels sailing through the canal. Without stopping to notice the absurdity of these statements we may still ask the question of what value would such a canal be without harbors? The violent attacks made upon the practicability of the ship railway may have been inspired by the hope that in this way the attention of the committee would be diverted from the serious questions involved in the improvement of Greytown harbor. On page 14 of his pamphlet Captain Phelps says: “The estimated cost of the Nicaragua Canal based upon the actual instrumental measurements including lake, river and harbor work is $41,000,000.” And yet he and his associates ask the United States government to give them a guarantee upon $100,000,000. This admission and demand place these gentlemen in anything but an enviable position. They either know that the statement as to the total cost of the work is grossly erroneous or else they are seeking to secure a government guarantee far in excess of what honest men should demand. Again Captain Phelps seems greatly alarmed at the damage which may be done by earthquakes to ships upon the railway. Captain Phelps does not stop to consider the effect which an earthquake would have upon the canal at Nicaragua, a locality where earthquakes are much more likely to occur than at Tehuantepec. Captain Phelps’ statement of the rate of speed at which vessels will be able to move through the canal and the time of detention at locks is aſbout as ridiculous as his earthquake statement. The idea of propelling great ocean steamers through a canal at the rate of 10 mileš an hour is an idea born only of a disordered brain and indicates but two surely the total unreliability of the man who conceives it. The average rate of speed of deep-draught vessels passing through the Suez Canal does not exceed two miles per hour and it may be safely concluded that this rate would not be excecded at Nicaragua. The locks would also prove a constant source of delay to commerce. Respectſully, JAMES B. EADS, Hon. C. G. Williams, Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives. Speaking of the ship railroad I find, Page 183: “Then the mountain country over Tehuantepec is rough; there would be many cuts and many fills, rapid and turbulent streams to pass and in 3 .* the descent to the Pacific a cut of 312 feet to secure a grade even as favorable as 105.6 feet per mile, a grade considered inadmissible on a first-class railroad. I was in a great cyclone on that part of the coast in 1866 in which 27 inches of rain fell in forty hours. The floods that followed upon it swept whole forests to sea, and with the debris were jaguars, deer and other wild animals helpless in the resistless torrents. What kind of road-bed would have safely borne 4,000 or 6,000 tons in the midst of such a storm, or following upon it? It is surely not necessary to pursue this subject further. The superstructure, the lifts, the cars, the sidings, the turn-tables, the fixed engines, the traction engines, the harbors, the rivers, the lagoons each and ăll are very expensive items going to make up the total cost of the railroad.” * The reader may have some idea of the insect plague on the isthmus from the following description, p. 26: “To move forward from this post of observation a way must be cut through the jungle. Progress is slow and the ordinary exertion of walking causes profuse perspiration; attention is continually called to the safe- guards against parasites and animals with which certain plants and trees are provided and is generally attracted by the pain which these nettles, spines and thorns cause when unconsciously run against; a dense mass of cactus growing eight or ten feet high in clumps or grass-like blades with strong sharp thorns along their edges, is now encountered and the difficulty of cutting through it may be increased occasionally by disturbing a wasp's nest; passing this the path may come upon a mass of matted vines so high and so thick as to defy cutting. All this, while it has been necessary to climb over or crawl under, according to position and size of the many prostrate trees, and in doing this it is observed that a puncture like that of a redhot needle is the common form of introduction to different varieties of insect life. The path now follows one of the spurs and the exertion of climbing up its "steep slope tells heavily; the warm, liumid, motionless air seems of no use to the gasping mortal; bathed in perspiration, with a heart pulsating like a trip-hammer, with weak knees and lead-like feet, the top is reached. Then, as in the ravine below, all vision is limited to the few surrounding trees, and although the crest may be so narrow that a single tree occupies its whole width, no vista can be obtained. Con- tinuing on, the descent is begun and now the body is subjected to a jarring, racking process which seems to be all that is needed to utterly demolish the almost used. up human machinery. Emerging from the forest seems like coming from a dungeon of torture and the by no means bright light of the closed-in river seems dazzling.” Regarding tides I also find in Physical Geography by Mary Somerville (1855), page 115: “This narrow, tortuous strip of land which unites the continents of North and South America stretches from S.E. to N. W. about 1200 miles, varying in breadth from 20 to 300 or 400 miles.” 