The Sun.
London, England, 1856-08-29 00:00:00

3. PREVOST'S EXPLORATION.

The exploration from the Pacific aide had no connection
whatever either with the expedition under Mr. Gisborne
or that under Lieut. Strain, awl requires separate notice.
Cominander Provost, of her Majesty's steamer Virago,
sailed from Panama on Dec. 16, 185 and arrived in the
Savana river on the following day. On the 18th he.pro-
ceeded up the river with a party of 15, including Messrs.
Kennish and Nelson, " volunteers," interested in the rival
route via the Atrato, and passing the Lama mouth, the
site of Fuerte del Principe, and the mouth of La Villa, he
built a rancho a little above the latter. From thence he
advanced in a N.N.E. direction, cutting apath as he went.
After IL 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
Chnquanaqua, opposite the month of Mosti. 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 seven.
In the first day's march, on the Atlantic side of the Chu-
quanaqua, 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 al-
tering his course to the N.W. he proceeded in the N.N.E.
direction, ascended the Cordillera to-an elevation of 800
feet, and then descended it to a river running lute the At-
lantic, most probably the Aglaseniqua. His provisions
being then nearly exhausted, ho returned to the Chuqua-
anaqua, though being within a few miles of the Atlantic,
and reaching rancho No. 10 on the third day from the date
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 forty-eight hours
dead. This dreadful event naturally exciting alarm for
their own safety, they returned in haste to the Savana,
traversing the country from the Chuquanaquato that river
in 18 hours. Commander Prevost then returned on board
and sailed for Callao on the 7th of January, 18;4. The
Virago returned from Peru, subsequently under Comman-
der Marshal, who fortunately despatched a boat's crew to
the rescue of Strain's party.
During the whole of his journey Prevost met neither
Indian nor habitation ; but, before he detached the four
unfortunate 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 Granatlians, to ask
the consent of the Indians to his entering their territory,
and to announce to them the nation he belonged to. Upon
my examining the Indians in Caledonia Bty and Sassardi
upon the subject of the murders, they stated that the In-
dians thought the men were Spaniards, seeing they had
arms in their possession, and that if they bad known they
were Englishmen they would not have harmed thorn. They
said that the fourth man was also killed, and that if his
body was not to be seen it must have been carried off by
a tiger. The Indians of Sueubti arrested the murderers
afterwards, and offered to send them to Panama for trial.
It has been said that I represented thelndians as friendly:
I have said that they are friendly to the English, " out do
not allow them to land on the coast."* 1 have always
stated that it would be absolutely necessary to get their
consent before landing any party on their territory, and it
never was anticipated by Mr. Gisborno or the company
that any officer would have 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 ou the Pacific until after the arrival of the
expedition on the Atlantic Pid o.
4. RESULTS.

Notwithstanding the expedition thus failed, from want
of concert between the leaders and their inaction and in-
capacity, to make &survey from sea to sea, and has thereby
left the practicability of the canal still "au open question,"
it is consolatory to know that the practical results of the
several unconnected explorations, so far as any reliable
and accurately ascertained data have been obtained, are
satisfactory. They are-
1. That the harbours of Port Escoces, Caledonia Bay,
and the Channel of Sassardi, extending continuously along
the Atlantic coast of the Isthmus of Darien for eleven nau-
tical miles, present, from their depth of water, freedom
from shoals, and great security, safe anchorage in all
weathers, and that each is admirably adapted for the ter-
minus of a great ship canal, as proved by the " Survey of
Caledonia Harbour and Port Escoces," by Commander
Parsons, of her Majesty's ship Scorpion, published by the
Hydrographic office in 1854. Captain Hollins, of the
Cyane, has al-o spoken highly of their capabilities. The
existence of those noble harbours, 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 I directed attention to their merits.
2. That the Gulf of San Miguel, on the Pacific side, is
only excelled on the West Coast of North and South Ame-
rica, by the port of San Francisco, as will appear on re-
ference to Captain Kellett's Chart.
3. That the "Dar ion 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 accothpanied Com-
mauler Prevost, and took soundings.
4. That the Savana river is navigable for several miles
above its mouth, which is free from bars, and has nine
fathoms of water at low tide, as results from the observa-
tions of Messrs. Bennett, Devenish, Armstrong, and Bond,
who found my soundings to be correct.
5. That) from the Savana to the, Chuquanaqua, the
ground is low, with the exception of a single ridge of from
50 feet to 60 feet elevation, as stated in the " Official Re-
port of Commander Prevost of H.M.S. Virago," tend be-
fore the Royal Geographical Society of London, April 24,
1854.

6. That, according to the same report, beyond the
Chuquanaqua there is one hill 80, and another 120 feet
high, and that from the summit of the latter the Atlantic
was seen, bearing N.W. ; so, that in a N.W. direction be-
tween that hill and the Atlantic there is no elevation of
importance, but on the contrary a depression occurs in
the line of the Cordillera. A N.W. line, drawn from that
hill to the Atlantic, would terminate in the channel of
Sassardi, a little west of Sassardi village. This corresponds
precisely with the statement I bave made iu page 73 of the
" Isthmus of Darien"—viz., that "A little west of Sassardi,
there is a deep valley in the Cordillera of the coast."
7. That, according to the medical reports of Dr.
M'Dermott, of the Espiegle, and Dr. Brownlow, of the
Cyane, Caledonia Bay is healthier than any station in
Central America, no sickness having occurred in any of the
ships or amongst any of the parties on shore.
8. That no hostility need be apprehended from the In-
dians if their consent to land on the Isthmus be obtained,
as proved by Lieutenant Strain traversing in perfect safety
the whole country of the Chucunas, the most populous and
hostile tribe of Darien Indians.
I am confident that the result of a survey would prove
that, as I stated six years ago, there is a valley in the Cor-
dillera, between the headwaters of the Aglaseniqua and
Sucubti, through which it will be quite feasible to cut a
canal, and I am firmly convinced that a careful survey of
the four or five miles which separate those rivers is all that
is necessary to establish the practicability of the canal, and
decide a question so important to the commerce of the
world.

I remain, sir, your most obedient servant,
EDWARD CULLEN.
11, Royal Exchange, Aug. 22.

* "Isthmus of Darien Ship Canal," p. CG.

COMPENSATIONS TO RAILWAY TRAVELLERS.—The fo
lowing item occurs in the half.yearly accounts of the
Eastern Counties Railway Company :—"To compensa-
tions for injuries to passengers, and costs incident
thereto, 7,9221. 10s. 43." Pretty well for six months.
BRITISH ARCH2EOLOGIOAL ASSOCIATION. --BRIM.
WATER, Aug. 28.—The congress returned last evening
from their excursion at a much earlier hour than the pre-
vious day. They were thus enabled to dine at the Royal
Clarence and then to meet in the Town hall, where a
paper was read by Mr. V. Irving on the Cisbbury group
of camps, in Sussex. This morning the association
started for Clevedon, to which a branch line of the Bris-
tol and Exeter Railway bas been opened. The objects
of interest inspected were Walton Castle and Church,
and other churches of more or less architectural beauty.
The Cadbury Camp and Cleveland Court were also ex-
amined. With this day the Britigawater meetings will
be brought to a close. To-morrow the association pro-
ceed to Bath, where there will be a reception at the
Royal Literary Institution and an inspection of the
many attractions of the neighbourhood. The closing
meeting will be held at Bath on Saturday.
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