Chap. XX.—B. P.] 
TRANSIT. 
333 
form and shape on paper, for the nature of the inter¬ 
vening country between the starting-point, since called 
Pirn’s Bay, and the Lake of Nicaragua, was abso¬ 
lutely unknown even to the king himself. 
But before giving my readers an account of my 
efforts to disclose the features of the country and 
perfect a project which, it must be owned, was rather 
a novel one for a naval officer to undertake (although 
> in my case not so much so as it may appear, inasmuch 
as I had been employed some nine years in the hydro- 
graphical service, particularly about Central America), 
I will just glance at the transit history of Mosquito, 
and the many vicissitudes the various and rival efforts 
have brought upon that country and Nicaragua. 
The great question of Transit across the American 
continent was initiated by Columbus himself, and was 
in fact his day-dream; but its first practical impulse 
was received when Vasco Nunez de Balboa crossed 
the Isthmus of Panama, and the glorious sight of the 
broad Pacific burst upon his delighted view. 
That expedition proved how narrow was the neck 
of land which barred the way to Cathay, and en¬ 
couraged other enterprising men to tax their intellect 
and exhaust their manhood in the effort to open the 
u Gate of the Pacific.” 
About twenty years after the expulsion of the Spa¬ 
niards, the Central Americans began to turn their at¬ 
tention to the wonderful advantages afforded by the 
geographical position of their country, and proclaimed 
their readiness to grant, to the highest bidder, conces¬ 
sions for opening interoceanic routes. This was a sad 
