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

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SIR,--The war being now happily concluded, I think this
a favourable opportunity again to bring forward the sub-
ject of the Darien Ship Canal, and to state the grounds
upon which I feel justified in calling upon the Govern-
ments 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 Mi-
guel. It will be therefore necessary to give a brief account
of the late deplorably 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 that, instead of a single well-arranged expe-
dition, there were three unconnected explorations in dif-
ferent directions, none of them brought to a conclusion,
and two of them conducted without the use of compasses.
Towards the close of 1353 it was arranged between the
Governments of Great Britain, France, and the United
States, that a man of war, and a staff of engineers from
each nation,, should be despatched to the Atlantic coast of
the Isthmus of Darien, to assist the engineers of the At-
lantic and Pacific Junction Company of LondOn in making
a survey of the tract of country between Caledonian Bay
and the Gulf of San Miguel.

I. GISBORNE'S EXPLORATION.
Accordingly her Majesty's ship Espiegle, 12 gun-brig,
Commander flancook, sailed from Jamaica on Jan. 17th,
1851, conveying Mr. Gisborne, the company's engineer,
who commanded the expedition ; Lieut. St. John, R.E.,
and myself, and anchored in Caledonia Bay on the 21st of
Jtuusicy. The French war steamer Chimere (avis), Captain
Jaureiguiberry, and her Majesty's surveying ship, Scor-
pion, 6, Commander Parsons, arrived lb. following day.
Messrs. Forde, Bennett, Devenish, 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 liver, at its junction
with the Lara, Mr. Bennett established a station, whence
he surveyed the country as tsar as the Chuquanapua.
An rounding Isla-del Oro, or Golden Island, which forms
the north-west entrance to Caledonia, Bay, I, at least, was
not surprised to see the United States sloop of war Cyane,
26, Captain mans, lying at anchoein the channel of Sas-
sardi ; for a long delay had occurred at Taniaica, which I
had predicted, would result in the American engineer pro-
ceeding on his own account, without taking cognisance of
the fact that the English and French engineers Were on
their way tcyjoin him. Such wo found to ba the case, Cap-
tain Hollins informing us that Lieutenant Strain, of the
United States' navy, had landed three days before our ar-
rival, without leaving any menage for Mr. Gisborne, or say-
ing what course he intended to pursue. To this separate
action must be attributed the dreadful sufferings of L.ert-
tenant Strain's party, who wandered alono, rivers' banks
for 67 days, viz., from Jan. 19 to March 26 (subsisting for
the most 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 wore de-
spatched from the Savana in search of them.
Immediately after our arrival, amnia of Sassardi, Pat-
terson of Carti, a young man named Robinson, who-styled
himself Secretary of State to Caloga, the old chief at Rio
Diablo, in San Bias Bay, and some other Indians from
Carreto, &c., came on board, and, after a short "pow-
wow," gave their consent to our landing and surveying the
country.

