Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-06-22
The Dar,en Canal Expedition.

The Barren Canal Expedition.
A correspondent of the New York Herald with
Commander Selfridge's canal survey expedition
| gives the following sketch of the labors, hard
ships and unsatisfactory result of the attempt
to find practicable route on the Atrato Tuyra
| line:
On BOARD THE U. S. STEAMER REsAoA,
| CHIPAGANA, May 81, 1871.
AT length a few of the explorers have re-
| turned, and never did a party more joyfully
| tread the deck of man-ot-war. That which
seemed an interminable journey has been al
| most accomplished, and, although the fears re-
| Gently entertained that the route would prove
impractcable have been realized, it is neverthe-
| less gratifying to know that one of the import
ant ends of the expedition has been attained.
A complete line has been drawn from ocean to
Ocean-a feat which very few expeditions can
justly claim. Adventures have sprung up at
times and tried the experiment with the sole eX-
pectation of pecuniary advantages, but, having
merely shifted the atmosphere Of the isthmus,
beat haSty retreat to their native shores. In
genious and lOng-winded reports have generally
followed as the result of their very limited OBJ
servatons, and with an effrontery which can be
appreciated only by those whose experience OF
the country enables them to form proper esti-
mate of such illusions, the selfstyed explorers
have proclaimed certain routes as feasible, their
| formation obtained from rubber-hunters or
| Indians. If this undertaking has not succeeded
| in discovering canal route by way of Atrato
and Tuyra rivers, the failure to do arises SIM
| ply from the fact that il never existed in that
direction. Yet had it not been for this expedi-
ton the community would have been deprived
of that knowledge; for however much people
may vaunt their acquaintance with the subject,
it is only by a reliable survey, such as that
which has just been completed, that correct
info aoti nm, ha oil q
months have been occupied in carrying
on operations, under circumstances that re-
fleet credit upon those who participated in the
work. On the one side, the Gulf of Darien has
been thoroughly sounded, and a minute exam
ination has been made of the Atrato for over 1870
miles, as also the Paranchita river up to the "di-
vide" while on the Pacific, the Tuyra and Cue
rivers and their surroundings have been carefully
inspected by large surveying force. The line,
as already intimated, has been finished with the
exception of a mile or two, and very important |
facts have been established. But the great bar |
rier to an inter-oceanc canal across this portion
of the iSthmuS arises not so much because OF the
height of the "divide" itself, as on account of |
the mountainous character of the country all the |
way leading to it. For miles on either side of |
the Cue, for instance, ridges run out from that |
tortuous river while the current runs from its |
course for considerable distance through a |
solid bed of rock. The inSuFmountable obsta- |
cleS presented on this side of the "divide" at |
bility of this route A thorough examination |
was made on the crest and the lowest elevation |
found was that announced. In word, cOnsid- |
ering the question of expense, the feasibility of
the Atrato-ruyra route for an inter-oceanic canal
cannot seriously be thought Of. The physical |
difficulties to be encountered are insuperable.
| To what actual distance they may extend on
| either side of the line is of course unknown;
but, presuming that similar characteristics to
those ascertained show themselves TO the right
and left of it for at least five or six miles, no
route could be established with any prospect of |
success. These facts were mainly established by |
the party returning from the mouth of the Cue |
river, when drawing line to Pinogana,
which, with the exception of few places, |
was billy all the way down. This, in brief, |
then, is the practical result of the expedition |
which promised so favorably even for months |
after the start for it is only since the explorers
on this side surveyed within a few miles of Pin |
ogana that the conclusion has been arrived at. |
The operations were nevertheless carried on with
great spirit and willingness, and, nothing daunt-
ed by the floods, the same energy and persever- |
ance which characterized the commencement of |
the work was mapfully maintained to the close. |
In previous letters have frequently adyerted to
the almost unlimited tortuTes to which the sur |
yeyors were subjected by the Swarms of viva
ciOus insects which infest the woods. Since the |
day on which the line was begun there has been |
no cessation in the savage attacks of these |
winged monsters Whether in the shape Of |
ravenous mosquitoes, congo flies or huge ants, |
they have been the cause of more suffering than |
all the other incidental hardships put together.
Often at nightfall have the men been obliged to |
fly from their camps in despair, and, seeking |
some adjacent elevation, have endeavored to
gain few hours slumber. And not unfre-
quently have the macheteros, stung and har- |
raised beyond description, rushed out into the
water and passed the night upon some rocks ris-
ing up in the river. The most perfect protection
in the way of netting failed to keep the pests
at bay. Working their way through the small
est aperture, the mosquitoes would commence
their nightly assault with chorus that never
failed to strike terror to those who heard it.
The return of the party was marked by fresh
source of torment, which caused not only con-
siderable alarm, but entirely removed the inn
pressions entertained in regard to the harmless
ness of the vampire bat. Almost since the be-
ginning of this month the camps of the eXplor-
ers have been nightly invaded by these unsightly
objects, which never failed to leave bloody and
unmistakable traces of their visit. They fit
noiselessly about, and, when making an iucision
in the flesh are said to keep their wings in mo-
ton in order to fan that part of the victim
whence they suck the blood Be this as it may,
the men found themselves bitten, and, as many
of the vampires were caught in the act, all doubt
as to their much-talked-of propensities were
set aside. That the explorers suffered very
much on the return is pretty evident, and that
they prosecuted their labors under great difficult
| ties their thin, pale and worn forms amply test
| fy. Moreover, the patience of the officers was
not little taxed when drawing the line from
| the mouth of the Cue. The entire distance to
be surveyed on the homeward TRIP was not more
than fifteen miles, but through such dense
mass of impenetrable Jungle that but little
Roadway was made. Besides, the river was
rising, and fears were justly entertained that the
| floods would soon arrest the progress of the
work. At this juncture, which occurred during
| the middle of the month, the nine macheteros
unanimously declared that inasmuch as the
| term of their engagementhad expired they would
cease to work, and notified the officers in charge
| of their determination to leave BY great per-
| suasion, however, they were induced to remain
| in order to assist in the removal of the camp.
| But a circumstance arose which compelled all
hands to fly for safety.
Rain fell in torrents both day and night, and
| soon the swollen river began to inundate the
| banks. At noon on the 18th inst. the water had
risen over ten feet, and although the camp Of
| the surveyors was situated on comparatively
| high ground, the stream came rapidly flowing
| in, threatening all the while to wash it away.
In this desperate strait party struck deeper into
the woods in hopes Of striking higher ground,
| wading waist deep while pursuing the search.
To their surprise they found the surrounding
country submerged, and it is needless to add
that they returned to the camp with all possible
despatch. The camp was now three feet under
water, and there being no prospect of the river
falling, all hands took to the trees as last re-
sort. The scanty provisions remaining, together
with the instruments, had already been placed
out of immediate danger, but there was never
theless sufficient reason TO apprehend that they
would shortly meet the same fate as the other
movables in the camp. Down poured the tor
rents without cessation, and inch by inch the
water rose until it concealed the lowest branches
OF the trees, ascending all the while, to the