Washington sentinel., 1854-04-01
LIEUTENANT STRAIN AND THE DA-
RIEN EXPEDITION.


of March, received by the last arrival from the
Isthmus of Panama. We are grieved to say
that the information they contain do not tend
to weaken the painful apprehensions which
have been entertained as to the fate of Lieu
tenant Isaac G. Strain and those under his
command, who left the United States sloop
Cyane to explore and survey the Isthmus of
Darien, with the view of ascertaining the
practicability of an inter-oceanic communica-
ton through that region.
| Lieutenant Strain is citizen of Ohio. He
entered the navy on the llth of December,
| 1887, and has been almost constantly engaged
in the active discharge of the duties of an
officer of the navy. He has been at sea eleven
years and three months, and has discharged
shore duty for one year and eleven months,
being unemployed only two years and ten
officers Of the navy can boast. If alive, and
we most earnestly hope that he is alive, he is
but few days more than thirty.three years of
age.
nay, intimately--for several years. Although
he has served tour of duty on the coast of
Africa since we became acquainted with him,
yet we have seen much of him-certainly
enough to impress on our mind his zeal, en-
ergy, high character, and fine abilities. His
disposition is adventurous, yet he is prudent
his spirit is high and quick, yet he is cautious
and circumspect. His enterprise and selfreli-
ance are great, and he has great energy and
| no little pride and ambition. These qualities
induced him to volunteer to examine the 18TH
mus of Darien; and these qualities, coupled with
quickness Of conception and fertility of re-
source, will, we trust, carry him through, and
relieve our apprehensions by speedy informa-
ton of his safety and the safety of his COM
mand. Having. undertaken an enterprise, he
is not the man to turn back and retrace his
steps; but he is a man to press forward whilst
there is hope. We, therefore, do not give him
up as lost for we viii believe, whilst there is
even the weakest foundation to base hope up
on, that he will yet be found on the Pacific
coast.
We presume that the Navy Department has
received official dispatches from Captain Hol-
Inns, who commands the Cyane, and that they
will soon be made public. But in the mean
time the Aspinwall Courier informs us that all
available means have been used to search for
and succor Lieutenant Strain and the party
under his command. Our readers have al
ready been informed that Chepo Indian had
given intelligence, derived from Indians of the
Isthmus, that eleven foreigners, passing from
the Atlantic to the Pacific had been devoured
by wild beasts. If there be any truth in this
story, the wild beasts were savage Indians.
On the receipt of this information, Lieuten.
ant Fauntleroy was authorized to proceed to
Chepo to procure information necessary for
intelligent action; Captain Hollins, in the
mean time, using every exertion to procure
search on the Pacific side. But we must close
this painful subject for the present by quoting
the following article from the Aspinwall Cou-
yfer of the 18th of March, the latest copy ofthat
journal which has reached u.s.
steamer edition we have given from time to
which we could CLEAN from different quarters
of this interesting though unfortunate move
ment
| The Cyane arrived at this port on the 2Sth
ultimo She has been with us constantly since
that date; and as there has been no arrival
from Caledonia bay during her stay here, we
have nothing further from that quarter. We
gave her advices thence in our last steamer
| edition.
Mr.. Holcomb, whose connexion as volun-
teer with the expedition, we noted in our last
| steamer edition, and Mr.. Winthrop also vol
unteer, from New York, both of whom went
out first with Lieutenant Strain, and afterwards
in search of him, (the former came to this port,
| in the British steamer from Carthagena, on the
9th ultimo, and the latter in the Cyane on the
18th ultimo,) left Aspinwall in the steamer
| George Law, for New York, on the 9Th instant.
| DR.. Cullen, the miserable adventurer, who
was the first cause of the project, which has
resulted SO sadly, left this city about the same
\ time, for what destination we know not but
we hope his presence may not again tempt the
outburst of the manifest popular Indignation
here felt towards him.
! Lieutenant st. John, who acted for the Brit
| ioh ooiu tIIlNtu at dHaInd
on the 9th of February A few days after he
| came to Aspinwall, and remained on board the
United States ship-ofwar Cyane until the 9th
instant, when he took his departure for Europe,
probably to report the Darien canal project
total failure.
Mr.. Osborne, the chief officer of the English
surveying corps, whose departure from Ca1edo.
mia bay in company with Lieutenant st. John,
of the royal engineers, on the 23d Of January,
we have mentioned heretofore, arrived at the
head of the Savanna river on the lth Of Feb
ruary. After exploring the country in the vi
cinity of the Chiquinaca river for eleven or
twelve days, the party took a northwest direc-
ton; and, having struck the road of the Provost
party, crossed it without difficulty. This transit
from ocean to ocean was made without the loss
Of man or any serious hardship, under the
guidance of an Indian, by name Robinson, who
was paid for the service some .fce hundred
dollars,
While Mr.. Osborne was in the vicinity Of
Il H. ,,raI 4havo f-o,.,