212 SPORTING ADVENTURES 



There have been numerous projects for con- 

 necting the Pacific with the Atlantic Ocean. 

 Among the schemes which are now considered 

 to be impracticable are those proposed across 

 the Isthmus of Tehuantepec ; the Chiriqui route, 

 in the northern part of the province of Panama ; 

 the Atrato, and the Darien routes. An exhaus- 

 tive survey has lately been made by Captain 

 Selfridge, of the United States Navy, of that 

 part of the isthmus south of Panama. His plan, 

 which is commonly called the Napipi route, has 

 many supporters, but the general opinion is 

 that even if this route be practicable, the ex- 

 pense attending it would be so great as to 

 prevent its ever being carried out. 



There are two routes which find favour ; the 

 one by the lake of Nicaragua, and the other by 

 the Isthmus of Panama, in the immediate 

 vicinity of the railway. With regard to the 

 first, it is maintained that the land about Lake 

 Nicaragua is lower than on the Isthmus of 

 Panama, that there is in the lake itself an inex- 

 haustible reservoir, and an excellent seaport at 



