Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-03-11

railroad communication is 1t not almost Incredible that
there exists at this day an extent Of one hundred and
fifty miles Of the Isthmus unexplored and unknowr
the interior deserts of Africa the mystic
of the Emperor of Japan For three centuries has this
great design of nteroceanic communication aetated the
mind Of the inhabitants Of every great commercial ma
tom its wondrous results have been fully specialized upon
its immense importance to the world fully acknowledged
yet moved hand foot in real to examine
and understand the question: and by proper survey
the matter at rest forever At times there have been
out engineers by private enterprise examine into
some declared accessible route but universally without
useful result the public have been unwilling invest
capital in design Of such magnitude when there had
been steps taken to ascertain the best route and where
rival engineers rival explorers continually assert
ing the superiority of their different routes and in many
endeavorng to impose upon the creduity Of the
public The enterprise is essentially cosmopolitan and
individual company nation should point out the
route but combination Of the engineers Of those nations
interested should be sent vessels Of and make
exploration not of route at present. but Of the
whole Ishmus Let every portion Of it be explored and
then let it be decided by these scientific engineers the
most eligible location for the canal The cost of the
pofation would be but triae to nations, but entirely
beyond the Of private enterprise And the time
employed should it be two years, would amply
pay the labor and finally at rest aqueston which has
SO long and so fruitlessly agtated the world.
Probably to many the idea Of sending force to
pore the whole sthmus would appear absurd but few
understand its actual condition at present No doubt
1t is thought that this whole country thoroughly
veyed by the Spaniards But not only has immense
portion Of been surveyed but inhabitants
conquered and the interior penetrated
by, the Spaniards. And then from Pass San Bias to
Choco is country which has been in undsturbed pos
49,
NAMED and still remains in the enjoyment of all of his
privileges and traditions from the coming of the child
Of the to the present time The San Bias Indians
are probably the purest of Indians upon the whole
continent amalgamaion is unknown. A few instances
have occurred but it is universally stated that the mother
has in every been put to death. And they have
been living close to white settlements always They are
divided into number of tribes, the old Of each be-
ing the cacques Chiefs and they completely under
the control of them The chief of all the tribes in Dare
lives at San Bias, and his name understand is Jim Col
loqua He is represented very venerable looking
man, with long white hair. They are small race of
men, with large heads, but well proportional limbs the
cheek bones high and the hair is worn very long,
sometimes done up in puff behind like the women
range theirs, but generally left flowing over the should
They all dress in check shirts and linen or cotton
trousers and straw hats without ornaments they appear
always neat The voices hoarse and CULTURAL like that Of
our Indian, and generally speaking, found the counte
nance mild. They very fond Of shaking hands, and
do it with much apparent cordially, and after
short absence from each other they shake hands.
The information in regard to them is but meagre There
is work extant, written by Spanish Padre who had
travelled amongst them, but it is the only known
Of white man having penetrated the country. The
Buccaneers crossed the Ithmus from Port Ecoces but
does appear that they Of the country
They carry considerable trade with select few
among them is Mr.. Abrams, Of Jamaica, who has o
house in Baltimore Also several Yankee vessels are
regular traders the coast and by hisnercourse many
Of them have learned the English language andn this
manner have the principal facts concerning them been
discovered. They export large quantities of and
tortoise SHE'LL and for their consumption they cult
vate corn yas pumpkins and all of the tropical fruits
they have chickens turkeys, pigs &c. and have album
dance Of game, the tiger wild hog boar, turkey,
pigeon &c., which they hunt with guns
with which every native is equipped in addition to his
bow and The country abounds in woods Of the
most costly and valuable description and the fields
rich in herbs plants &c., from which best medicines
extracted The India rubber tree is abundant
here probably than in any other part Of the continent and
they grow immense sze untouched through the lapse
of centuries.
Although they permit trade with certain people, they
permit them go into the country and studiousy
avodetng their be by oil strangers They
srikngy similar to the japanese in their isolation from
the world they only permit certain traders, and never
permit them 60 into the country and in the same'
Japanese with their select traders the Dutch
They extremely frugal in their mode of living how
ever and will make of foreign furniture for their
houses. Every thing is of the most simple description in
their huts iron pot, few caabashes gun, lance,
bow and arrows generally comprises the interior
ments Of their wgwam They dare not receive presents
it is expressly forbidden by the sold Men y will
do by STEALTH and will they in the same manner
bring gold to the traders but this is rare they are
too afraid Of the consequences of discovery They tudi
ousy avoid appearing with ornaments and endeavor to
create the impression that their country is very poor
However, the general impression is that the country
abounds in wealth.
Upon the arrival of the large surveying force recently
sent out by England France and the United States they
granted them permission to the ntry boon
never before accorded to any foreigner.
The results Of this movement remain to be They
cannot however, be Of any very great benefit the OBJ
ec in view, unless the survey be conducted upon gran
der SCALE What is the survey Of slip of the
thmus when there may be dozen Others many of which
doubt equally and of them far preferable for
canal As understand the matter the object of
the world is discover the eligible route for ship
canal This cannot be done under two years careful
survey Of this incognita must be made We may
then hope for valuable results and if
opinion, should say the route will be found best
which is shortest and that is from Mandinga Bay to