River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1906-08-09

Since the discovery of the lsthmus
Of Panama, or Darien, as it was at
first called, there is hardly spot on
earth that has attracted so much at
tention. Balboa, the Spanish naYlga-
tor, was the first to cross the divide
and saw the Pacific on September 20,
1913. It's history during the nearly
400 years that have since elapsed is
filed with stories of blOodshed and
cruelty. The Spaniards slaughtered
the Indians as they did the inofenslve
Caribs. The buccaneers under such
monsters as Hawkins and Morgan
committed crimes against the Span
iards that appear almost incredible.
The sack of the old City OF Panama
is one of the darkest pages in the MS
tory of nations. 1t is relief to turn
from these subjects to a history OF
suffering supported by the dictates or
duty and patriotism as enrolled In the
archives of the United States naval
department at Washington.
From Tehuantepec to New Granada
every effort had been made fifty years
ago to find a suitable route for snip
canal through the Cordilleras. An
Irish romancer wrote a book descrlD-
ing such a route, and English capital
lists sent out an engineer named G1s-
borne to make survey. He returned
with maps and figures and wrote
book describing an alleged practicable
route All were false and it is doubt
full if he ever penetrated the isthmus
at all. On his statement that there
vas a gap of only $50 feet in height
above sea level, company was
formed with a capital of $75,OOO,OOO
to construct a canal. Gisborne's
falsehoods were speedily discovered,
but an English party sent up the
Savanna river in 1853, after penetrating
a few miles, returned in despair,
minus four men killed by the Chu-
quanaqua Indians, a fierce tribe of the
interior.
Sought Through Route.
The idea at the time was to discover
a route from Caledonia bay, on the At
lantic, to Darien harbor, on the Pa
cific. To this end the United States
steamship Cyanne was sent with an
exploring party to Caledonia bay,
while a British ship, the Virago, went
to Darien harbor to give assistance if
needed. The Cyanne's party consisted
of Lieutenant Isaac G. Strain, in COM
mand; Passed Midshipmen Charles
Latimer and William r. Truxton, First
Assistant Engineer j. NJ. Maury, Mid
shipman II. M. Garland, a volunteer
from the Cyanne; A. T. Boggs,. S. H.
Kettlewell, j. Sterritt Hollins, who
were assistant engineers, and Dr. ].
c. Bird, surgeon. Mr.. Maury was as.
tronomer and secretary. Seniors Cas-
tilla and Polanco went along as repre-
sentatives of New Granada, in which
state the proposed route lay. The bal
ance of the party of twenty-seven con-
sisted of tried seamen of the navy.
Misled by Gisborne's maps and
statements, the party took only ten
days provisions, but was amply sup
piled with arms and ammunition. OF
that party of twenty-seven men that
left the Cyanne, on January II, 1854,
only eighteen ever saw the ship again,
the other third having persisted miser-
ably in the depths of the tropical for
es or after the rescue of the party.
Advancing up the bed of the Gale
donna river, they were soon forced to
take to the land, where progress could
only be made by hewing a path
through the dense foliage. The Indians
fed before them, first burning their
tents and canoes. The explorers were
speedily immersed in the appalling
difficulties of tropical country, ag-
gravated by steep precipices and deep
canons. Holcomb, Winthrop, Hollins,
Dr. Bird and Roscoe strayed from the
column on January 20 and were never
heard of again. Deeply as Strain felt
for them, he was obliged to push on
after firing repeated signals for them
to return. They found an Indian guide,
who appeared to be honest at that
time and said he would guide them to
the Savanna, one and half days
march. He later encountered a band
of Chuquanaqua Indians and aban-
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