The Sun. — 1854-03-10 (London, England)

DARIEN EXPLORING EXPEDITION.  A gentleman writing from " Off Carthegena, New Granada," gives the following account of the xpedition of the exploring party under Captain Prevost : " Captain Prevost visted me at Lima ; the first sight of him was sufficient to show how poignantly he felt the loss of his four gallant fellows who had fallen a sacrifice to the murderous treachery of the Indians, and the misrepresentations of others in regard to the character of these savages. The poor fellows had been his constant companions, and were the best men of the ship. The party pulled 22i miles up the river Savanna, until the boats could get up no further. They then cut through almost impenetrable forest and passed over a swamp. They were tormented by swarms of mosquitoes and other venomous insects. They passed 26 measured miles, and encountered ravines and mountain ridges. They came to a rapid and large river flowing north-east, but with a very tortuous course. They measured one fall of 600 feet, and found an inclination of 45° to 60° ! This, alone, would give 600 feet perpendicular elevation above the sea. They went as far as their means would admit, but, although they were on a mountain and ascended a high tree, their view towards the Atlantic was intercepted by other mountains and ranges. On my arrival at the city of Aspinwall (Navy Bay) I found that some of the officers of the United States man-of-war Cyani had arrived from Escocis. The whole party appeared to be most indignant. Finally, on riving at Carthegena a French sloop of war came in, accompanied by the Imperial French steamer Chimere. The Chimere was the French part of the expedition, and they had left much disgusted. I passed from Panama to Aspinwall in six hours and a half, including 32 miles of railway in twet hours. The whole line from wharf in the Pacific to wharf in the Atlantic will be open in July next, and the entire transit two hours and a half."  The Aspinwall (Navy Bay) Courier contains a letter from one of the United States' officers sent on the joint exploring expedition. The letter is dated, " United States ship Cynia, Caledonia-bay, New Granada, Jan. 27." The writer says :—" We arrived here on the 18th. Captain Hollins held a grand ' pow-wow' with some 15 or 16 chiefs. At first they were very averse to our landing on the isthmus, and absolutely refused to give their consent ; they at length, however, consented that we should land, but only for the purpose of reconnoitering the proposed route of the ship canal. On the 19th, a party of 28, men and officers, principally from this ship, well armed, and provisioned for ten days, landed under command of Lieutenant Strain. On the 24th four of the party returned, having penetrated a distance of 20 miles into the interior. These latter started next morning, with a reinforcement of ten men and extra provisions. The report of the said returned party is not at all favourable to the prospect for a ship canal —for they estimated, on a fair calculation, that the elevation of the lowest points over which they passed is about 1,000 feet in height. They followed the Caledonia river, and you can judge the size of the stream, when the party walked up the bed of the river all the way. The English brig of war Espiegle arrived on the 19th, having on board Mr. Gisborne, Dr. Cullen, and a party of English engineers detached to survey a route for the proposed ship canal. On the 20th the English survey schooner Scorpion and the French steamer Chimere arrived, the steamer having on board a party for the canal route survey, and the schooner being intended for the survey of this harbour. The English and French party, combined, started on the 24th. On that day a party of five, detached from Strain's party, returned to the ship, and reported the obstacles and hardships which they had encountered. They stated they had left Strain and his party in the mountain, 18 miles distant. They left the ship again with a reinforcement of 10 men and 10 days' extra provisions, under charge of Lieutenant Fauntleroy. While I write I see detachments of the French and English party returning to their vessels, and am informed they have come after provisions. A glance at the letter of Lieutenant Fauntleroy, who overtook the English party the day after he left, fully indicates that their own conclusion upon the premises acquired thus far is that the route is impracticable."