324 On a Communication behveen the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. 



his reach j but from the deficiency of those sources, and the unavoidable 

 imperfection of that information for which he was dependent upon the ve- 

 racity of others, his statements are not in all respects to be depended upon j 

 and at all events, from the length of time which has elaped since the pub- 

 lication of his remarks, some corrections have become necessary. Accord- 

 ing to this able writer, the points which have been at various times selected 

 for attempting a communication between the two seas, are five in number, 

 of which two are situated in the dominions of Mexico, to the west of the 

 eighty-third degree of west longitude j and three to the east of that meri- 

 dian, within the territories of the republic of New Granada. These points 

 are as follows : — 



To the JVest of the Meridian of To the East of the Meridian of 



830 fF. L. 830 jr. L. 



1. The isthmus of Tehuan- 1. The isthmus* oi Pana- 

 /e;>ee, between tiie sources mh, between the parallels 



of the Chimalapn and Rio of 8o 15' and 



de Passo, which falls into Qo 36' 



the Rio Huasacualco, be- 2. The isthmus ofDarienor 

 tween the parallels of ,. 16o& 18o Cupici), between the Rio 



2. The isthmus oi Nicara- Napipi and the buy oi Cu- 

 gua, between the port of pich, on the west coast of 

 San Juan de Nicaragua, the Choco, between the 



and the coast of the gulf parallels of 7° and 8o 



oiPapagayo, near the in- 3. The Canal of Baspndura, 



sulated volcanoes of Gra- between the upper part 



nada and Bombacho, be- of the Rio Strata and 



tween the parallels of . . IQo & 12° Rio San Juan de Chocd, 



between the parallels of 4° 58' and 

 5° 20' 

 The object of this hasty sketch being only to show the advantages of 

 one or two particular points, to which it is desired to call the attention of 

 the commercial world, it would be inconsistent with the brevity to which 

 it is confined, to enter into any examination of the merits or the demerits 

 of the other points. It will, therefore, be sufficient to observe, that from 

 a most careful consideration of the subject, the two points indicated in the 

 Mexican territories present obstacles to the completion of the project, 

 which appear to the writer to be insurmountable ; while of the three situ- 

 ated within the jurisdiction of New Granada, but one of the three points 



* This isthmus contains, in fact, no less than three distinct lines for the proposed 

 communications, namely, between Cruces and the town of Ya.na.mk ; between the 

 Ensenada de Mandinga, to the east of the Punta de Sa7i Bias, and the Rio San Juan 

 Diaz; and between the Ensenada de Anachichima and the Gol/o de San Miguel. Of 

 these, however, the latter alone appeals to merit attention. 



