The Sun.
London, England, 1854-10-06 00:00:00

SURVEY OF T.

rS OF DARIEII

The following letters have been received at the Ad•
miralty relative to the rescue of the United States ex-
ploring expedition, under Lieutenant Strain, by a party
from her Majesty's ship Virago, and will probably be
read with interest :

" President, at Callao.

" Sir,—My Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty have
been mado aware of the rescue of Lieutenant Strain, of
the United States' navy, and his partylrom starvation, by
au expedition sent up the Chuqunaque River, by Com-
mander Marshall, of the Virago.
" I have now to enclose two letters addressed by Lieu-
tenant Strain and his party to Commander Marshall ou
the subject. _ _

"I have also the honour to enclose a copy of a letter
from me approving the roceedings of Commander Mar-
shall and the officers who have been employed on the Da-
rien. The letters therein referred to have already been
forwarded to their Lordships.
" I am, Sir, your most obedient Minable servant,
"D. PRICE. Rear-Admiral.
"Mr. Ralph Osborne, M.P., &c., Admiralty."

"TO COMMANDER EDWARD MARSHALL, R.N., COMMAND-
ING HER BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S SHIP VIRAGO.
"United States' Darien Expedition, Cantonment
of La Palma, Darien Harbour. -
" Sir,—ln my own behalf and of the officers and others
composing the expedition under my command, I write to
tender to you, and through you to the officers and seamen
under your command, our sincere thanks for the prompt
and inestimable assistance rendered by the party despatched
to the Upper Chuqunaque, under the immediate command
of Lieutenant W. C. Forsyth.
" For the perfect understanding of the service rendered
a brief recapitulation of preceding events will be neces-
sary. You are already aware of the circumstances con-
nected with my crossing the Cordillera and reaching the
banks of the Chuqunaque, and of the imperative reasons
which induced me to follow the banks of that stream.
" During our progress down the river we suffered great
inconvenience for want of provisions, those which we
brought from the sloop of war Cyano having entirely failed
us on the eighth day, when wo were deserted by our Indian
guides. On the sth and 6th of February we halted, and
with great difficulty constructed a raft for the conveyance
of the invalids, but wore obliged to abandon it the first day
on account of insuperable obstacles which we encountered
iu the channel of the river.
" On the 18th of February, or 24 days after leaving the
Cyano, the necessity of sending a party in advance to ob-
tain provisions and canoes forced itself upon my mind, al-
though I entertained it with much hesitation, as I was
loth to separate the party, which, though it consisted of 22
persons, was, owing to physical debility, in no condition to
cope with the Indians, who were well aware of our where-
abouts and condition. Yet the step became imperative, as
the spirits of a few of our men began to flag, while despair
had taken possession of the minds of the New Grenadian
commissioners.
" Of the other naval officers in the expedition, not one
could have taken the advance with the slightest apparent
pi ospect of reaching the Pacific.
"The same remark would apply to the engineers and
surveyors, all of whom suffered excessively from sore feet
and general debility, arising from the deficiency and cha-
racter of the food.
" After mature deliberation, I came to the conclusion
that the time had arrived when I must separate myself
temporarily from the party, and that, whatever service I
might render by my presence, I could more effectually
assist them by reaching the settlements and bringing them
provisions and means of transportation. Early on the
morning of the 13th of February, I called together the
officers and men, and, after announcing my intentions,
called for throe volunteers to accompany sue. From the
many who presented themselves, I selected Mr. Frederick
Avery, a volunteer assistant-engineer, and two of the crew
of the Cyan°, whose appearance would promise the most
physical endurance.
"Independent of the absolute and increasing necessity of
obtaining assistance, 1 calculated upon a powerful moral
benefit from my absence, as a prospect, however remote,
of aid from without would excite those who were inclined
to despair to greater exertion. The correctness of my sup-
position was afterwards verified to a certain extent, espe-
cially when the main body of the party, after six days'
marching, only reached my first night's camp, where they
found a note which I had left for them.
"From the 13th of February until the evening of the
6th of March we followed the river. Ou the 15th and 16th
of February we attempted to float down the stream on a
raft of driftwood; but after being several times wrecked
among the snags and rapids, we wore obliged to abandon
it. On the Ist of March, finding that, owing to the lace-
rated state of my feet and Mr. Avery's, it would be im-
possible to proceed much further by land, we halted and
constructed a raft largo enough to carry two persons, in-
tending to add to it as soon as an opportunity offered, and
when the two mon should overcome a repugnance, which
the narrow escapes we had on the 15th and 16th of Feb-
ruary had caused them to entertain against raft naviga-

