VOYAGE DOWN THE RIVER. 451 



flag, and on the appearance of a Colombian 

 fiechera he saluted her, which she returned. 



jlechera was small, and without cannon* 

 Shortly after we spoke two merchant boats, or 

 champanas, one empty and the other laden. 

 They informed us, that it had been blowing 

 very hard at sea, which had compelled one 

 boat to throw her cargo overboard. At noon 

 we stopped to obtain plantains, &c. for our 

 SBa-voyage, which might be from one to fifteen 

 days, according to the wind. Further down 

 the river than this, a proper supply of provi- 

 sions cannot be procured. 



March 16th. Early in the morning we land- 



Rio Zitara form the Rio d'Atrato, which discharges itself 

 into the Atlantic Ocean ; while the Rio de San Juan flows into 

 the South Sea. A monk of great activity, cure, of a village 

 * near' Novita, employed his parishioners to dig a small canal 

 on the ravine de la Raspadura ; by means of which, when the 

 rains are abundant, canoes loaded with cacao yass from sea to 

 sea. This interior communication has existed since 1788, 

 unknown in Europe. The small canal of Raspadura unites, 

 on the coasts of the two oceans, two points seventy-five 

 leagues distant from one another." 



This communication can never become of great utility, from 

 its distance, and the brief season of the year in which it is 

 practicable. — C. S. C. 



2 G 2 



