Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1870-07-09

ot Tue year, including June, CONSTITUTES
the rainy season.
The Nipsic started in January last,
and arrived at Porto Bello in February
z. There macheteros-- to cut TIM
Der and do other necessary work in
opening passage through wild, woody
places-were engaged Thence the
Nipsc proceeded to Aspinwall, where
she arrived on February 10. On Feb
ruary II she left Aspiuwali and returned
to Porto Bello, when the matcheteros
refused to remain any longer, terrified
by the accounts given Of the Indians OH
the Isthmus. The Nipsic went back to
Aspinwall on the same day aud engaged
men at Panama in place of those who
had left. On February IS the vessel
left Aspinwall again, and proceeded to
the river Diablo, where a parley was
held with the Indians, to ascertain the
disposition of the latter. The Indians
protessed themselves friendly, but could
not understand what was wanted with a
canal where the Almighty did not make
one. They were communicated with
through means Of an Interpreter on
board, who spoke Spanish and Indian
Some few of the Indians speak a little
Spanish and a little English, but they are
only at home in the Indian.
The Nipsc left the Diablo on February
20, and arrived in Caledonia Bay Feb
ruary 2i. Here she found her compan-
ion, the Guard. On February 22 opera
tions commenced, a month or two OF the
dry weather having already passed. A
party mainly from the Guard started up
a 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 a
pass, but found nothing to Indicate the
existence of any in that region. The
mountain was over 1000 feet high. Thet
route was abandoned.
On February 25 Captain Selfridge
formed an exploring party of eighty men
to make reconnaissance along the
Caledonia River The party crossed the
Cordilleras and struck the Scubti River,
which belongs to the Poetic side, This
reconnaissance, some bearings, baro-
metric heights, &p., were taken. The
conclusion arrived at was that there was
no facility TOR running canal by that
route. The route is the same as that
taken by Lieutenant Strain in 1854.
, The third exploring party was one OF
aboat torty men, under Lieutenant Shultz,
y of the Guard. On March he started
up the Agla San Nicola River. Previous
experience had taught the necessity OF
q having an interior camp supplied with
provisions, and accordingly one was
' supplied on the Agla San Nicola. Ami
y mails of burden were needed, and so the
Nipsic left Caledonia on March 8, and
arrived II: Carthagenia on the 9th, where
s. ten donkeys were purchased and
is seN enteen macheteros hired. On MaPcl
J. / she left Carthagena, and got back to
s. Caledonia on the 18th. Meantm,
n Lieutenant Shultz and his men had pro
r ceeded up the river to the mountains
u The donkcys were put ashore, anc
W through their means the explorers were
l. kept well supplied with provisions
,r Lieutenant Shultz crossed the mountain
d and struck the Scubti River, but without
5. finding any eligible canal route. BY
,l this time, telegraphic communication
70 with the shore had been established, at
l. cost of $4,000. The explorers returned
!. April IA.
at The fourth expedition consisted O
II thirty men under Lieutenant Hubbard
"a of the Nipsic, and started along th
- Sarsadie river, March 23, having al
" Indian guide. They followed the trai
=. of some Indians, and struck village o'
the banks of the Sarsadie. The villag
% % is occupied hy the Indians only in tn
- - dry season. Around are large planta
&c tions of bananas, plaintains and som
u coffee. The Sarsadie il fifty feet wild
II at the place, and its banks ere line'
c with Indian huts, constructed on stake
q and matched with palms. On the plan
J. tations are also to he found aligato
II pears, II peculiarly rich, fine fruit, pos
o sessng taste and favor unknown il
v higher attitudes. The explorers ascend
n ed and crossed the Crrdilleras at tn
n height of over ] 900 feet, and struck tn
y Morti river on the Pacific slope. Pre-
a viously to ascending the mountain
l. house was built aL the base as protct
> tion from the Indians, from whom rai'
was at that time apprehended. OF tn
n vegetable productions of the regior
3. rosewood, mahogany, and copaiba wer
IF found in abundance. Lieutenant Hui
\. bard and men also returned withou
ID finding any ronte they could recommend
m The ships then left. aud went along tn
\. coast for about eighty miles, to San Bla
Of Bay, A fifth exploring party starte
Is up the Mandingo River on April %.
10 consisted of Lieutenant Hubbard an
a. thirty-two men of the Nipsic. The
n ascended the Mandingo for about eigh
- cen miles, then took branch, and pu
y, sued il to it's source in the mountain
~ They crossed on the dividing ridge, an
. struck branch of the San Jose Rive
" on the Pacific slope. They returne
ne without finding the object OF the
u, search-a good, or even ,olerable, can
w route.
IS, The route by Aspinwall, it is sal
OF would be at least as eligible as al
&c other Qhe elevation across from TIL
81 point never exceeding 800 feeO but fl
DIS the fact that there are no natural barbol
he The building of harborS, it is state
re would cost us much as the constructiC
Is of the canal
The explorers found no traces of pl
yious explorations. Doctor Cullen,
ell former explorer speaks of having no Ia
Il. ed the trees from ocean 10 ocean, fro