The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1870-07-07
THE DARIEN EXPEDITION.
RETURN OF THE NIPSIC-NO CANAL ROUTE
FoUND-INTEREsTING DETAILS OF THE
EXPLORATION.

RETURN OF THE NIPSIC-NO CANAL. ROUTE
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES DETAILS OF THE
EXPLORATION.
From the New York Tribune, June so.
The steamship Nipsic, Captain T. O.
Selfridge, one Of the vessels belonging to
the Darian expedition, has returned to this
port. She lay in the bay yesterday, and
will probably put in the Navy Yard to-
day. The object OF the expedition was
to explore the Isthmus of Darien, to as
certain if there existed practicable
route by which to run canal across that
Isthmus. Three vessels have been en-
gagged in the work ofexploring-the Mp
sic aud Guard on the Atlantic side, and
the Nyack on the Pacific. The only one
that has yet got back is the Nipsic; but
all have suspended operations. the ad-
verse season having set in. The dry sea-
son is the only time it is possible to op-
crate. 1t extends from January to Nav.
to which the month of July is to be &C +
died. The rest of the year, including
June, constitutes the rainy season.
| The Nipsic started on January 90 of
this year, and arrived at Porto Bello on
February T. There macheteros--m TO
cut timber and do other necessary work
in opening passage through wild, wood
| y places-were engaged. Thence the
Nipsic proceeded to Aspinwall, where
she arrived on February 10. On Febru-
II she left Aspinwall and returned to
Porto Bello, when the macheteros refus-
ed to remain any longer, terrified by the
accounts given of the Indians on the
Isthmus. The Nipsic went back to As
pinwall on the same day and engaged
men at Panama in place of those who had
4 left. On February IS the vessel left AS
pinwall again, and proceeded to the Riv-
er Diablo, where parley was held with
the Indians, to ascertain the disposition
of the latter The Indians professed
themselves friendly, but could not under
stand what was wanted with a canal
where God Almighty did not nuke one.
They were communicated with through
means of an interpreter on board, who
spoke Spanish and Indian. Some few OF
the Indians speak little Spanish and a
little English, but they are only at home
in the Indian.
! The Nipslc left the Diablo on Februa
ry 20, and arrived in Caledonia Bay Feb
ruary 81 Here she found her companion
the Guard. On February 22 operation:
commenced, month or two of the dry
weather having already passed. A par
ty mainly from the Guard started up
river which, being without name, they
called the Washington River, and soon
found that it had its source in very
high mountain. They looked for pass
but found nothing to indicate the exist
ence of any in that region. The noun.
tain was over 1000 feet high That
route was abandoned.
! On February 25 Captain Selfridge
formed an exploring party of eighty men
to make reconnaissance along the Gale.
donna River, which belongs to the Pacif
ic side. This was pace reconnaissance
in which some bearings, borometrie
heights, &C., were taken. The conclu.
sion arrived at was that there was no ia
cllity for running q canal by that route
The route is the same as tina: taken by
Lieutenant Strain in 1854
The third exploring party was one OF
about 40 men, under Lieutenant Shultz,
of the Guard. On March he started up
the Agla San Nicola River. Previous ex
perience had taught the necessity of hav.
ing an interior camp supplied with pro.
visions, and accordingly one was estab-
lished on the Agla San Nicola Animals
I of burden were needed, and so the Nip.
sic left Caledonia on March s, and ar.