MR. NOBBS'S RETURN HOMEWARD. 221 
He reached the island of St. Thomas early in the 
year 1853, and from thence proceeded in another 
steamer to Navy Bay. The Directors of the 
Royal Mail Steam Navigation Company had 
kindly provided him with a free passage to that 
place. 
At the 'head of Navy Bay lies the town, which 
by the government of the province, and in all 
official documents, is styled "Colon," but by 
the Americans, who are its founders and chief 
owners, is known by the name of " Aspinw,all. n : 
There is the terminus of the railroad, by wEIch 
the traveller was conveyed about 25 miles, at a 
high rate, to the station of Barbacoas, on the 
river Chagres. Thence there was a conveyance 
up the river by canoes about 14 miles, to the 
town of Cruces. From Cruces the journey over- 
land to Panama, about 25 miles, was. completed 
on mules, over one of the very worst roads that 
ever existed in the world. 
The Panama line of railroad has. since been 
completed for traffic from Navy Bay on the 
Atlantic to the Bay of Panama on the Pacific, 
a distance of about 50 miles. 
It will be interesting to many readers to learn 
that the late admirable Bishop of Sydney, Dr. 
W. G. Broughton, travelled by this line, cross- 
ing,^ under circumstances of great difficulty, 
owing to his lameness, and enfeebled health, 
the Isthmus of Panama, on his way from Lima 
to England. It is remarkable that he reached 
our shores on the 18th of November, 1852, the 
day of the funeral of the great Duke of Wel- 
lington. ^ The acute and penetrating mind of the 