On the 24th of January we landed on the west side of
the Point of San Fulgencio, where Captain Hollins had al-
ready caused a well to be dug. The party consisted of Mr.
Gisborne, Lieutenant St. John, Lieutenant Preston, and
twelve sailors of the Espiegle ; Captain Jaureiguiberry,
Lieutenant de Vaissean Oron, and twelve of the crew of
the Chimera; Dr. Edwards, assistant-surgeon of the Es-
piegle; Col. Codazzi, engineer of the New Granada Go-
vernment, and myself. A short path through the bush be-
hind 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 ;
a'hd half a mile further to the south-east, at the mouth of
the Aglatumati, or Caledonia River, where there are five
abandoned huts and a few canoes. In both these rivers
there is always excellent water. From this point the en-
gineer, instead of taking, as I had always advised, a com-
pass course through the bush, notching the trees with a
machete as ho went, first to the westward, into the pass
through the Cordillera, 'and then south, guided the party
up the river to itsjunction with a large tributary from- the
east, where we found two abandoned huts in a cacao plan-
tation, at which we stopped that night. The next day,
January 25, continuing to follow up the river, wading
in its bed to avoid the dense tangled forest on its bank,
we passed a small stream joining it from the west, very
shallow at its mouth, but deeper aove it; and just above
this, the large village of Agla, consisting of about twenty
huts, evhich wore abandoned. About two miles higher up,
we came to two huts and several canoes. In those huts
everything was carefully packed up, as if for removal, and
the still warm ember.] of the fires showed that the occu-
pants 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 arrows ; and I recognised a camphor-wood trunk, that
I had made a present of to Juan Seva, of Caledonia River,
in 1852. It was impossible to tell whether this abandonment
of their settlements 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 vary
deep water between then. Havt)g ascended it until
it became evident that we wore too far to the east-
ward, and on too high ground, we built a rancho or
shed of troolie 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
five, whom Mr. Gisborne most reluctantly allowed 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, eastward of the S
cubti. 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. Jaureigui-
berry returned to the ships with some sailors for the pur-
pose of seeking an Indian guide. Having failed to en•
g tg,e a guide, Mr. Gisborne sent us upwards of a hun-
dred Granadian soldiers and convicts who had lately
arrived from Carthagena. He directed us to move lower
down the river, and returned on the 14 of February,
when we moved still lower down to the above-men-
tioned branch on the west bank. Here we encamped
a night in a plantation of cacao trees (Theobroma cacao),
opposite the Tillage of Agla. On the 3,1 of February we
followed up the stream to the foot of the hill, which forms
the dividing ridge between the Aglaseniqua (which runs
parallel to and about a mile west of the lower course of
the Caledonia), and the Sucubti, a branch of the Chuqua-
naqua. This hill, called by the Indians Agla, is, conse-
quently, the watershed between the Atlantic and Paeific,
and between it and the immediately adjacent ridge, which
runs north-west from it in a direction parallel to the
shore of the channel of the Sassardi, is the valley
which I have always directed attention to, as afforling
the greatest facilities for a ship canal communication.
This valley is most distinctly marked in Commander Par-
sons' Survey of Caledonia Harbour and Port Eseocos
Mr. Gisborne, with the French and Granadian party,
guided by Colonel Codazzi, went considerably in advance,
the sailors from the Espieglo, whom I was direeed to ac•
company, following the notches they made on the
trees. These, which I had some ditlisalty in making
mat in so dense a forest, led us up the hill by a sudden and
steep ascent, to its summit, which was very narrow, and
along the summit for about a mile, in the course of which
we passed three considerable depressions. From the high-
est 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. Colonel-
Coilazzi 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 liver at its
foot, a here we overtook Colonel Codazzi. This river I
immediately recognised as the Aglaseniqua. Oa informing
Colonel Codazzi of this, and that we wore still on the At-
lantic side of the Cordillera, ho became enraged, said it
was the Forti (which with another stream forms the
Sucubti), and added that I knew nothing 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
many 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 Sucubiti to the Pacific ! It
was not until we arrived within two miles of the Atlan-
tic, and until the sailors had reported that they heard the
surf of the sea,'that ho discovered his mistake—if mistake
it was—for it appeared to me that there was more of de-
sign thien stupidity in this very experienced bushranger
leading us back to the point we started from ; the mouth
of the Aglaseniqua being only half a mile distant from the
mouth of the Caledonia. It being late in the evening
when Col. Codazzi, after summing up all the compass
bearings of the river we had waded down, and the dis-
tances which he had measured, came to the conclusion
that we were only two miles from the Atlantic, and the
whoje party having been marching, heavily laden,
since daylight, we encamped, and the following morn-
ing, February the 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, front its
source to its mouth, we could find no trace of an Indian :
it is totally uninhabited. At its month are the cocoa-ant
trees, planted by the Spaniards, who occupied the fort of
Carolina from 1785 to 1790.

On my arrival on board I demanded of Mr. Gisborne
and Commander Hancock permission to guide the party,
which being refused, I requested a party of three seamen,
with whom I volunteered to cross over to the Pacific and
return. Commander Hancock, in reply, most decidedly
refused to let me take a man ashore, stating that " his
instructions were to protect a survey, and not to send out
exploring parties." In conclusion, he desired me to go
alone. I was, consequently, about to start the following
morning, when I was prevailed upon by the officers of the
Espiegle to decline the service; they represented to me
that my going alone was quit 3 unnecessary, as there were
then 800 men in harbour doing nothing, and that it could
only result in the sacrifice of my life, as the Indians had
spies out along the lino; a fact proved by the murder, a
month previously, of Prevost's four men.
On the 7th of February, Mr. Gisborne, Lieutenant St.
John, seijeant Bell, and a Venezuelan servant of Colonel
Codazzi started for the Sucubti and Savana, with a guide
and Robinson the Indian, who, for the sum of six hundred
dollars, went as sezurity for their lives. This Robinson,
who acted for the chief of San Blas, has 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 Swana on the
morning of the 11th February, having been detained a
whole day at Sucubti village, waiting for a guide to con-
duct them thence to the path cut, six weeks before, by
Commander Prevost, from the Savana to the Chuquana-
lua at a point opposite the mouth of Morti, the text
1
river' westward of the Sucubti. Thus they crossed the
isthmus in three days' walk.
In uggaing thQ gtatiilliaii t 9 %101,1btio Chiaparty 04491 T,

