Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-05-13
LIEUT.. STRAINS DARIEN EXPEDITION.

wall for Porto Bello from whence she will be homewarG
bound) the 18th Of April On board were Lieutenant
STRAIN and the survivors Of his party. Mr.. BoGGs civil
engineer Of the party died at Panama the 23d
Lieut. STRAIN las learn from the Panama Starr has
consented to the publication of the letter giving
condensed history Of the salient events of the exped
ton from the 9th of February To fill the hiatus the
Star" states that Lieut. STRAIN left the Atlantic the
10Th of January and on the 9th their provisions gave
out From this date until the 5h Of February, wher
Lieut. STRAIN takes up the recountal Of his adventures
the whole party existed upon pantans and such game
they could kill From the 9th of February their prnc
pal and almost only subsistence was the palm nut.
UNITED STATES DARIEN EXPEDITION
| CANToNMENT OF La PALMA,
DARIEN HARBoR, APRIL 8, 1854.
| Commander EDWARD MARSHALL, r.. NJ
commanding Ii. q. MIS- ship " Vuago."
SIR In my own behalf, and of the officers and others
composing the expedition under my command wish to
tender to you and through you to the officers and
men under your command, sincere thanks for the
prompt and nesmabe assistance rendered by the party
dispatched to the Upper Chuqunaque, under the imme
date command Of Lieut.. W. c. FoRsYTn. For the per-
feet understanding of the service rendered brief
pitulation Of preceding events will be necessary:
You are already Of the circumstances connected
with my crossing the Cordera and reaching the Chuqu-
naque and Of the imperative which induced me
to follow the banks of that stream.
During our progress down the river suffered great
Inconvenience for want of provisions, those which
brought from the Cyane having entirely failed
dian guides On the 9th and 9Th Of February we halted
ana with great difficulty constructed for the CON
yeyance Of the invaids but obliged to abandon it
the first day account Of an insuperabe obstacle
which we encountered in the channel of the river.
On the 18th Of February twenty -four days from the
Cydne the necessity for sending party in advance to
obtain provisions and canoes forced itself upon my mind
although entertained it with much hesitation as was
w fhouO dof
men, was owing debility in
dition to cope with the Indians who were well aware of
our whereabouts and condition Yet the step became
imperative, the spirits of few of our own men began
to flag while despair had taken possession of the minds
Of the New Granadian commissioners.
Of the other naval officers of the expedition none could
have taken the advance with the slightest apparent pros
pect of reaching the Pacific
The same remark will apply to the engineers and sur
veyors all Of whom suffered excessively from sore feet
and general debility arising from the deficiency and cha.
acter of the food.
After mature deliberation came to the conclusion that
the time had arrived when separate myself tenn
porariy from the party, and that whatever service
might render by my presence could assist them more
efectuay by reaching the settlements and bringing them
provisions and means of transportation Early the
morning of the 18th Of February called together the
officers and men, and, after announcing my Intentions
called for three volunteers to accompany From the
many who presented themselves selected Mr. Frederick
Avery, volunteer assistant engineer and two of the
crew OF the Cane whose appearance seemed to promise
most physical endurance.
Independent Of the absolute and increasing necessity
OF obtaining assistance, calculated upoa powerful
moral benefit from my absence, prospect however re-
mote, OF aid from without would excite even those who
were inclined to despair to greater exertion The
rectness OF my superstition was afterwards verified to
certain extent especially when the main body of the party
after six days marching only reached my first nights
camp, where they found note which had left for
them.
From the 18th Of February the 9th of March we fol-
Tho riuor IN, fha1 80 E.L..
attempted to float down the on raft constructed
of drift wood, but after having several times touched
among the snags and rapids obliged abandon
it. On the I'd of March, finding that lowing to the lace
rated state Of the feet of myself and Mr. Avery would
be impossible to proceed much further by land halted
and constructed raft large enough to carry persons
intending to add to 1t as opportunity offered,
and the two men had overcome repuqnance which the
narrow escapes we had made the 18th and 10th of
February had caused hera 20 entertain to raft navigation
on the % OF March we set out, the 4th met tide
water and on the 9th arrived at Yavsa in canoes which
we met some two miles above the town. Understanding
that the Vrago at Darien and about to sail for Pana
ma determined to lose time in obtaining an interview
with you and in making effort to obtain your assist
ance In behalf my party Immediate aid was however
matter Of the first Importance; and about P. NJ on
the 10TH little than "a hours after my arrival
dispatched Mr. Avery with four canoes, ten men, and
all obtainable provisions, accompanied by Mr. Noriega
VINO acted as nterpreter and expected his in
fuence among the natives and nce them to proceed rs
far as necessary the river On the morning the It'll
set out and arriving the next day at daylight at Cha
pgana, was informed that the Edgo had sailed for Pam
anna to be absent for six days. and that upon her return
was your intention to dispatch force up the Chuaun
aque to the assistance of our party From Chapgana,
proceeded without loss of time to the junction Sa
yana and Lara rivers where received by Mr. w. c.
BENNETT c. E. in the service of the Atlantic and Pacific
Junction Company With the provisions which he kindly
supplied me returned to Yavsa where Iarrved on the
evening 18th instant and learned that canoe and
two men of Mr. Avery party had returned without reach
ing the main body They brought note from Mr. Avery
next day Early the morning of the 18th he returned
with his whole party and bringing with him one of our
men who had strayed from the camp Of the main body on
the 9th Of March absent from the river till the 10Th
and found on the 10TH Although rational when found
he perfectly delirous when he arrived at Yavsa and
died within two hours.
Mr. Avery reported that he had arrived with his party
at camp, which was the lowest point attained by the
main body and which somewhat short of my second
camp after leaving it. He also brought note from Pass
ed Mdshipman VIM. 7. Truxton, u s. Navy the second
in command and in charge during my Absence announc
ing the death OF of men, the illness of Others and
that he had finally acceded to the desire Of the
great majority Of the party to attempt return to the
banana plantations the river which had left the
10Th Of January The date Of this the 9Th of
March. They commenced their return on the 6th and
the note was received by Mr.. Avery the 10TH Had
1t not been for the despcable cowardce of the Yavsa
canoe men the party might have been relieved on the
1th about week before the timely arrival of the
expedition from your ship.
With all haste, within hour after Mr.. Averys re-
turn engaged five canoes, and demanded men from the
authorities who levied them in the three adjoining
of Yavisa, Real, and Pnogana.
Fearing much from the results Of rerograde move
mcnt in party already so much broken down. deter
mine IN lie IN tba 80 tba