The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-03-05

miles, and having reached point where Hill rose
from the banks Of the river some fifty feet, they
established permanent rancho
On the 20th they commenced their overland jour-
ney, with everything requisite for clearing, mea-
surfing, and marking good road, which they con-
tinued to do throughout the route they traversed,
each man carrying his own provisions and amm1ni-
ton. In this way they travelled ten days through
dense forest, wherein they could with difficulty see
but twenty yards in advance.
over plain with no rise of than fifty feet. At
sun down. each day, the party halted, made ran
cho, marked it with the number OF the days they
had been the route and rested in and about 1t for
the night. Up to this time, they had not met with
anything remarkable in the face of the country and
had found but slight variation from the general char
acter Of the route.
On the 3lst after encamping the night before on
the banks of small stream, they had gone but o
short distance in the morning, when they came upon
river some sixty to eighty yards wide, and over
three deep, flowing E. s. E, which they called Ten
river Here they built ranch No. 10, and renamed
there during the rest of the day and night.
covered but the dense forest, like the boundless
ocean, on all sides; and even when within q rev
chains of the largest rivers, we were not aware OF
their existence until actually on their banks.
To me, who for the last three years have been 40
cusomed to explore End survey the interior Of this
country, this matter Of astonishment, indeed,
was surprised to find the forest and the underwood
open, considering the nature OF the country.
Finding it impossible to discover the points indi-
Gated we were compelled to act on our own judg-
ment, and determined upon cutting our way through
the forest, as to leave good track, about whcn
there could exist no doubt, so that others coming
after could have no difficulty in following from the
tracks we cut and the marks we left on the trees
and all remarkable points. :.
Ascending the river Savanna to point about haiI
mile from where the river La Villa joins it, and
22h miles from its mouth being as far as we could
ascend in the boats, we landed at the point marked
A on the plan where small hill, about fifty feet
iri inn LATE frOr he
Having decided upon following N. n E. course,
we cut our way over level and densey wooded
country to point marked station No. 3, distance
of 200 chains (of &C feetD where We built rancho
ON the banks of small stream, and marked the
number on large trees From Ne. to No. 4, the
distance is 2l9 chains; to No. 5, 20S chains; to No.
8, 249 chains; at all these points we built ranchos
in every case in the neghborhood of small rvulets,
which were generally in channels, between twenty
and thirty feet below the level Of the intervening
land.
notice, flowing in southeasteIy direction; it
width was twelve yards, and its depth in the wet
season from ten to twelve feet. On the southwest
side it appears to overflow its banks for consdera
BILE distance back, as we could perceive by the mud
deposits in that direction.
From No. 6 to No. the distance is 1856 chains,
and from thence to No. 8, l25 chains; here we met
another large river, twenty-five yards wide flowing
in s. S. E. direction. In the rainy its depth
appeared to be about fifteen feet. Between Nos.
and the land is partially low and swampy, and in
that portion not SO densely wooded as elsewhere.
When we crossed it, it was still considerably
flowed, and we sunk in up to our knees. After
passing this swamp, the land heretofore very level
became slightly undulatng, and previous to arriving
at No. we crossed small hill about fifty feet high
the distance from to being 283 chains
Here on the 30th December, on the banks of a
small stream, we built rancho as usual, and the
next morning proceeded on our route, and had only
gone distance of ID chains when we came to a
large river flowing ESE, from so to 60 yards wide,
and from fifteen to twenty feet deep, when full.
Not expecting to meet with this obstacle, which
was not marked on any map in our possession, we
halted and built rancho, No. TO- and sent party
to explore, as mentioned in Mr.. Nelson's letter.
As my object is to give the public sketch OF our
route and not narrative Of our journey, shall
proceed only with the Typographical remarks
name, called Ten river, although it is probable it
is the Chuqunaca, and still following our N. N. E.
course, the land completely altered in character and
became broken and mountainous. After crossing
some deep gorges with very steep Sides one in par
ticular being most picturesque in appearance, and
containing in its bed the first rock we encountered
in our route, we commenced ascending high hill,
the top of which we estimated to be about five hun
dred feet above the river from which we obtained
sight OF the Atlantic in northeast direction, and
about from six to eight miles distant. Observing
clear spot in north by west direction we altered
country, trayersed by deep gorges with intervening
sugar loaf hills to the height Of several hundred
feet until we came suddenly, at point F. to large
,. ,.
Years river, it being New Years day which we
reached it.
During the afternoon Lieut.. Gordon and Mr..
lnskip, Master, were sent with q native and an In
dian an interpreter, to seek the Indians and to
ascertain the name of the river and the distance to
the Atlantic. Jan. l, they returned at p. NJ The
same day Commander Provost and Mr.. Kennsh,
with five men forded the river, and after crossing
several deep g0rges, they assembled hill some five
hundred feet in height, and about fiveeighths of
mile from ranch ten, from which they saw the At
lantic to the northeast, seeming from six to eight
miles distant Seeing clear spot in direction north
by west apparently at short distance, they turned
towards it, and their way through deep gorges and
hills of several hundred feet which interviewed
between them and said clear spot, they suddenly
reached large river flowing SIS w. which they called
New Years river this river is about fveeighths of
mile FROM the hill from which the Atlantic was seen.
They followed this river mile north northeast,
and thenturned to the east; and having travelled
about mile and threeeighths, they built rancho No.
when they came upon large and rapid river flow
ing north. They forded the river and assembled
hill half mile in height, and, being unable to see
the sea, they passed half way down the other side,
found variety of waterfalls and hills. After hay
ing gained their view of the Atlantic, at the point
above stated, on the LIST of January, they posted
four men at the ranch No. 10. Commander Provost
went over the ground we have traced beyond the
last mentioned RANCH and on their return, reached
ranch No. 10 on the 9Th, which they found ran
sacked, robbed and empty.
Between ranches nine and eight they found three
I OF their men murdered. They were then without
any arms and ammunition, (havng left all in ranch
ter. from which everything had been stolen,) and
fastening on as rapidly az possible, they reached
their boats twenty-five miles from their ship the
next day, in eighteen hours from the time of leaving
the Atlantic extremity Of their route. They imme-
dately proceeded down the river, and on the morn
ing Of the 18th they reached the ship. On the same
day she sailed to join her squadron.
From review Of the survey which we have Just
noticed, and from other circumstances, which are
not ripe for publication, we convinced that the
project of the route lisa perfect failure.
INTER-oCEANIC COMMUNICATION.
PANAMA, Feb. 4, 1854.
To THE EDITOR OF THE PANAMA HERALp:-
Dear Sr-Having just arrived coastwse from the
south, and having observed letter in your paper
of the 2sth ult, written by Mr. Robert Nelson, of
Chpagana, giving an account of the proceedings of