3. Page 220: “By the levelling across the Isthmus of Panama by Mr. Lloyd in 1828 the mean height of the Pacific above that of the Atlantic was found to be about three feet. The rise of the tide on the Atlantic side does not exceed two feet while at Panama it is more than eight- een and it is high water at the same time on both sides of the isthmus,” - The reader may be aware that a treaty was con- cluded between the United States of America and the United States of Colombia, as I find in “Bates’ Central and S. America:” “By the treaty made with the United States the Colombian Government agreed to cede six miles of land on each side of the canal, reserving for themselves 10 per cent of the net income of the completed work for the first ten years and after the canal was paid for 25 per cent of the net profits. Further clauses stipulated that the canal should be commenced within five years and finished within fifteen years after the ratification of the - treaty; otherwise the charter would lapse. The charter was to have been valid for one hundred years and the canal to be under the control of the United States, with the provision that the navigation should be open to all nations in times of peace but closed to belligerents. Since the surveys were made the Washington authori- . ties, as we have already stated, decided in favour of the Nicaragua line; but the Panama route has been more recently taken up with energy by a company having its seat in Paris and the works are already commenced. The treaty concluded between Colombia and the United States in 1869 secured to the latter power the right of determining on the best route for the projected canal across the isthmus.” Regarding the Nicaragua canal route I also find in The Daily News (Chicago), Thursday, July 14, 1898: sº “It is nearly half a century ago that the idea of . constructing an interOceanic canal across Nicaragua was first publicly discussed. e & * * © Finally a company was chartered by the United States to construct the canal and necessary concessions were obtained from the Nicaraguan government. Grande and the Lajas river to the lake, a distance of seventeen and a half miles. In this section the canal was to have a depth of 30 feet and a width at the bottom of 125 feet. Through the lake a channel would have to be dredged the distance from the mouth of the Lajas to Fort San Carlos on the eastern shore, being fifty-six and one-half miles. would be followed for sixty-nine miles. tributaries enter the San Juan, the San Carlos and the San Francisco, at a point called Ochoa and from that The route adopted was to start from Brito, following the Rio From that point the river San Juan Two important 94 place a regular canal would be constructed to Grey- town.” And speaking of the present Nicaragua canal bill I also find in The Daily News (Chicago), Friday, July 1, 1898, page 4: ‘‘NICARAGUA CANAL BILL.” “Since Senator Morgan withdrew the Nicaragua canal bill of 1889 from the consideration of the senate on the 10th of February, 1897, the affairs of that water- way have been in a somewhat chaotic condition from a legislative point of view. Several attempts have been made to amend the act of 1889 under which the con- structive companies have been operating, but for various reasons they have failed. The present bill is a substitute for all previous amendatory acts and has been introduced by the select committee on the Nicaragua canal. It has been the in- tention of the friends of the project to force the new bill to a debate as soon as the question of the annexation of Hawaii, under the Newlands resolution, has been dis- posed of. The present bill provides for the retirement of all the outstanding stock of the canal company except such as is held by the governments of Nicaragua and Costa Rica. A new issue of 1,100,000 shares, of the par value $100 each, is provided for, 700,000 of which are to be turned over to the government and in return there- for it is to put out and guarantee the principal and inter- est on bonds to an amount not exceeding $100,000,000 at 3 per cent interest. The government is to have the first lien on all the property