lion.
" On the 2d of March wo sot out, on the 3d met tide-
water, and on the evening of the 9th arrived at Yavisa in
canoes, which we met some two miles above the town.
Understanding that the Virago was at Darien, and about
to sail for Panama, I determined to lose no time in obtain-
ing an interview with you, and in making an effort to ob-
taw your assistance in behalf of my party. Immediate
aid was, however, a matter of the first importance, and
about 9 p.m. on the 10th, or a little more than 21 hours,
after our arrival, I despatched Mr. Avery, with five ca-
noes and ton men, all obtainable provisions, and accompa-
nied by a Mr. Noreiga, who acted as interpreter, and was
expected to use his influence among the natives, and in-
cite them to proceed as far as might be necessary up the
river. On the morning of the 11th I set out, and arriving
the next day at Chapigana by daylight, was informed
that the Virago had sailed for Panama to be absent
six days, and that upon her return it was your inten-
tion to despatch a force up the Chuqunaque, to the
assistance of our party. From Chapigana. I proceeded
without loss of time to the junction of the Savana and
Lars rivers, whore I was received by Mr. W. C. Bennett,
civil engineer iu the service of the Atlantic and Pacific
Junction Company; with the provisions which he kindly
supplied I returned to Yavisa, where I arrived on the
evening of the 15th inst., and learnt that one canoe and
two of Mr. Avery's party had returned without reaching
the main body.
"They brought a note from Mr. Avery, informing me
that all his men would abandon on the next day. Early
on the morning of tho 17th ho returned with his whole
party, and bringing with him ono of our men who had
strayed from camp on the sth of March, was absent from
the river until the 15th, and was found on the 16th. Al-
though rational when found, ho was perfectly delirious
when ho arrived at Yavisa, and died within two hours.
" Mr. Avery reported that he had arrived with his party
at a camp which was the lowest point attained by the
main body, and which was somewhat short of my second
camp after leaving it. He also brought a note from Passed-
Midshipman Truxton, United States navy, the second in
command, and in charge during my absence, announcing
the death of ono of the men, the illness of others, and that
lie had finally acceded to the urgent desire of the great
majority of the party to attempt to return to the banana
plantations on the river, which we had left on the 29th of
January. The date of this note was the sth of March.
They commenced their return on the 6th, and the note
was received by Mr. Avery on the 16th, and, had it not
been for the despicable cowardice of the Yavisa canoe-men,
the party might have been relieved on the 17th, or about
ono week before the timely arrival of the expedition from
your ship.
" With all haste, within an hour after Mr. Avery's re-
turn, I engaged five canoes, and demanded men from the
authorities, who levied them in the three adjoining towns
of Yavisa, Real, and Pinugana.
" Fearing much from the results of a retrograde move-
ment in a party already so much broken down, I deter-
mined nut to risk its safety in the hands of the Grenadian
boatmen, who might, and I had every reason to believe
would, desert us at a critical moment, and would not be
induced to advance far enough to be of any service. So I
directed Mr. Avery to set off with the canoes and provi-
sions as soon as the men might arrive, while I determined
to hasten to the ship to ask your assistance.
"As the tido was now ebbing, I could not even venture
to remain and see the last sad offices performed over
my late comrade, and, leaving the priest and Mr. Avery
charged with that duty, I set out for the Virago, which I
hoped to reach by daylight.
" After proceeding some 18 miles, I fortunately met your
paddlebox boat armed and equipped for the expedition,
and under the command of Lieut. W. C. Forsyth, the
first lieutenant of the Virago, who delivered to me your
very kind and polito note of the 16th inst., inviting me to
accept the hospitality of your ship for myself and party,
for which very considerate and courteous invitation permit
mo, Sir, to return my sincere thanks, and those of my re-
maining companions.
" Arriving ut Yavisa on the same evening, with the aid
of your officers, and assisted in a very high degree by Mr.
Bennett, we obtained three of the five canoes that had
been promised me, and were enabled to commence ascending
the river ut about 11 a.m. next day. The natives whom
I had engaged did not join us until the next afternoon,
when 11 made their appearance in two canoes.
" The particulars of the expedition you have doubtless
received from Lieutenant Forsyth, by whom it was so ably
conducted, and that portion of the subject I will dismiss
by remarking that the strength, courage, and indomitable
energy of your officers and mon, aided by the dexterity of
the natives in the management of canoes, enabled us to
make the most rapid journeys, and to pass over distances
in a few hours that would cost mu many days in the
descent.
" Arriving at hospital camp No. 2, whence our party
had commenced their return, the natives insisted on re-
turning, which I resisted by mingled entreaties and
threats, and again, on the ensuing day, they insisted upon
going no further, and finally declared it to be their irre-
vocable intention to return after a day's journey.
the
" During the last day of our ascent we discoveredl
sew
grave of M. Ramon Castillo de la Rada the
principar„t„rn
Grenadian commissioner,h arty,
march, and been interred by the main body ofits_ooni;r,
who had died during the
and upon it lay the remains of the other cor,
to remain behind and die upon the graven.
of
at
11.
Faience
Bernardo Polaneo, whose failing strength
of
hlisincdouincro:d,dleii.m
" Lieutenant Forsyth caused the reinai _ r t
cross to mark their place of
winerteheo
inowteenseuepxlviitth.
to be buried upon the grave
interment.ofMl.archst2ll:l3e),saigundseofeceda
o ap-
peared In the afternoon of this day (
f-mllen):1„,h campy
becameuri
n gevery
sagacityhour
by morerecent,onro fn j.nt
i:1 andieai
in 8 (canoe.
peered to lose their dread
went of the event which involved the lives of so many peer-
As they made each announcement of near approach
it was „owl.
answered by an enthusiastic cheer from the men of
Mr. Vor,yth,,, party, who renewed their already wonderful
signs of a bear ap-
proach the same timetehffaotrt,s,
et owoevreor
itakeoi
etehde
tmissing
vie) a rt thy.;
to my party, an occasional cartridge box, and in one
csga'an abandoned rifle, alarmed us as to the state in which
we should find it ; andomouNt,elarfesaurne
demoralised,,mwoNell aware of the disorganising in•
ruegthri ol
yg
rade
tilliheued'n'aiceti°vtohtnfooraeod canoe discovered the sunset t thatth e iwiaetimveigshint
which
announcemreemnatiwndaesrrooefthovuordpwaritty
on the river bank, h
enthusiastic cheers by the whole rehearing party.
" Upon lauding, we learned that of the 18 persons whom