Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1870-04-28
THE DARIEN EXPEDITION.
itsth thus Far-The Life Of an Ex-
hnIorer-Incidentso of Travel-AntmS-
led Nature.
Correspondence n. Y. Tribune.

Correspondence n. Y Tribune.
AarAsEREouA RIVER, March 22-It is ex-
.ctIv a month this day since the survey be.
can and we have now surveyed and map
81 tour different lines, the total distance
tr,veIed being about 80 miles, But two
limos are certainly known, namely, that
La base of the mountains is at least 40
s-st above sea level and that surveying
rarties are pretty sure to strike the
isE;n on Saturday nights, because
ornb is generally a little extra on board
ssb;n SUNDAYS. The main question here is
,1od the second, outfit. On the first ex.
edition carried in all about So to 60
ronnds-too much anywhere; but when
.ba road is the bed OF stream often waist
Ian payed with loose cobble stones, it is
eronoh to kill horse. On shore the roots
and stumps make it more fatiguing than
tbe river Boots, at first, are in great de-
mond but as they fill with water over the
tops You have 10 cut holes to let it out, and
then they will not stand. Very soon shoes
and leggings are preferred, but wading
works mischief with leather Five days is
as long as a pair of shoes will hold out
We are now relieved of carrying our food
hv the reinforcement we have received
from Carthagena of 10 little donkeys This
i their first day of trial; their load is $50
mounds, in bags and boxes. They stumble
and culver at every step, and it is wonder
that they get on at all over such road;
Init this is nothing to what the country is
ahead Half a milo hove our camp to-
pioht il is said our way is up an infinite
number of waterfalls, flowing through
deep perpendicular gorges of Semite-very
good for geological section, but not enjoy.
able to man progressing on all tours. 1t
will be rough ON the donkeys, and much
more so on US, if they give out and We have
again to carry grub ourselves
Our chief uneasiness now is whether, af-
ter being drenched night and day in tbs
valley by wading, rain, and perspiration,
we shall find any water on the mountain
tons. We can cut $500 to 1000 feet per
day on passable ground, but here we think
itunspeakable; yet we are going to the
CUnemaqua all the same. The sun never
reaches US in the woods, and we are getting
quite bleached, though no one is yet on
the sick list, aud | am beginning to have
considerable hopes of the climate. Still
the fatigue begins r. tell, and you don't
hear "Shoo fly in the woods so often,
We see very few birds, very little fruit,
aud that strict orders forbid being touched,
the Indians making a great stand for their
bananas. There are plenty of small trout
in the streams, some monkeys swinging by
their tails from the distant trees, and plenty
of creeping, crawling and singing things,
besides coral snakes, which the Indians say
are 'mucho malO;' and they are fond Of
creeping into camp of nights We start in
line at 7 a. m. and return at to wash our
selves and our Clothes and get on any
thing dry we are happy enough to have
then feed while the food lasts NOW and
then there is none) ; then smoke, and when
the rain doesn't put the ire out we dry
clothes; then fix up hunks, and at s O'Clock
turn i'll. We then scratch, and kick, and
cuff, until, after saying our prayers at least
four times in our desperation, we at length
tall asleep generally to wake up when the
musketoes and creepers have conquered
sleep, and rise to go off and doze in the
Nnoke of the fires till morning. Of the
value of the explorations, and ultimate sue
cess of the Canal, | have no doubt.