of the company and the total outstanding debts are to be paid with a portion of the guaranteed securi- ties. The strong points in the bill are those providing that the work shall all be done under the supervision of the engineers of the regular army and that the bonds snall be issued by the treasury department at not less than par in payment for the work as it progresses. The bill restricts the cost of the work to $115,000,- 000 and the completion is limited to six years. This is a very radical departure from the original contracts, which excluded the government from any ownership of the canal, naking it a purely private enterprise.” Concerning the San Juan river I also find in “John, son’s Universal Cyclopedia:” “San Juan, a river of Central America, 120 miles in length, forming the outlet of Lake Nicaragua into the Carribbean Sea. Its depth varies from 2 to 20 feet and navigation is rendered difficult by five rapids, but small steamers have ascended through its whole course. The mouth of the river has more than once charged.” As regards the favorite route of Mr. G. A. Kar- weise, C. E., the following appeared in Engineering News and American Railway Journal of March 14, 1895, page 162, under the heading— “A NEW DARIEN SHIP CANAL ROUTE.” For Some time past items have been going the rounds of the daily press stating that Mr. Gustavus A. Karweise had discovered a very short and comparatively cheap route for a ship canal to connect the waters of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. We are now enabled to present this project to our readers through the courtesy of Mr. Frederick M. Kelley, who has for the last 30 years been prominently identified with isthmaic ship canal enterprise. * o º e g & g As shown on the accompanying map his canal route lies through the state of Colombia between the Gulf of Darien on the Atlantic side and the Bay of San Miguel on the Pacific side.” I also find in the Chicago Tribune of February 24, 1893, page 12, under heading— “The Panama Canal–Observations of a Layman Who Walked Over the Route.—Panama, Feb. 1–Spe- cial Correspondence Los Angeles Times.— . . . . * & © Here the canal crosses the Chagres river, which, together with the mountain Culebra, has thus far baffled engineers. (It will cost more to control that Chagres river, which rises frequently fifty feet in twenty-four hours, and to cut through that Culebra mountain than to construct the Nicaragua ship canal its entire length.)” I would also call the reader's attention to an article that appeared in The Engineering News of August, 1898, by Joseph Nimmo, jr., commencing page 720, headed ‘The Nicaragua Canal in its Commercial and Military Aspects,” in which he states, page 272: “In a letter dated June 10, 1898, the superintendent of United States coast and geodetic survey furnished to me the following statements of distances: From Manila to New York— Nºl Via Suez canal. . . . . . . . . . ............................. 11,565 Via Nicaragua canal................................ 11,746 From Manila to London— Via Suez Canal....................................... 9,600 Via Nicaragua canal . . . . . . . . . . . . .................... 14,680 sº Page 723: There are now thirteen transcontinental railroads constructed or in course of construction on this conti- nent, namely: The Trans-Andean of Chili and Argen- tina; the Panama Railroad; the Costa Rica Railway; the railroad in Nicaragua projected and partly con- structed from Corinto on the Pacific coast to an excellent harbor for large ships on the Blewfields river; a railroad projected and partly constructed from Old Guatamela on the Pacific coast to a port on the Bay of Honduras; the Tehuantepec Railroad of Mexico; six transcontinental lines in the United States; and the Canadian Pacific Railway in British America. In r-gard to the Clayton-Bulwer treaty I find in The Daily News (Chicago), August 12, 189 , page 3: 95 The first clause of the Clayton-Bulwer treaty de- clares and agrees that neither the United States nor Great Britain shall ever obtain or maintain for itself any exclusive control over any ship canal which may be constructed between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans' through Nicaragua. Both countries in fact are to wield an equal power, and every other country, it was agreed, should be invited to enter into the same stipulations, to the end that real neutralization of the canal should have the guaranty of the commercial world. - In connection with the short Darien ship canal route I advocate from Caledonia Bay or Port Escoces on the Atantic side to the Gulf of San Miguel on the Pacific side, via the Savana river, I also find in “Surveys for a Canal Across Isthmus of Darien”—Selfridge, page 24, Darien: - This route, starting from Caledonia Bay, proceeds westward to the vicinity of the junction of the Sucubti and Chucumaqua, thence to the junction of the Lara and Savana and down to the Pacific. Its noble harbors and the assertions of Dr. Cullen, but partially contradicted by the meagre reports of Gisborne and Strain, required that this route should be surveyed. . . . . As to a system of lockage three and a half miles from . the beach we have an altitude of 250 feet and no water but the insignificant streams of the Aglamate and Agla- senidua, while the lowest point of the divide is not under 1000 feet and the Sucubti at an elevation of 600 feet is but little more than a mountain brook. As to tunneling, taking the altitude of the junction of the Chucumaqua and Morti, as previously deduced at 160 feet, the distance from this point to a similar alti- tude is nine miles. From these facts it is evident that this route is, equally with the Darien, impracticable for canalization. As will have been seen, the obstacles encountered were such as to decide the impracticability of these routes without continuing the surveys to the Pacific, an operation requiring time and money without in any way affecting the general result. Lieutenant Commander Eastman entered with vigor and enthusiasm into the duty assigned him, the survey of the Savana and Bayamo rivers. He commenced the survey of the former on the 15th of April and completed it as far as the Lara river by the 6th of May. The gen- eral character of its bottom is mud, with a few excep- tions of rock and gravel, but underneath the mud, proba- bly at ten feet, rock will be found. It can easily be made a 20-foot channel at low water by dredging, and this only in a few places, the river generally having more than 18 feet at low water. The rise and fall of tide was found to be only 17 feet in the river and 24 feet in the Darien harbor. ! The result of the survey fully corroborates all pre- vious reports of the adaptability of the Savana rºer for canal purposes as well as Darien harbor, answering every - * * requirement for a great terminus of a canal, but unfor- tunately the delineations of the interior of the isthmus on the Darien line will never call them into use in con- nection with the latter. - Page 31: I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, - - - THOMAS O. SELFRIDGE, Commander United States Navy. . Hon. George M. Robeson, Secretary of the Navy, Washington, D. C. The reader may also find (page 54) that Willia McDermott, surgeon R. N., states: As to the levels and feasibility of the canal, I have, from the deck of the Espiegle and different positions in the harbor, distinctly seen a valley across the Cordillera and having often accompanied Mr. Parsons, master in command of H. M. S. Scorpion, whilst making his ad- mirable survey of Caledonia Bay and Port Escoces, I. have heard him express his opinion that it was highly probable there was a line of country of low elevation between Caledonia Bay and the Gulf of San Miguel which would offer every facility for a ship canal. The reader may have noticed that I stated page 64 “that the Rio Savana River is very prominently marked on the above map and it seems strange I find no description of that river in Commander Selfridge's re- port.” However I found afterwards that Commander Selfridge did mention the river in his report, page 29 or 30 he states: “Lieutenant Commander Eastman entered with vigor and enthusiasm into the duty assigned him— the survey of the Savana and Bayamo Rivers. He com- menced the survey of the former on the 15th of April and completed it as far as the Lara river by the 6th of May. The general character of its bottom is mud with a few exceptions of rock and gravel, but underneath the mud, probably at ten feet, rock will be found. It can easily be made a 20-foot channel at low water by dredg- - ing and this only in a few places, the river generally having more than 18 feet at low water; the rise and fall of the tide was foulid to be only 17 feet in the river.” If the reader has kindly followed me in these numerous quotations it may have been perceived that the explorers of the Isthmus do not always agree about Latitude and Longitude, Maps, etc. But as the different views of the parties in these respects does not actually affect the size of the Isthmus itself, it is not necessary that we should enter into their disputes especially even if we did so it would not settle the case. For some of their ideas about Latitude and Longi- tude please see pages 65, 82, 84, 41, 65, 40, 65; and their ideas of Maps to pages 70, 6, 21, 28, 51, 56, 64, 83, 50, 59. As regards the unfortunate French Panama Canal it would seem almost useless to make any more remarks. But as they do not