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Doc. No. 75. 197 



■eoiintry. its summit is generally enveloped in clouds. The water of the 

 lake, in most places, shoals gradually, bat at some points vessels of the 

 largest class ma]^ approach close to the shore. The depth, except in the 

 immediate vicinity of its outlet, is for all purposes of navigation ample, 

 ranging from 8 to 20, and even 45 fathoms. The prevailmg winds are 

 from the NE., (the direction of the summer trades on the coast,) and 

 "when the breeze is considerable, the waves of the lake roll with all the 

 regularity and with much of the majesty of those of the sea. At such 

 times, the surf upon the shore at Grenada is nearly as high as that upon 

 the beach at Newport and Cape May. 



River of San Juan. — The river of San Juan, concerning which so 

 much has been written, is certainly a magnificent stream, but its capa- 

 l)ilities have been greatly exaggerated. It is the only outlet, as is well 

 known-, of the two large lakes just described. It flows from the south- 

 eastern extremity of Lake Nicaragua, nearly due east, to the Atlantic. Its 

 length has been variously estimated from 79 to 104 miles. The first esti- 

 mate is obviously too little. Mr. Bailey calculated it at 90 miles, and he 

 is probably not far from correct. 



The body of water which flows through this stream is at all times con- 

 siderable, but it varies greatly in amount at diflerent seasons of the year. 

 It is greatest during what is termed the rainy season'' in the interior, 

 that is to say, from May to October, at which period the volume of water 

 as nearly doubled. To this circumstance in a great degree may be as- 

 cribed the wide difference in the statements of the depths and capacity of 

 the river made by different individuals. 



Several considerable streams enter the San Juan, the principal of which 

 ;are the San Carlos and the Serapique, both rising towards the south in 

 the highlands of Costa Rica. The streams flowing in from the north are 

 comparatively small, indicating that the mountains are not far distant in 

 Ihis direction, and that upon this side the valley is comparatively narrow. 

 The Serapique is ascended by boats to a point where the Costa Rica road 

 (trail) commences. This is the route by which Costa Rica keeps up com- 

 munication with the San Juan, and to the point here named she is now 

 endeavoring to construct a road for mules starting from San Jose, her cap- 

 ital. The banks of the San Juan, from the fort of San Carlos, at the out- 

 let of the lake, to the Rapides del TorOy a distance of twenty miles, are 

 generally low, and covered with palms, canes, and a species of high, 

 coarse grass called gamalote. The river here sometimes overflows its 

 shores, v/hieh for a considerable distance back seem to be flat and 

 swampy. From the port of San Juan upwards to the point of the diverg- 

 ence of the Colorado^ a distance of eighteen miles, the banks of the river 

 present a corresponding appearance. In fact, the entire country from this 

 point to the sea is flat, as is shown by the divergence of the Colorado, the 

 Juanillo, and Tauro, and by the occurrence of numerous lagunas. It is 

 nevertheless fertile^ and capable of producing in the utmost luxuriance 

 rice, sugar, and those other articles which require moist and fertile soils. 

 From the Colorado to the Rapides del Toro, a distance of more than fifty 

 miles^ the banks of the river vary from six to twenty feet in height and 

 are densely wooded, the forests coming down to the water's edge, form- 

 ing an ahiiost impenetrable wall of verdure. The passenger in the boats 

 is so completely shut in by vegetation, that it is impossible to discover 

 what is tha character of the back country. At intervals hills and high 



