New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-05-27
THE DARIEN CANAL.

PACIFIC - uoMEwARD BOUND - THE NNhi-
ATRATo ROUTE THE SHORTEST, B'i ""i-"'
LENGTH or TUNNEL RtQCiEEp
i,rou A srEcIAL CORRESPONDENT or THE rRibVNh.l
, Asp,xw,lL, U. S. of Col, May 15.-With
tho return of the Canandaiga 10 this port on the 7h
inst the field work of the fourth BARREN Exploring hN-
pcdtIon was closed and all that How remains to he done
ia the collaug of data acquired with srca dcuty ana
the preparation OF the final report of the Na?piAtra'o
route for presentation TO the ncroceanc Canal 'omhS
soners During the stay " Tic officers who had been
engaged in this survey much Office work has been DONE
OF course It will he months before the official figures are
ready; but enough is known to justify the Sans'cs
inolose herein The party, composed of Lieut. fcu '
Inns. commanding and Licuts. j. c. baon l. sul''''i
g Paine Ensign BaTro, and Acknowledgment Ernest
Eorfeet, are to sail hence the 10th mst' III the
steamer Acapulco. for New-Iork. TIC Canahaag"a
being under orders Key West VIII san rs soon as S'oes
can be obtained That the expedition mas returned III
such good health is matter for congratulations and al
though almost every officer and man has suffered occa
,onally from fever, the health in general has been
exceptionally good. A brief account of their work,
vicissitudes and adventures may prove of interest.
sAND-rlES
The middle of March found the party reunited at n
beautiful camp ON the banks of the Napip This camp
had been christoned suggcsiiycly, Camp Relief Ill
sew of the antic rated meeting and the consequent re-
arrangement OF working parties. Whatever rehef there
may have been experienced in other ways. certainly
there WIS from the attacks OF the insects whch
abound these woods. OF AL tue pests sung anu
rnvcnoia TIE slnG-Ay is preeninen,. When the first
faint traces o. dawn tugcd the eastern sky and before
he srovir day had overcome the darkness which still
fingered Ia obscure hooks. forth came the sandics with
hun of hungry expectancy, which sent chill through
every heart These early corners were only the advance
guard the active skrmishcrs of army innumerabc as
tie sa,.Gs of the With increased light
rlmo i.,9;a,.d numbers, till the air filed
with u-in. The persstcncy of their attacks, the
,cucs- oi hcr bites the inoierahle itching caused
10y heir venom, and the inhncSsma size OF the Tor
y -ntors aAcled them through the waking hours OBJ
ir & OF ems ant and soicute, While during the
uit tie STUART caused by their b!s gave the fcvered
l,ood 10 rest. Like the poor, these had with us
always woods rivers, idle or active, reading,
eating walking, swimming. or sleeping, as long as Sht
was they As bOOd-suckcrs they are unsurpassed
A lccch VIII ta,e al he can hold and no more; while
sand Nv if only allowed his sweet Will, Will con-
tnUc 10 draw blood long after his individual needs
are satisfied long after caution aud an abdomen already
Gisenlrd give warning TO cease GlObue after siOpuie
of blood l. added TO their st0machs TIL finally nature
tasked beyond endurance, gives way. and with tiny
report. the pgmy fairly bdrsts III pieces VIC
tim TO bis own gluttcny.
Good food cleanliness and careful attention TO by
cenc had kept every in excellent health, and the
camp rcsoundcd with merry jest and roliicking song
after the labors of the day done. At Camp Relei
there u division into parties; Lieut. Collins re-
turning TO the mouth of the Merndo, to continue the
croSssec,iOnng OF the Valley of the Nap Lieut. Eatoh'
with "a second party, moving down to make thlrd az
tempt TO the swamp, hitherto Impossible;
and Lieut.. sullivan, with third party
extending the main line of survey across
the Cordlcr4s. and completing the connection
with the Pacific at Chiri Chir Bay. The shallow
of the Nappi rendered the progress OF Lieut.
Eatons party, with their heavily laden canoes ex-
trcmcly slow. Logs, the existence of which was unsls-
pectcd at high water obstmced the channel Port
portage Necessary, and darkness overlook
the while they the
THE SWAMP SURVEY.
Daybreak found all route for the swamp. here many
miles long. and from four to five wide running back
from the Atrao 10 the foot of the hills winch surround
the main ridges Both banks of the AtratO for over
hundred miles from mouth diked by Of the
constant ovcrOws to which they are subjected during the
rainy During these overiows immense deposits
of mud sediment made from the turbd waters,
and thus year after year. the banks rise higher above
the back country. Thus this land deprived of outlet
or drainage and the rainfall of the wet season
be disposed of by evaporation by sun and vegeta-
ton before the land eappears Hence the water stands
several feet deep for nearly eight months, and coarse
grasses qi;a sol palms. and water plants alone flour
ish. AS may be imagined. the exhalatiOns from these
swamp during their dryest period full of masmata.
II was through this swamp that Lieut. Eaton and his
party TO carry the line of surveys Two previous
attempts earlier periods had been unsuccessful and IL
was with q firm determination to pass through in some
WY that the party made their third Every effort
was made for two weeks officers and men were put on
their mcte, and despite every obstacle connection
was at last made with the Atrato. The heat in the
swaInps was nearly sitting. Not breath OF air pene-
trated its eyer-haunted glades. Mynads OF insects
stung and tornened the explorers at every STEP the
coarse rass with razOrke edges and six feet in hight,
cut every exposed portion of the person underOot
ouakng bog overhead, tropical sun whose unclouded
splendor fairly dazZled the eye. more
trying place for an AngloSaxon could scarcely
be found. When the line connected there was
not one white of the party who was not PROSTATE
with fever Fortunately the malaria in the system sue
cumbed qunine administered in doses OF 10 grains
three times day The health of the party being partly
restored and work remaining to be done IN the
low country, Lieut. Eaton's party reoined Lieut.. Col
inss in the high lands and extended line of levels to
Cua for locating feeder line to the canal in case the
water supply of the Napp should prove insufficient An
excellent line for conduit was found and the question
of supply Of water set at rest
In the mean time Lieut. Sullivan had been carrying
over the divide to the Pacific the last portion of
tue main canal line. The steep sides OF the hills
had rendered this very arduous task, and the
direction OF the line crossing the spurs at right
angles 10 their made this part of the trail
constant succession Of ups and downs. slopes rising
from 60 t. so feet in 100 feet not uncommon and
the levels actually carried up hill side where the
dead rise % feet in linear distance of 30. The
Dognado takes rise in these hills and upper waters
arc picturesque in the extreme Cascade after cascade
comes shooting over the cliffs which line its banks and
the bed the itself is broken by waterfalls and
rapids inuuInerable Hot sulphur springs were found
bubbing mp from the rock at temperature OF 1iO'
Fh, and TO these great medicinal qualities are ascrbed
by the natives. Wild hogs, turkeys, and tigers
aD0unded III the mountains and the two former
frequently added a relish to bacon and beans
tiger occasionally. Upon April %
the highest point upon the main divide, 79i feet above
mean level reached. and here tie first view