June 8, 1857.] CALDWELL'S EXPLORATION OF DARIEN. 485 



Indians on tlie Atlantic side ; marks of a trail were also seen, and 

 also a tree recently cut. The whole party suffered much for want 

 of water, which was very scarce, and in hunting for which much 

 delay was caused. The negro peon, being in fear of the Indians, 

 persuaded the Indian interpreter and boy to return, and neither 

 threats nor promises could induce him to proceed. At evening on 

 this the fourth day the Atlantic was seen from the top of a tree, 

 through a gap in the hills, in a n.e. direction, apparently about 10 

 miles distant. The following morning (the fifth day) the Indians 

 and negro retraced their steps, and Dr. Caldwell and Parker con- 

 tinued their route, cutting their way with much difficulty through 

 the bush, and suffering still from want of water. Two more shots 

 were heard in the woods this day. 



Towards evening, on ascending a tree, the gap in the Atlantic 

 range was again distinctly visible, distant about five or six miles ; 

 but the want of water and provisions compelled the Doctor to re- 

 turn, and on the morning of the eighth day he reached Principe, 

 where he fortunately found the Indians and negro with the canoe, 

 they having, in the mean time, returned to Chepigana, whence they 

 had been compelled by Mr. Iloseac to go back and await the arrival 

 of the party. 



Dr. Caldwell believes that the summit between the two oceans 

 was crossed on the first day's march near Principe, and that thence 

 to the Atlantic there was a gradual descent. This agrees with the 

 accounts furnished to him by various Indians in Chepigana and 

 Yavizo, especially with regard to the gap through which the Atlantic 

 was so distinctly visible. 



This route Dr. Caldwell considers well worthy of being scientifically 

 examined, and he expresses no doubt of his being able, by following 

 the path he has cut, to reach the Atlantic from Principe in four days 

 at the outside. Not having taken any instruments with him, Dr. 

 Caldwell does not profess to give more than an approximation to the 

 heights and distances. 



Mr. L. Gisbornb, f.r.g.s., had been twice to the Isthmus of Darien, and 

 he had heard the paper with great interest, because it showed that the author 

 had fallen into the same error that he (Mr. Gisborne) had, on his first visit. 

 The only difference was that he did not fall in with Indians. Dr. Caldwell 

 stated that, on the fourth day, he saw the Atlantic. The Society had in their 

 archives his own report on the last expedition to the isthmus of Darien. It 

 was undertaken at the request of the three Governments of France, England, 

 and America, and with the consent of the Government of New Granada, and 

 he might, therefore, call it an official survey. They found out for the first 

 time that the whole coast on the Atlantic was eight miles out of longitude — 

 an error so important, that another explorer of Darien, Captain Prevost, who, 

 he believed, was the first that went so far into the interior, starting from the 