appear to have altogether abandoned this canal (see pages 75, 17). of the difficulties they have to overcome may not be out of place. This ship canal route runs from between Limon or Aspinwall on the Atlantic side and Panama on the Pacific side in the main parallel to the railway, , \ A brief glance at some * -* -º- * \ The entire length of the canal is 74 kilometers (see page 16, 18). The harbors are insufficient—“That of Aspin- wall is so indifferent that during the seasons of the northers ships are frequently obliged to put to Sea. At Panama there is not water at low tide to float large vessels within two and a half miles of the town and a channel under water would have to be cut 1n rock.” (see page 64) It is also stated (page 18) that “the Panama Canal crosses the Chagres River Seventy-eight times and the Rio Grande thirteen times.” Page 64 it is stated regarding the Chagres River that it “has been known to rise 30 feet in a night and overflow the adjacent country for miles.” Another account (see page 95) speaks of this Chagres river rising “frequently fifty feet in twenty-four hours.” Then the Culebra mountain (page 18) is a serious obstacle. The locks also present no small difficulty (see page 17). It is certainly surpris- ing the French selected this route, although warned by American engineers (page 18) at the Paris conference. The French government, however, (page 17) were wise enough to give no financial aid to this disastrous enter- prise. - Regarding the Nicaragua Canal which it is stated (page 28) according to a work published by the Nicara- gua Canal Construction Co., “San Juan del Norte or Greytown on the Atlantic and Brito on the Pacific are the termini; the distance from port to port is one hundred and sixty-nine and one-half miles of which twenty-six and three-fourths will be excavated channel and one hundred and forty-two and two-thirds miles in lakes, rivers and basins; the summit is necessarily Lake Nicara- gua one hundred and ten feet above the Sea.” The reader may know that many difficulties confront tis regarding the construction of this Nicaragua Canal. In the first place we have the so-called harbor of Grey- town or San Juan. It will be seen (page 13) that Commander Selfridge U. S. Navy does not admit it is a harbor; he states, “it is entirely destitute of harbors.” Also the remarks of Mr. Eads (page 93) are indeed startling concerning this so-called harbor. It is also evident Rear Admiral Davis U. S. Navy (page 11) had small confidence in this Nicaragua Canal. Also Dr. Edward Cullen, F. R. G. S., (see page 24). Lieutenant J. A. Sullivan, U. S. Navy, also expresses grave doubts, (see page 63). Mr. Gustave A. Karweise, C E., (page 14) also gives his voice emphatically against it and is reported as saying “there is always danger of the water giving out in the lake in dry season.” It will be seen also (page 19) that it is stated, “the report of the govern- ment commission appointed early in the year to eximine the canal was published about December 1. Its findings are very unfavorable to the enterprise.” The reader may know, that this commission consisted of Commander Endicott, U. S. Navy, Major William Ludlow, U. S. Army, and Mr. Alfred Noble, civil engineer (now of Chicago). It is also stated (page 19) “the Commissioners suggest that Congress should appropriate $350,000 for a commission of competent engineers to make an exhaus- tive study of the whole scheme; eighteen months are said to be requisite for such a study.” Peter Stout (page 13) also gives his opinion emphatically against this canal scheme. We also have to encounter the difficulties of the dam at Ochoa (see page 14–19); we next have to encounter the horrible unhealthy San Juan River (see pages 13–90) said to be from 2 to 20 feet deep and to contain 5 rápids. See also the dreadful experi- ence of the British expedition (page 89) on this river.’ Also Peter Stout's remarks (page 13). We next approach the terrible Lake of Nicaragua (see page 13) the vivid description of Frederick Boyle, Esq., F. R. G. S., who States he “never saw its equal in violence and treachery.” Also please-see (page 15) the account of Peter F. Stout, late vice-consul of the United States, four year a resident within the territory of the Republic of Nicaragua. He states, “the timid mariner witnesses water spouts and experiences the most sudden dangerous squalls met with in any water on the globe.” Also let the reader turn to page 11 and see the unfavorable opinion the late Admiral Fitzroy (R. N.) had of this Nicaragua Canal. Also turn to page 10 and see how Rear Admiral Charles H. Davis, U. S. Navy., regards this Nicaragua Canal as a poor line and remarks on the survey made by Childs and Fay. He states: “The line selected