interesting geographical notice.

Baron Humboldt, in his “Essai politique sur le Royaume de la Nouvelle Espagne,” has described nine points of communication between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

It has not yet been generally known that a communication by water has actually existed.

Of these the 7th is peculiarly interesting:

“In the interior of the province of Choto, the small Ravin de la Raspadura unites the neighboring sources of the Rio de Noanama, called also Rio San Juan, and the little river Quito.

This river, united with the Rio Andageda and the Rio Zatara, forms the Rio d’Atrato, which flows into the sea of the Antilles, (Carribbean Sea,) and the Rio San Juan falls into the South Sea.

An enterprizing monk, (the curate of the village of Novita,) with the aid of his flock (ses parossiens,) dug a small canal in the Ravin de la Raspadura.

By this canal, which is navigable during the period of abundant rains, boats, laden with Cacao, have passed from one sea to the other.

Here then is a communication, which has existed since 1788, and of which the Europeans know nothing.

This canal of Raspadura unites, on the coasts of the two oceans, two points which are seventy-five leagues apart.”

Essai Politique, liv.

1. ch. 2.

This canal, effected by the enterprizing monk, is nearly in the latitude of Cape Corientes, or about six degrees forty-five minutes N. and about three degrees E. of the Capitol.

Z.