88 GISBORNE. [June 9, 1856. 



3. Survey of the Isthmus of Darien, between the Gulf of San Miguel 

 and Caledonia Bay. By Lionel Gisborne, m.a., c.e., f.r.g.s. 



This is the second expedition to Darien, of which Mr. Gisborne has 

 had charge. The object of both was to examine the country between 

 San Miguel and Port Escoces, and the results of the first are published 

 in vol. 23 of the Royal Geographical Society's Journal. Owing to the 

 continued hostility of the native Indians, he believed that no party, since 

 the time of the Buccaneers, in 1684, had ever obtained a footing in the 

 country, with the exception of Milla's ; Patterson's ; and his own. 



Mr. Gisborne's expedition was commenced with the co-operation of the 

 Governments of England, France, America, and New Granada, which 

 sent officers to report on the results of the survey, and stationed ships 

 to protect the explorers. A first attempt showed that success was im- 

 possible to the very large party with which Mr. Gisborne started ; he 

 returned to the ships, and then, accompanied by Lieut. St. John and 

 two sailors, and guided by Indians, he ascended the Caledonia River, 

 crossed the Cordilleras, went some distance down the Sucubdi River, 

 and then, striking N.W., reached Mr. Forde's head-quarters on the 

 opposite side of the isthmus. An attempt to recross by another route 

 proved unsuccessful. He relates the disasters that befell two parties 

 who started a very short time before his own, those of Capt. Prevost 

 and of Lieut. Strain. At the request of Mr. Gisborne, a boat was 

 despatched from H.M.S. ' Virago ' in search of the survivors of the 

 latter party, who were discovered, after five days, in a most deplorable 

 state of destitution. 



The result of Mr. Gisborne's survey shows that the harbours of 

 Caledonia and Darien are excellent, and in every way adapted as the 

 termini of an inter-oceanic canal. The coast on the Atlantic side was 

 foimd to be seven miles wrongly laid down in longitude, and a range of 

 mountains, from 900 to 1600 feet high, was proved to form the parting 

 of the country at a distance of about five miles from the Atlantic. This 

 water parting is precipitous, being, at a distance of five miles westward, 

 only 200 feet above the mean level of the oceans. The distance between 

 tidal waters on opposite coasts is under 30 miles. A track chart of the 

 Chuqunaque has been made nearly as high as the Loma Deseada, at the 

 confluence of the Sucubdi, which agrees in a very remarkable manner 

 with the copy of the map made to show Milla's route in 1787-8, a tracing 

 of which was given to Mr. Gisborne by Colonel Codazzi. The result 

 of this last survey is demonstrative of the fact that canalization across, 

 without tunnelling, is here impracticable; but it also proves that a 

 railway might be constructed between excellent ports not above 12 



