484 CALDWELL'S EXPLORATION OF DARIEN. [June 8, 1857 



The fourth Paper read was — 



4. A Notice of a late Exploration of Darien. By Dr. H. 0. Caldwell, 

 of the u. s. frigate Independence. 



CoDimimicated by John Power, Esq., f.e.g.s., of Panama. 



During an oificial expedition made towards the end of last year 

 to the Gulf of San Miguel, for the purpose of reporting on the 

 facilities of obtaining lumber suitable for ship building, Dr. H. C. 

 Caldwell, surgeon, U. S. ship Independence, who accompanied it, 

 met with Mr. Andrew Hoseac of Chepigana, from whom he learned 

 the particulars of the explorations made by Dr. Cullen, Mr. Gis- 

 borne, Capt. Prevost, r.n., and Lieut. Strain, of u.s.n., in 1853, 

 and also that, in Mr. Hoseac's opinion, based upon information de- 

 rived from the Indians, there existed a comparatively level tract of 

 land between Fort Principe, on the Savanna river, and Caledonia 

 Bay, on the Atlantic, in a direction more northerly than that followed 

 by Capt. Prevost, of H. B. M.'s ship Virago, in 1853. 



On his return to Panama, Dr. Caldwell obtained from Commodore 

 Mervine leave of absence for three weeks, and, accompanied by a 

 sailor from the Independence named Parker, set out with the in- 

 tention of exploring this new route. Having reached Chepigana, 

 every assistance was rendered to him by Mr. Hoseac, but the greatest 

 difficulty was experienced in procuring men to accompany him ; all 

 giving as an excuse their dread of the Indians, &c., &c. At last, an 

 Indian to act as interpreter, his nephew, a lad of fourteen, and 

 a negro, were prevailed upon to go ; and on the 5th of April the party 

 started from Chepigana and reached Principe on the morning of 

 the 6th. 



The next day, the party started in a northerly direction, cutting 

 their way through a thick undergrowth of palms, vines, and thorny 

 bushes ; the bed of the river was crossed during the day four or 

 five times — an insignificant stream running in a watercourse 20 to 

 30 yards wide. Captain Provost's track was also crossed, the cutting 

 through the bush being still distinguishable ; and on a tree was 

 found cut the words, W. Jones, Virago, Dec. 1853. The distance 

 travelled this day was estimated at about six or seven miles, and an 

 elevation was reached of about 160 feet, as near as it was possible 

 to judge without measurement. For the next three days the country 

 crossed still continued to be thickly wooded, of a gently undulating 

 or almost level character, intersected in diiferent directions by 

 numerous watercourses, and in some parts the ground seemed to be 

 swampy during the rainy season. On the fourth day two shots 

 were heard, apparently quite near, and said to be from some of the 