by Col. Childs proceeds from Lake Nicaragua by a short and easy route to the harbor of Brito. The plan of operation requires fourteen (14) locks to descend from the lake to the Pacific Ocean, and fourteen (14) locks to descend from the lake to the Caribbean Sea in which last enumeration are included eight locks at dams on the San Juan. There are seven (7) dams on the river. Costly improve- ments possessing the character of artificial harbors will be necessary at the two points of departure from the lake. The sea ports of Greytown and Brito at the two ends of the line will require costly and extensive im- provements in the way of excavations, piers, jetties, breakwaters, etc. The total length of the line is a little more than one hundred and ninety-four miles (194 miles). It may be safely asserted that no enterprise presenting such formidable difficulties will ever be undertaken with even our present knowledge of the American Isthmuses.” Also regarding earthquakes, volcanoes, etc., threatening this Nicaragua Canal let the reader turn to page 16 and read the remarks of C. E. Dutton, major ordnance de- partment. That the Press is in no way unanimous con- cerning the practicability of this Nicaragua Canal scheme please turn to pages 5, 7 and 9 in this work. The reader may also be aware that William McKinley, President of the United States of America, has appointed another commission to still further investigate this Nicaragua Canal. The members of this commission were reported in a paper as “Rear Admiral J. G. Walker, Colonel D. C. Haines, United States engineer corps and Professor Louis Haupt.” In conclusion permit me to remind the reader that there are four conditions desirable in constructing this Ship Canal across the American Isthmus, namely good harbors, short distance, the best climate we can obtain and low summit level; all of these four conditions I shall endeavor to prove we have in this short ship canal route I advocate across the Isthmus of Darien in the United $tates of Colombia from Caledonia Bay or Port Escosces on the Atlantic side to the Gulf of San Miguel on the Pacific side via the Savana river. As regards harbors the Gulf of San Miguel on the Pacific side (see page 42) it is stated “would hold all the shipping of the world.” As regards the harbors on the Atlantic side (sée pages 27, 41 and 96) Commander Selfridge, U. S. Navy, states (page 27) “Caledonia Bay contains four distinct harbors viz. Sassardi Bay, Grant Harbor, Caledonia Harbor and Escoses Harbor; all of these are commodious and comparatively easy of access and contain plenty of water for vessels of any size with good holding ground.” Let the reader also notice how favorably Commander Selfridge reports on the harbor facilities on the Pacific side; also on the Savana River (which river we propose to make part of the proposed eanal to its junction with the River Lara (see page 96). #elfridge tells us the survey of the River Savana was 97. sº completed “as far as the Lara River by the 6th of May, It can easily be made a 20 foot channel at low water by dredging and this only in a few places, the river generally having more than 18 feet at low water; the rise and fall of tide was found to be only 17 feet in the river and 24 feet in the Darien Harbor. The result of the survey fully corroborates all previous reports of the adaptability of the Savana River for canal purposes as well as Darien Harbor, answering every requirement for a great termi- nus of a canal.” Also please find (page 56) remarks of Rear Admiral Charles H. Davis where he states in re- gard to this route from the Gulf of San Miguel to Caledonia Bay: “We have at both ends, of the line harbours spacious and admirable in every respect and on the south side there is a height of tide suited to the con- struction of docks for repairs, etc.” - Secondly as to short distance a glance at the map will show that the distance across the land is short in a straight line in this part of the Isthmus. Let the reader consult the “Royal Atlas, W. & A. K. Johnston M. D. C. C. C. X. C. V. I. Edinburg and London, map 54 West India Islands and Central America by Keith Johnston, F. R. S. E. On the map may be found the G. de S. Miguel, the rivers Savana and Chucumaqua and Pto Escoces and Caledonia Bay. Dr. Cullen gives the distance (see page 26) “Thus the distance from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean by the route from Port Escosces or Caledonia Bay to the Gulf of San Miguel by way of the river Savana would be thirty-nine miles. In a direct line from Port Escosces to the gulf the distance is thirty-three miles.” Thirdly as regards climate see Health of this part of the Isthmus, Dr. Cullen's remarks (page 26). Also Wm. McDermott, Surgeon R. N.; the