The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-04-22
GheGttelLig&treer
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.

THEgARIEN ExPEDlTIoN.
- ~ W ~ sl @a4i 81
Results thus far--The Life Of an Ex.
plOrer.-InCldcnts Of Travel.- ~
Animated Nature.
Correspondence Of N y Tribune.
AGLAsERBQUE RIVER Mar. %.
It's exactly IL month this dry since the
survey began, and We have now surveyed
and mapped four different lines, the total
distance travelled being about IS miles.
But two things are certainly known,
namely, that the base Of the mountains Is
nj least 140 feet above sen level, and that
surveying parties arc pretty sure to strike
the slip on Saturday nights, because grub
is generally u little extrH on board ship
Sundays. Thomain question hero Is food,
the second, outfit. On thG1lHt expedition
| carried IN Ill about % to 90 pounds
too much anywhere; but when the road
Is the bed Of stream often waist deep,
paved with loose CObble stones, 1t Is
enough 10 kill horse. On shore tho roots
ind stumps make it more tatigling than
the river. Boots, NJ first, arC In great
demand, but as they fill with water over
the tons YOU havO to cut holes 10 let II out
and then they fill up with sand. Very
soon shoes and lcggings arc preferred, but
wading works mischief with leather. Five
days Is rs long as q pair OF shoes will hold
out.
We arc now relieved Of carrying our
food by the reinforcement We have re-
ccivcd from Carthagcna Of 10 little don
KEYS. This Is their first day Of trial; their
load Is 100 pounds, in bags and boxes.
they stumble and culver nj every step,
and IL Is u wonder That they get on ut oil
over such q rOAd. but this smoothing 10
what thGcountry Is ahead. HalfN mile
above our camp tonight itiS2said Ollr
way is up nm intinite number Of water
falls, flowing, through deep perpendicular
gorges of SCmite-vcry good for II geo.
logical section, but not enjoyable to q man
progressing on all fOurs. II will 10 rough
On the dOnkcys, and much more ~ on u.s.
II they give out and We have again 10
carry grub ourselves.
Our chief uneasincss now is whether,
al(er being drcnchcd night and day in the
valley by wading, rOin, and pcrspirAtton,
we shall find nny water on the mountain
tons, We can cut 3 500 10 1000 feet per
,Iay on Imssable ground, but here We think
1t llnspcakablC; yet we arc going to the
ClinCmauuA all the same. The sun never
reaches lis in the woods, and We arc get
ting quite blcaChcd, though no one is yet
on the sick list, and am beginning TO have
considerable hopes Of the climate Still,
tho fatigue begins to!tell5 and you don't
hear "S6oo Fly" in tie woods SO often.
We see very few birds. very little fruit,
and that strict orders forbid hCing touch
cd, the Indians making great stand for
their bananas. There are plenty Of small
trout in the streams, some monkeys
swinging by their tAi!s from the distant
trees, and plenty Of creeping, crawling,
and singing things, beside coral snakes,
wlichthG Indians say are "machO mdtO,"
and they are fond Of creeping into camp
Of nights. We start in line ut 4. NJ. and
return ut 4 tn wash ourselves and our
clothes, and get on anything dry we arC
hUppv enough to have; then feed while
the food last tnOw and then there is nOnG);
then smoke, and when therain doesn't put
the fire out VIC dry clothes; then fix up
hunks, and 8 O'clock turn 10. We then
scratch, and kick, and cuff, until, after
saving our prayers ut least four times in
our desperation, we ut length fall asleep,
generally to wake up when the muskeloes
and crccpers have conquered Sleep md
rise to 70 oil and dose in the smoke Of the
fires tii( morning. Of the value Of the eX-
plOntious, and ultimate success Of the
Canal, I haYG no doubt. M