The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-07-01
Interesting Facts Connected
With the Explorations.
r. Gisborne's NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. and
Neurological Facts-But Few Traces Of
Gold-Plenty Of Copper Discovered
Chances Of Canal Route
Height Of the Rivers.
UNITED STATES sroREsHIp GUARD,

DoSVouo
mountains" 1t is simply an isolated peak at the
junction OF the river La Paz and the river Chuqun-
aque and as its name indicates, 1t Is neither very
large nor very high, although 1t s visible at
siderable distance. Before our surveying party
made their Chuqunaque excursion the results OF the
Sucubti survey had demonstrated that tunnel at
least twelve miles long would be requisite for canal
from Caledonia harbor to the Gulf OF San Miguel.
Had the plane table been used In that survey, as
was originally Intended, the Sassardl survey, inte
resting as, on many accounts 1t proved, might not
have been Indispensable. although IL served to con-
frm results already obtained. The three laborious
weeks devoted to the Washington river survey were
not lost for it had become absolutely necessary to
convince the world and DR.. Cullen himself that
the latter is an infable authority on all matters
pertaining to the Isthmus. aI
The geological and meteorological facts disclosed
by the Sassardi survey were deeply interesting But
on both the Sassardi and the Sucubti the very slight
traces OF gold justified neither The gliterng title OF
Castulo de Oro--Golden Castle-which Balboa and
his contemporaries bestowed on this territory nor
the cupdiJy which Is betrayed by those Colombian
congressman who insist on treaty clause that shall
specially guarantee their government all the
mineral wealth possibly to be discovered during the
survey and construction Of an interoceanic canal
If Mr. Bowdiich the mineralogist of the Sassard
unnistakable signs OF copper One day he dis
covered belt OF native copper forty feet wide and
traced 1t distance OF half mile. 1t ran from the
camp to little north OF the junction Of the two main
branches OF ne Sassardi This copper was mixed
with cac spar In trap like the Lake Superior trap
1t was in small particles through the course OF the
bed, nearly east by or south by east and west
oy north. Pebbles with copper were found further
up stream-s0 there may be more, else the stream
ia an
dykes whicn were found that day varied In width
from three to ten yards-course nearly by west,
ana colulnnar. There seemed to be two other sets
OF veins made before the trap dykes-courses, west
by north and east by SOUTH west by south and east
spar, basaic matter or quartz and i iron o py
t rites. Perhaps the three beds are one and
1 nsr, same e.. Mie,r limits are not strongly
gomerate THAT forms the principal rocks from the
gorge upwards About half way between the fork
ing Of the river the coumnar structure Of the trap
1s beautifully shown. Two large masses, 200 or
800 feet long and distant from each other about 1000
feet have been thrown up that the west bank and
The bottom OF the river show the ends OF the COL
umns. The river bottom Is particularly curious IL
looks like mosaic work on huge inlaid floor. The
trap ts very HARD. Just above lhis and about 1000
feet from the ending of the work, strata OF de-
composing syenite and sort of trap running into
each other. The beds are tilted, showing that the
trap underneath has been an after formation.
Further up about 1000 feet two beds within ten
east and west. They are tilted ten or fifteen teet
facing elcn other: Between are TWO coiumnar
heads OF trap otl further up, near the end OF the
work, are beds OF Jaspery rock red, green and yell
low, tilted up about eighteen inches toward The
southwest or west by south The syenite beds are
about twenty or twenty-five feet thick. On the In
dian trall-the man Morti-Sassardl trail-many
agates were found, showing that the agate
formation extends 70 the top Of the ada.
al 800 feet. A few fine moss agates were found. On
me the. following day. by going up the Indian trail. the
northeast aad southwest, south by west. They were
formed either OF trap Or congomerate and once in
wnie, Syenite. The 0utcrOp Is invariably decom-
posed, sometimes to depth OF foot or two. "More
copper and one speck Of gOd found at the junction
Camp S1sas g s@R E aSS
22aaaEs. Eifs fac spar appeared much more fire.
There does MOT d Pc any veins
syenite, come up everywhere and Anywhere. Just
above Camp Four there Is yeia Of very hard Dasatc
native copper THIS Vein runs about asspaf ana
and westsouth Is TWO yards thick, and Its dip is
about seventy to the NORTH Valuable woods abound
on the Sassardi route. For two or three DAYS the
1uel for the camp fire was rosewood, which burns
very well There was plenty Of it, as well as Of
But, although there is just as plentiful suppy or
Iuel on the san Bias route as on any other, the
WOOD WOOD Is al wet now: The rainy season has
has thus far gahantly de1ed It's combined forces
lie has been stoutly seconded by all, officers and
as possible, rain or shine,n before being Compelled
70 ad}Sqrn 70 t4e next 9ry season. But Jupiter Plu
VluS tnkedtenS 10 prove Zoo many IL jS no
longer joke-it Is literally true--to say that the
Darlen expedition Is getting on swimmiDgy. It
can't well get on otherwise. The surveying party on
the Natalga had gone about eleven miles inland or
say, I'VE miles in direct line from the beach, when
last Sunday the the rate OF nine feet in
q single hour One of their canoes was upset and
AH tnelr provisions soaked, including matches and
fire. On the following day the mehacss Of more more
Messrs Ogden, Jasper and Carson arrived with their
parry, IN the midst OF pouring rain, not long after
ta y ~ return tar q Messrs Hitchcock, Collins, Eaton,
equally moist condition. Soon afterward Messrs
Aosman and appley came Oh board dripping; and at
2 merry meeting (envened by new s'Darfen
songs'9 this evening, in the wardroom OF the
Guard, there Is q unanimous desire mot
commanded by Lieutenant Hubbard, of the Nipsic,
end sent out Monday to relieve that commanded by
.nee6iIY . HlchcSck Of the Guard may also
which Is now struggling ITO the frontn Lieutenant
Hitchcocks party, on the Samgundi, a branch Of
Kellys Mandinga), has found 1t impossible to do any
effective work since last Friday Lieutenant Hub.
attempt TO row up the swrt and swollen river on
Monday morning. Landing at the Observatory hey
ace, ian angry Hood" They have not Yet BEEN cen
abe TO reach the end Of the line. II they ever do
reach It. tney VIII probably ind that no more work
extngulshed The patient little Cartnagena donkeys
have been Withdrawn today from the peril Of
drowning on land. Several times during the past
week 1t has besn necessary to tie them high up to
trees IN when, occasionally, the provisions have
been hostcd In order to keep them from being
washed away. TWO or three Of the lower camps
have been hooded and the telegraph wire has In two
instances proved serviceabe as fe- preserver to
which persons not knowing how TO SWIM could
cling with safety.
This wire will be left up to be ready for use should
another expedition be sent down here, as IL unuues-
tlonably should be, to complete the survey OF the
San Bias route, which already promises 10 fulfill the
most desirable conditions OF an interoceanic canal
across the Istnmus The height OF the Samgundi at
the end oil the line In the led OF the river Is 1o7 feet
ABOVE tue level OF the sea. The height or the Natal
ga is about lao feet. Between the end or the line on
the Samgund river and the end OF Mr.. Kelley's sur
vcy on The other side OF the mountain not much
more than eleven miles remain to be explored and
surveyed. A comparatively small force with one
ship, and in one month, might complete with ease
in tie dry season. survey which Is daily and hourly
becoming "impossblc' in the wet season. National
pride and worldwide Interests unite In forblddinR
that so grand an enterprise should be left forever in
complete.