The New York herald., 1873-05-05
ON The |STHMUS.
Completion Of the Surveys for the
Darien Ship Canal.
TRIUMPH OF THE EXPEDITION.
A Feasible Route by the Atrato, Doguado
and Napipi Rivers.
ONLY TWENTY EIGHT MILES Of CANAL.
The Cost Of the Enterprise Esti.
mated at $7O,OOO,OOO.
THE ROUTE OF THE EXPLORERS.
Three Hundred Miles Of Travel Through tho
Heart Of the Tropics.
CLIMPSES OF STHMIAN WILDERNESS
Life and Customs Among the Aborigines
and COnquiStadOres.
THEIR TOWNS, VILLAGES AND HABITATI0NS.
Mining and Gold Washing in the
Province of Quibdo.
A FEsTE DAY AT VFJIA.
Drowning Of One Of the
Explorers.
Mining and Gold Washing in the
Province of Quibdo.
A FETE DAY AT vEJ1A.
Drowning Of One Of the
Explorers.
Graphic Narrative of the Singular
Journey.
STEAMSHIP RISING STAR, |
AT SEA, April 26, 1873.

AT oEA, April 70, 1878. }
The members Of the United States Darten Ex-
pl0ring Expedition are now upon their return to
the United States, their labors OF the past
having been crowned with the most complete sue
cess. BY the new line via the Napipi and Doguado
rivers the entire length Of the canal has been re-
duced to twenty eight miles, the length OF the tun-
mel to about three miles and the estimated cost Of
the work to less than seventy millions Of dollars.
In continuing the account OF the operations by
which this triumphant result has been achieved
must begin with the reconnaissance Of the Atrato
River made BY Captain Seliridge. accompanied by
Lieutenant Collins. This reconnaissance was un-
dertaken while the regular surveys were In prog
ress for the purpose OF gaining accurate Knowl-
edge OF that river above the point which the ex
peditton Of 1871 carried their survey, as well as of
obtaining general Information concerning the char.
acter OF the country and its inhabitants.
The distance from the Pacific beach, whence the
Captain set out, to the town Of Qulbd6 upon the
Atrat0, is about one hundred and sixty m1les-n0
great journey in country OF railroads and steam
boats, but In this country matter Of weeks
severe travel, with hardships and discomforts in
abundance. The route lay first from Chirichir1
Bay, over the hills Of the Adtvide," to the Cma
River and this stage Of the journey had to be per-
formed on foot. Arriving at the Cuia, the party
took canoes, In which they were conveyed down
TO the Atrato At the little village Of vejia on that
river, they procured larger canoes and some fresh
men and pursued their journey up the Atrato
itself until they reached Quibdo. This journey en-
abled the explorers to become acquainted with
each Of the three classes into which the population
OF the valley Of the AtratO may be divided. These
are first, the descendants Of the original Spanish
C0nQ,dstddOres, who comprise the ruling but least
numerous class. Next the descendants OF the
African negroes brought over by the early settlers
as slaves. These form the bulk Of the population
They are now OF course free-a fact OF which they
appear very proud speaking Of themselves always
as soros, or free men. They have maintained the
purity Of their blood with singular strictness and
are still as black as the princes OF Congo. They
are as o race tall, wei formed and muscular but
lazy and shiftless to degree almost beyond con-
ception or belief They live generally along the
Atrato itself and the mouths of it's tributaries
where they cultivate, in their lazy way, bananas
plantains and the sugar cane, raising only enough
20 keep them from starvation, with the aid of the
nsh taken from the river. Lastly, we have the In.
dams OF the Choco tribe who are the descendants
Of the aborigines OF the country. These live
among the hills and mountains, and subsist chiefly
by hunting and fishing. They are few in number
and live scattered about, never collecting in vii.
lagos. They are OF mild disposition, honest and in
offensive, and possess the phlegmatc temperament
common to all Indians.
The route pursued by Captain Sefridge led him
nrst among these people. On reaching the Cuia
River he embarked with his party in canoe and,
propelled by TWO Indians, provided with long poles
or pos0nods, they sped rapidly down the shallow
stream. An occasional debarkaton for the pas
sage OF rapids served to vary the monotony and
the nrSt night they rested In the honse oil
PEDRO, THE CHIEF CANOE NAN
Here they were well received by Pedro's wife and
two daughters who made them as comfortable az
circumstances would allow. The two daughters
about fourteen and sixteen years OF age. were
quite goodooking being well formed and having
pleasing expression; but the wife was hideously
ugly. Their dress was simplicity ITSELF consisting
only OF strip OF coarse cloth round about the
waist and falling half way to the knee-"only this
and nothing more,n save q few patches
Of red paint upon their breasts and faces
Simple, however, as this was, 1t was an
elaborate toilet compared with that Of the men.
who were absolutely naked, with the exception
II, indeed, 1t be an exception-of microscopic
breech-cloth. On grand occasions, however, they
found that the men came out in o grd7sde tenue Of
exceeding richness.
They fortunately had an opportunity OF seeing
one Indian in full dress, he being q young man
who was seeking the hand OF the elder of Pedro's
daugnters, "with view to matrimony." This
young gent had prepared himself to conquer by
covering his body with groundwork of black
paint This about the chest, back and shoulders,
was laid on In an openwork pattern, while the
hands and feet, by way OF contrast we're painted
SKY blue. and the face striped and dotted with
scarlet. On his wrists were broad bands of
silver, and about his lolns and neck mum.
peerless strings OF blue, red and white
BEADS, WIN sprinklin9 OF gold Around his head
alSe, ne wore q band OF beads from which 40,
pended bunches OF fragrant roots and bark and in
Immense holes In the lobcs OF his ears he wore
huge newers resembling our wild roses Thus
equipped, 1t may be supposed mis- conquest was an
easy one.
IL appeared strange that the men shouId monon.
olize everything In the way OF Ornament. but this
Rppears 70 be the fashion among theaa neonlc