latter states (page 54) “In every instance in which I had an opportunity of testing Dr. Cullen's original statements which led to the organization of the expedition I found them to be strictly true and in that point in which I was more particularly interested, viz: the healthiness of the climate I fully coincide with him, not a single case of sickness having occurred amongst the men who formed the exploring parties, although they were constantly wading in rivers during the day and lying on damp ground at night; or amongst the crews of the ships in harbour. I shall publish my report on the climate at an early date. The reader may also see, “Health (page 63) Commander Thos. O. Selfridge, commanding Darien Exploring Ex- pedition—The health of the expedition has been a matter of surprise to us all.” Also regarding the Scotch Colony of Darien (page 80) it is stated: “This sickness was no wayes occationed by the unhealthiness of the climate which all of ym say was very wholesome only 3. nére want-starved ym out of the place.” Also see re- marks of Rear Admiral Davis, U. S. Navy, (page 56) “the course of this line is exceptionally healthy while its out- lets open upon coasts where violent storms are rarely known.” Also see remarks of Isionel Gisborne G. E. (page 38) “this portion of the Isthmus of Darien is without doubt in one of the most healthy districts.” And fourth, summit level, we find Glydes Geography (page 5) estimates it low; also Dr. Gullen (page 6); Dr. Galdwell (page 20) also thought it was low. Commander Prevost, R. N. (page 21) found a higher point but much level land or nearly so. The Spaniards also (page 25) found: “It is level and suitable for wheels as far as the mouth of the Sucubte and from here it is easy to cross to the coast with beasts of burden.” See Dr. ºr—--- Gullen (page 27) also. Also Prevost's (page 51) Explora. tion. Lieutenant Sullivan (page 62) found no low summit level. However Milla Patterson (see page 78) appeared to have no great diffi- culty with hills. Neither did Suegeon Wafer (page 60) appear to meet with great difficulty. Dr. Mc- Dermott (page 54) speaks of having “distinctly seen a valley across the Gordillera.” Gommander Selfridge, U. S. Navy (page 96) could find no low summit level. But the reader may remember we have other proof of a low summit level as it is stated (page 32). The people at Principe could hear the gun fired at Carolina. It must be remembered that Spaniards had a Fort at Carolina on the Atlantic side at or near the Aglaseniqua River and another Fort Principe on or near the Savana River on the Pacific side. The gun being heard indicates short dis- tance and low summit level. There appears then reason ito hope that a Ship Ganal might be constructed on or near that line, and I would respectfully suggest to the people and government of the United States that before any financial aid is granted to the Nicaragua Canal that. this canal route I advocate from Port EscoSces or Gale- donia Bay on the Atlantic side to the Gulf of San Miguel on the Pacific side via the Savana River be surveyed and investigated providing the United States of Colombia have no objection. See former treaty (page 94) between these two countries regarding canal. I do not find in the translation of Adjutant Milla's (page 72 report the remarks attributed to him by (see page 91 Lieutenant Sullivan, U. S. Navy. Differ- ences of opinion, etc., are sure to arise in such a compli- cated subject. I desire the reader to listen to what each explorer states as his own experience. Lionel Gisborne, C. E. (page 85) also states before the Royal Geographical Society of London: ‘With respect to Dr. Galdwell's paper all the information he had collected was evidently wrong.” However we must be very cautious in taking evidence from Gisborne owing to his former contradictory statements about the Isthmus (see page 22, 85, 33). s + My readers may find, page 7 and 8, in this work an editorial which appeared in the “Chicago Commercial Journal,” of Saturday, December 26, 1896, under heading “A Darien Ship Ganal.” The article concludes with: “The enterprise is in the hands at present of Thomas Wright Hurst of this city who may be communicated with, in care of this office. He has at hand authoritie and data to satisfy the most incredulous.” * I would respectfully request my readers to sift and examine the evidence for themselves and if considered satisfactory to insist upon a government survey of this short Darien Ship Ganal route I advocate across the Isthmus of Panama or Darien in the United States of Golombia from Caledonia Bay or Port Escosces on the Atlantic side to the Gulf of San Miguel on the Pacific side via the Savana River. 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