June 9, 1856.] ILLINGWORTH. 87 



lilingworth, of the Colombian service, crossed the isthmus of Cupica 

 at the head of a party of seamen and marines belonging to a sloop of 

 war under his command. He descended by the river Napipi into the 

 Atrato, the object of his expedition being to assist in the capture of 

 some Spanish gun-boats, which had been sent from Carthagena to invade 

 the towns situated at the head of the Atrato. 



The better to effect the purpose of his expedition and to capture 

 canoes for embarking his men on the Napipi, Admiral lilingworth caused 

 a six-oared boat to be carried up the eminence which rises some 

 200 feet above the level of the sea, behind the bay of Cupica. From 

 that position the course of the river Napipi can be clearly discerned ; 

 and were it not for the impenetrable forest which descends thence to the 

 valley of the Atrato, this deep and splendid Atlantic stream might be 

 fully traced by an observer stationed on the hills in question, above the 

 bay of Cupica. 



Admiral Iliingvvorth's boat was dragged for about six hours' march 

 on foot along the Indian path, which, leaving the bay of Cupica, reaches 

 the river Napipi in a direction almost at right angles to its course, at a 

 point where boats and canoes can navigate it even in the dry season. 



Admiral lilingworth in his boat, and his men in canoes, proceeded to 

 the only farm to be found on the Napipi, and starting thence early in 

 the morning, he arrived in the river Atrato about nine or ten o'clock a.m., 

 the Napipi being in its lower part a deep and winding stream. 



After having fulfilled the objects of his expedition. Admiral liling- 

 worth left his boat in the Atrato, at the solicitation of the Governor of 

 the province ; and as it was the first vessel known to have passed from 

 •one ocean to the other, it was preserved for many years under a shed, 

 in the town of Citara, as a curiosity. 



There is also another point worthy of attention in that section of the 

 isthmus of Panama, namely, the very narrow neck of land which divides 

 the head of the Atlantic river Atrato and that of the St. John's River, 

 which descends into the Pacific in about 4° N. lat., that is to say, about 

 100 leagues to the south or windward of Panama. The Indians, as well 

 as merchants, drag their canoes from one river to the other with great 

 ease, and indeed a sort of canal is formed by this constant operation, 

 which is called " el Canal de la Raspadura." It is moreover stated by 

 the Indians in that part of the country, that a very easy communication 

 is to be obtained between Baudo, an Indian town on the Pacific, and the 

 Atrato. 



