ha a a ae Be Gh 
i dee 
‘ 
Dr. Wagner's Visit to the Cordilleras. 93 
Konu’s Rerort to THE U.S. Coast SurvEY ON THE His- 
TORY OF MARITIME DISCOVERY ON THE PaciFic COAST OF THE 
U. Srates.—The Report of the Superintendent of the U.S. 
Coast Survey for 1857, just published, not only contains as 
usual thi eo contributions to the hydrography and topogra- 
phy of this country, but many discussions of general interest. 
ing previously referred to Dr. Kohl’s investigations on 
the scat of the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico, we here call at- 
tention to an outline of his report on the Pacifie coast, which is 
given in the appendix to the volume above referred to.. His 
report begins with a general survey of the physical seubaiyes of 
the western coast of the U. States, written from the point of 
view of the navigator, not the naturalist. To this riplien a 
history of discoveries on the Pacific, in groups corresponding 
with the periods of Cortez, Drake, and Vancouver, whose mari- 
time enterprise was particularly distinguished. By means of 
notes, full references are made both to the original reports of 
voyages and to the subsequent pipenione of them. <A special 
hydrography of the coast has also been prepared, and two ap- 
pendixes are added, the first sate reduced copies of maps and 
charts, ancient and modern, the second a historical map showing 
the additions to our knowledge made by successive explorers. 
are confident that this work when given to the public 
will bel received with great interest. Its plan is comprehensive 
and its importance obvious. 
ee M. bec as ven ‘TO THE CORDILLERAS, ON THE GULF 
in the eaey Sir al Lrd- 
sources ie =e Chepo and the eeu falling pe the Atlantic, 
really as teau, and how high is the same? 4. 
late 
What is ‘the geological formation of the Isthmus? He con- 
denses the results of his observations in the following ai 
he The 
rdilleras, between the Gulf of San Blas and the 
ioe of Rio Bayano (Chepo), form one central chain passing 
east to west through the Isthmus. 
2. The av height of this chain is 920 to 1000 Paris feet 
above the P Deahe Doan 
point reached by Wagner is elevated 1141 feet. Farther north 
the summits ascend higher, 1800 to 2000 feet. El Generale is 
estimated not to exceed 2800 feet in height. ' 
