ROUTE OF THE CANAL. 



411 



to Mr. Bailey's soundings, fifteen fathoms of water. 

 The length of the river, by measurement, with all its 

 windings, from the mouth of the lake to the sea, is 

 seventy-nine miles. There are no cataracts or falls ; 

 all the obstructions are from rapids, and it is at all 

 times navigable, both up and down, for piraguas draw- 

 ing from three to four feet of water. 



From the lake to the river of Los Savalos, about 

 eighteen miles, the depth is from two to four fathoms. 

 Here commence the rapids of Toros, which extend one 

 mile, with water from one and a half to two fathoms. 

 The river is then clear for four miles, with an average 

 depth of from two to four fathoms. Then come the 

 rapids of the Old Castle, but little more than half a mile 

 in extent, with water from two to four fathoms. The 

 river is clear again for about two miles, with water from 

 two and a half to five fathoms, where begin the rapids 

 of Mico and Las Balas, connected and running into 

 each other, and both together not more than a mile, 

 with water from one to three fathoms. Then the river 

 is clear one mile and a half to the rapids of Machuca, 

 which extend a mile, and are the worst of all, the water 

 being more broken, from running over a broken rocky 

 bottom. The river then runs clear, and without any 

 obstruction for ten miles, with water from two to seven 

 fathoms, to the River San Carlos, and then eleven miles, 

 with some islands interspersed, with water from one to 

 six fathoms, to the River Serapequea, the measurements 

 of one fathom being about the points or bends, where 

 there is an accumulation of sand and mud. It then 

 continues seven miles clear, with water from two to five 

 fathoms, to the Rio Colorado. The River Colorado 

 runs out of the San Juan in another direction into the 

 Atlantic. The loss to the latter, according to measure- 



