VOVAGE DOWN THE RIVER. 



449 



river Niapippi, which is badly laid down in 

 the best charts, being at least one hundred and 

 eighty miles below Citera, instead of close to 

 it. This river is partly navigable, but the na- 

 vigation very dangerous, and unfitted for com- 

 merce ; and as for forming a canal, or iron rail- 

 way, it is impossible — at least, I was informed 

 so at Citera, by Major Alvarez, a Colombian 

 officer, who crossed over to Panama by that 

 route. He said that he found the river Nia- 

 pippi shallow, rapid, and rocky ; that the land 

 carriage to Tupica was over three sets of hills, 

 and that he could perceive no possibility of 

 making a communication between the Nia- 

 pippi and the Pacific Ocean; and from all the 

 information I have been able to collect, I con- 

 ceive that Baron Humboldt (who did not visit 

 this spot himself) must have been misinformed 

 on the subject of this communication with the 

 Pacific Ocean.* 



* I beg to subjoin the Baron's own words : — 



" To the south-east of Panama, following the coast of the 



Pacific Ocean, from Cape S. Miguel to Cape Corientes, we 



find the small port and bay of Tupica. 



" The name of this bay has acquired celebrity in the king- 

 VOL. II. 2 G 



/ 



