The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-05-12

pair OF keen, black eyes, determined mouth
and q pair OF handsome coal black whiskers.
He Ii giving orders as the whaleboat comes along
side, and seems in hurry to be Oh. He wears q
heavy nannel shirt OF some unknown color. He
has thrown aside his paper collar. but hts shoes
like pair OF gondolas, make up for all deficiencies
and his stout limbs are encased In pair OF can
vas leggings, which don't contrast unfavorabIy
with the blue pantal0ons OF stun generally used
| for butcners' aprons. With saLche thrown over
his shoulder and map case In his hand this CON-
paratively young man moves about rapidly and
you can hear him two cable lengths away. This ia
Selfridge. he has been looking after tin pans
kettles. bags OF 'hard tack" bacon and coHee and
Is seeing 1t safely placed In the boat Here comes
| General Ammen nne old gentleman, and as
sturdy and stanoh soldier as ever fought for the
Union. He carries . poe-we all have poles
to climb the mountain and is dressed IN
order-nannel SHIRT, cotton pants, legglngs and
ships SHOES, with broadbrtm hat to crown the
picture. And now, as the General issues from the
CABIN. arrayed In all the peaceful costume OF
mountaineer, he reminds you OF shepherd In the
olden time going forth to tend his nock. But he
is going to DO no such thing for you see he Is
hunting up his knapsack among the seven that lie
on the quarter deck. II you look up towards the
hurricane deck you win see broad shouldered,
full bearded man Of say thirty-nve, with an ex-
beggars description. He Ia above the ordinary
height vigorous, healthy jovial and, az he STANDS
In the midst OF q crowd OF naval officers, you can
hear his hearty laugh, ringing like q well toned
bell. h. too, Is destitute OF coat and
collar, and looks, indeed, as II lie bore
the loss with becoming resignation. His revolver
hangs by his side as costly q toothpick reclines
In the vest pocket OF civilian. At the very first
glance You would decide he was man OF intelli-
gence and discernment, able to take the world as
1t came. To him has been intrusted che import
ant duty of determining the relative merits of the
two canal routes. Allow me TO introduce to you
Major Walter Mcfarland. graduate OF the Free
Academy Of New York, and later Of the military
Institution at West Point Not for from the ward
room hatch you may see tall, lithe wiry looking
gentleman, with fair hair, sunburnt face and the
merriest of twinkling eyes, standing in the rain
with his hat slightly on an angle and his hands In
his pockets. He is whistng, and looks a. II he
were "takng stock" all round. This ID Captain
Huer Then we have Colonel Walton, an emil
nent civil engineer, from New Orleans
whose time is pretty well occupied with his
handkerchief In absorbing the stream of
perspration which the stlnlng closeness OF the
morning produces. Much interest is centred in
the Colonel. And now Professor Mitchell, whose
great speciality is that OF tide guaging appears on
match He examines his pocket thermometer
with grave attention. looks seward and skyward,
which he takes in at glance, and, having lighted
his pipe, proceeds on the important mission Of
looking for his knapsack. There Is yet another
the cook. q clustering Portuguese, who, from the
heavy armament he wears. to wit, Ratchet, q
machete, o huge revolver and cartridge box,
seems destined for an untimely end. hope he
Will not die Immediately though have my fears
should he stumble In the woods. And so the FORE
going, with your correspondent, make up the
party, as unique group as you might see for
many day.
Drearincss and Desolation-The Engi-
neers ON the Tramp-A Very Hard Road
to Travel-Whnt Indian Females
Thought OF Modern Improvements-A
Night OF Terror-Down the Rapids-Ex-
citing Scenes ON the Napipi-Arrival at
the Rancho Grande.
CAMP No. 2 NAPIPI RIVER. April IL, 1874
Canal hunting Ia not pastime. 1t may have
charms lor the engineering mind. but that 1t can
fairly be classed among field sports is an open
question. Ny object in setting forth some OF the
minor details OF this expedition some OF the little
incidents OF travel as well as q lew Of the moon
veniences which It begets, Ii manly to show that
the search for good route BY which vessels may
in time to come proceed from the Atlantic Ocean
TO the Pacific without the necessity OF going round
Cape Horn, is not entirely unaccompanied
by unforeseen mshaps which, believe me-
0ftentimes suggest to the victim the hope
Of speedy dissolution. 1t is sad thing to wish
for the blottlng out of your existence but let the
Preside phianthropst Of an inquisltive turn take
q look through Darien and I'll warrant he win
soon be willing to give up the ghost. "See Naples
and die" is the traditional exclamation OF the
champagne tourist. Should any Of the heirs. as.
signs or descendants Of that proverbial party
ever think OF tramptng this way in quest Of novel
scenes 1t would, under all the circumsta noes, be
prudent for him to visit Naples beforehand. since
1t Is than probable that his chance OF passing
out Of existence in that charming spot would be
very remote alter spending short vacation in
this quarter Of the globe.
FEW FEATURES.
Here in this desolate region-lonely, comfortless,
clammy-where the sound OF life Is scarcely ever
heard, where nauseating vapors poison the air,
where long, twisting parasites sap the iounda.
ton OF the stateest trees and spurious vegeta-
ton springs up like magic; crawling vipers
fatten on filth and hydra-heaied insects feast to-
su1ocation on the unlucky being whom an evil star
may chance to place within their reach. Whatever
It may have been in the time or the buccaneers
many many years ago, Daren to-day has little to
recommend 1t. 1t seems as II some blight hal
fallen on the land, so barren, so wretched SO des
ttute OF everything that goes to make life pleas
ant But enough OF this for the present. since time
presses and the order to start for the Atrato Is I'm
perative.
AN ACCIDENT.
But just here an unlucky accident occurred
which well nigh threatened the success OF the ex-
petition. While the Professor, with characteristic
ZEAL was endeavoring to obtain the temperature
OF the water, upon which so momentous results
depended, he found, to his horror that his instru
ment would not record the fact, and thereupon
cast it into the stream. Should some Indian pick
1t up month hence there will doubtless be coun-
Gil OF war held. Colonel Walton brought up the
rear of the party In good form, though it was EVIL
dent the sand nes had not improved his genial