TRAVELS IN CENTRAL AMERICA, 
OHAPTEE I. 
Departure from New York — At Sea — Chagres — The American Town and 
the Town of the Natives — Features of Life — San Juan del Norte — 
Situation and Vicissitudes in the recent History of the Town — Elements 
of Population. 
In 1 850, the project of constructing a ship canal across the 
Nicaraguan isthmus was generally believed to be near its 
speedy realization. A corps of engineers had been sent to 
that country for the execution of the necessary surveys, 
and a favourable report was expected. Nicaragua appeared 
to me in the attractive light of a region about to become 
the theatre of an important movement in civilization, and 
my interest in the country was excited in a sufficient degree 
to induce me to visit it. 
Accordingly, I took passage in a brig lying in the port 
of New York, and destined to Chagres and San Juan del 
Norte. We sailed on the 28th of September. Calms, 
squalls and thunder-storms made the voyage tedious, though 
for these annoyances I found a kind of compensation in 
the various scenes and aspects which nature presented 
during the time. It is difficult to give an idea of the 
magic beauty of some of the sunsets I witnessed in the 
Caribbean Sea on this occasion. One evening the whole 
b 2 
i 
