Doc. No. 75, 



201 



of the river and the lake, implying that it was an important channel of 

 communication, and upon the known fact that vessels denominated in 

 early times frigates " were accustomed to pass from the ocean to the 

 lake and from the lake to the ocean. Indeed, it would seem that vessels 

 sometimes sailed direct from Grenada to tiie ports of Spain; but from the 

 accounts of Gage, who visited Nicaragua about 1670, it appears that the 

 task of passing ^^El Desaguadero," or the San Juan, was one of great diffi- 

 culty and danger. He says: For though while the vessels sail on the 

 lake securely and without trouble, yet, when they fall from the lake to the 

 sea, hie labor, hoc opus est — here is nothing but trouble, which sometimes 

 makes that short voyage to last for sixty days; for such is the fall of the 

 waters in many places among the rocks, that many times they are forced 

 to unlade the '-frigates,'' and load them again with the help of mules 

 kept for that purpose by the few Indians who live about the river and have 

 care of the lodges made to lay in the wares, while the frigate passed 

 through dangerous places to another lodge, whither the wares are brought 

 by mules and a^^ain placed in the frigate."* The vessels here called 



frigates " were probably of small size, not exceeding eighty or a hun- 

 dred tons burden. Vessels of this size may still with extraordinary ef- 

 forts be taken up during high water in the river, as was shown in 1S26 by 

 Captain Peter Shepherd, of San Juan, who took a schooner of fifty-two 

 tons through the river by removing her keel and warping the whole dis- 

 tance. In this condition the vessel drew three feet six inches. The task 

 was accomplished in thirty- two days. It may be observed here, upon the 

 authority of Captain Shepherd, that this vessel, with her keel replaced and 

 loaded, drew seven feet of water, and that then, in the dry season, she 

 could not approach within two miles of San Carlos, or the point of de- 

 bouchure of the San Juan. Such being the fact, extensive works would 

 be necessary to enable ships to pass from the lake into any canal which 

 might be constructed. 



Harbor of San Jaan. — The harbor of San Juan is altogether more 

 spacious and a better one than is generally supposed. The entrance is 

 easy, and vessels of the largest draught find no difficulty in passing the 

 mouth, and obtaining within a safe and commodious anchorage It has 

 been represented that, in consequence of the peculiar make of the land, it 

 is extremely difficult for ships to find the harbor. This is true to a cer- 

 tain extent; but although the coast in the immediate vicinity is low, yet a 

 short distance back the land is high and characteristic, and cannot be mis- 

 taken. With proper charts, correct sketches of the coasts, and with a 

 light house on Point Arenas, every difficulty would be obviated. This is 

 evident, even to the unprofessional observer. The harbor is fully ade- 

 quate to every purpose connected with the proposed canal. 



RE CAPITULATION . 



The length of the proposed line of communication between the two 

 oceans, from San Juan to Realejo, is variously stated, but is estimated by 

 Napoleon at 278 miles, as follows: Length of the San Juan, 104 miles ; of 

 Lake Nicaragua, 90 miles; river Tipitapa, 20 miles; Lake Leon or Managua, 

 35 miles ; and distance from the lake to Realejo 29 miles. This is posi- 



* (iage's West Indies, p. 422. 



