The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1882-09-07
Letter From Nicaragua.
THE NICARAGUA CANAL. CHARACTERISTICS
OF THE NICARAGUANS. THE PROGRESS OF
THE COUNTRY IN THE PAST TEN YEARS.

observation since my return to Nicaragua.
will not intlict the details of Il sea voyage on
your readers, for one voyage is so much like an
other that description of rough weather and
seasick passengers, of smooth weather and in
strumental and vocal concerts in the saloon or
on the hurricane deck, of the schools of whales
seen, of the beautiful view Of the island of
Cuba, the rough passage across the caribbean
sea and the JOY of the passengers on reaching
ASpinwal, would be weary reading. There
are three routes by which this place can be
reached Through tickets can be purchased in
New York for Carinto, a Pacific port of Nicara-
qua, or one can buy ticket to AspinNaI by
the same line (Pacc Mail ;. :. Coz thence by
Royal Mail line to Greytown, then up the SAN
Juan river to lake Nicaragua. across the lake
to Grenada, thence by diligence to Managua
the capital Of the State. Or you can 60 by the
Atlas line from New York direct to Greytown.
This latter is the cheapest route and the first is
the most expensive.
4 letter might be filled with description of
san Juan river and lake Nicaragua. The lake
is too large to be called beautiful TO the
Northwest. As far as the eye can reach. can be
seen a great sheet of water with islands here
and there, and prominent among them is the
conica peak Of Omctrpec. which is more than
5000 feet high. The banks of the river are
heavily wooded, and luNuriant vines grow from
the ground to the topmast branches. The foli-
age comprises every known shade OF green.
This is the route Of the proposed
NICARAGUA CANAL.
and | will mention few of The many adyau-
ta@e> this rout, possesses over any other thai
has been surveyed. The river from Gr,ytuwn
to the Lake is 12o miles long with fall Of lo1
feet, less than foot to the mile, There are
three rapd~ in the river, the Machuca. Castillo
and roro. The banks of the river where these
rapids occur are high, and dams could br easily
built and locks constructed 10 tax, ships around
them. Between these dams il might BE- nrrr>-
>ary to do some slight dredging. Before reach
ING the colorado riycr. (Which now >ap> the
san Juan Of a large portion Of it, wojcrSl
there i~a bond in The latter river, aud across
this bend il is proposed to dig a canal entering
the river again below tlI, Colorado thu, turn
inc the water into H. original channel This
would keep the haroor 30 ,iryytown a. open as
it was twenty years ago before tine water was
diverted from its proper channel From the
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this point. The lake will afford water enough
for Il dozen canals. In view of these adyan-
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