Across NicaragiLa with Transit and Machete. 325 



The special phase of field work which fell to my personal lot 

 was entirely reconnaissance, consisting of canoe examinations of 

 all streams in the vicinity of the line of the canal, to determine 

 their sources, character of valley, and approximate water shed ; 

 of rapid air-line compass and aneroid trails, to connect one 

 stream, or valley head with another, or furnish a base line for a 

 genei'al sketch plan of a valley ; and of studies of the larger 

 features of the terrene, from elevated tree tops. 



The last has been already described ; in the second the experi- 

 ence was very similar to that of the parties in running main lines. 

 On these occasions three or at most four hardy huleros (rubber 

 hunters) comprised the party, two carrying the blankets, mosquito 

 bars and provisions for several days, and one or two cutting the 

 lightest possible practicable trail and marking prominent trees. 



In a day's march of from five to eight miles, and this was the 

 utmost that even such a light, active and experienced party could 

 cover in one day, every possible and some almost impossible kinds 

 of traveling was encountered, and thoroughly exhausted men 

 crept into their bars every night. 



The canoe reconnaissances were more agreeable, though some 

 most unpleasant as well as most enjoyable memories are connected 

 with them. 



The innumerable large fallen trees which obstruct the streams 

 and over or through which the canoe must be hauled bodily, the 

 almost inevitable capsizing of the canoe, the monotonous red clay 

 banks on either side and the frequent necessity of lying down at 

 night in a bed of mud into which the droves of wild pigs which 

 inhabit these valleys have trampled the clayey soil, are among 

 the disagreeable incidents. 



From the head of canoe navigation to their sources the char- 

 acter of these streams is entirely different, and both in 1888 and 

 in 1885 I have followed them far up into mountain gorges, the 

 beauty of which is as fresh in ray memory as if I had been there 

 but yesterday. 



The crew of the canoe on these reconnaissances usually con- 

 sisted of three picked men, and when the canoe had been pushed 

 as far up stream as it was possible for it to go, two of the men 

 were left with it while the third and best, slinging the blankets, 

 bars, and a little coffee, sugar, and milk, upon his back pushed on 

 with me. Wading through the shallow water up the bed of the 

 stream, taking bearings and estimating distances, while my huUrQ 



VOL. I. 34 