ed the Indian trail, which passes over the highest ground,
and traversed the only portion of the country which pre-
senti 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 ; consequently, they were unable to collect any
data upon which to form an opinion as to the practica-
bility of the canal.
This is the view taken' by Baron Humboldt, who, in a
letter to F. M. Kelly, Esq., of New York, dated Berlin,
Jan. 2T, 1816, and published in Kelly's pamphlet on the
Junction of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, edited by
Ch. Manby, Sec. InstqC.F., 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 'parried eat. The ignorance he was in as to
the localities, and the absence of measurements of altitude,
led to the unfortunate_ issue of the, courageous expedition
of Lieutenant Isaac Straie."
Any person who has travelled much in hilly oraotries,
especially such as are covered with brushwood, will under-
stand the difficulty of striking into' a narrow valley.
Haying been lately engagel in a medical capacity with the
Turkish and Tunisian troops, chiefly in Armenia, Lazis-
tan, and Circassia, I hatseveral instances of thisdifficulty.
Any ono who has been 4t Sukhum-kale- will recollect the
remarkably deep valley behind the hill on which the Rus-
sian fort stands, separating it from the mountain farther.
inland. Tho existence of this valley would never be sus-
pasted by any one who did not actually look down into it
from the fort; and I have twice, when on the plain below,
passed it by unseen, thouzla 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 a false report that the Chimera
had carried off Dennis and two other Indian prisoners.
Upon learning this I instantly proceeded to Dennis (who
was, I believe, himself the author of the report), and
obliged him at once to despAtch u special messenger to con•
tradict it.

After Mr. Gisborne's departure nothing whatever was
done, except that Commander 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 500 men in Caledonia
Bay, not a man would be allowed on shore, notwithstand-
ing the enthusiasm of the crows to accompany m 713 "to the
other side of the land.° 'They naturally wondered what
they wore sent to Darien for.
Nothing having been heard of Mr. Gisborne since the
9th of February, when he wrote from the Sucubti, stating
that ha was in danger, and feeling very tired of the forced
inaction to which I was reduced, I engaged a passage, on
the 22d, in the Grenadian schooner Bolivar, to Carreto,
with the intention of inducing some of the Indians there,
wan whom I was acquainted, to accompany me in search
of the 'sliming parties of -Strain and Gisborne. Upolo in-
forming Commander Hancock of my intention, he gave
strict-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 daylight on the 23d, and
repaired on board the Scorpion. Shortly afterwards Com-
mander Parsons received an order, of which I have a copy,
from Commander Hancock, desiring him to send me back
to the likpiegle immediately; to this he replied that as I
was a civilian, he would not undertake the responsibility
of sending me by force of arms. After some delay Com-
mander Hancock signalised "he may remain on board."
I then, as the only representative in Caledonia Bay of
the Atl antic and Paella Junction Company, addressed a
circular to Commander Hancock, Captain Jaureigui-
berry, • and Captain Hollins, requesting them to consult
together and take measures for sending a party from
each of their vessels in search of Strain and Gisborne,
and offering every assistance in my power. Soon after
I had forwarded these letters, with the full approval
of Commander -Parsons, to whom I had submitted
them for perusal, an officer, with a bo el,'s crew,
came on Marc' with orders to him from Commander Han-
cock to send late back by force of arms if I refused to go vo-
luntarily. 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 E3piegle, Commander Hancock assailed
me with the most violent, and threatening language, and
decided, as he was going to sail the next morning for Car-
thagena, to leave me until his return on an islet, near
Golden Island, with Mr. Grant, the second master and two
coloured 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, nor to hold any communication with the
Indians.

Dr. M`Dermott, R.N., late of the Espiegle, is now in
London, and can cerriborate all the above statements ; as
also can Mr. Grant, Mr. Doyle, and other gentlemen who
were offiaers of the Espiegle and Scorpion at that time,
and aro now iu England.
Under those circumstances I decided upon going round
to the Gulf of San Miguel and the Tuyra, by way of Pana-
ma, and starting from the Pacific side in search of Strain
and Gisborme. I, theref ire, by the personal solicitation of
Commander Parsons, obtained a passage in the Cyane,
and sailed in her on the2sth, arriving at Aspinwall, Navy
Bay, on the 2Sth. There, finding that I had incurred itn-
" 1.711 A I II," cm acceunt ef the then indus.-
triously-reported lossof Strains party, and being cautioned
by some friends not to proceed to Panama, I only remained
until the 3d 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 inter-acoanic navigation was carried
out, and such the way in which I was rewarded for my
five yearr.' 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 in-
stead 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, aml thus to
appropriate to themselves the results of my labours; and
whilst my statements were set down, without examination,
as exaggerated, I r, by actual force, prevented from
availing myself of any opportunity of demonstrating their
accuracy.