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Antiqua
Antiqua; Spaltensatz; Auszeichnung: Kursivierung.
I trust you will excuse the oldest among the tra-
vellers, in both the tropics of America and the steppes
of Siberia, for having so long delayed to thank you
for the information I derived from your interesting
journal, &c., on the junction of the Atlantic with the
Pacific. The position I occupy in this country, and
the ardent desire I feel to finish, before my death, some
scientific works which I had the imprudence to begin,
considerably interrupt the even course of my corre-
spondence. I therefore hope that I shall meet, on your
part also, with that indulgence which your countrymen
have shown me during so long a period.
I have not been beyond the Rio Rimo, which lies
cast of the mouth of the Atrato, since the time when
I left the Island of Cuba, on my way to Lima, by
Bogota, Quito, and the river Amazon, for the purpose
of observing the passage of Mercury through the solar
disc. I was then on friendly terms with a very in-
telligent merchant. Don Ignacio Iombo, of Cartagena,
in America, and I recollect that the Casso (Treasury
Convoy) of Guayaquil was then on its way to Europe,
by the road from Cupicà to the Atrato, which was
first opened by the Biscayan pilot Poguerache.
Knowing, geologically, the interruption of the moun-
tain chains, and the depression of the range in the
eastern part of the Isthmus, my attention has remained
fixed during this half century on the Bay of San
Miguel and the route from Cupicà to the Rio Napipi.
Owing to my friendly relations with General Bolivar,
I obtained, through him, the first line of levels across
the Isthmus of Panama. Ever since, the subject has
not ceased to occupy my mind, as the various works
and maps which I published since 1810 and my corre-
spondence with various statesmen will testify. But all
my striving and urging only led to imperfect trials and
projects calculated for a line to the west of the
meridian of Panama and Portobello, none of which
ever gained my confidence. I had, however, the
gratification of seeing my views honoured by an emi-
nent member of Her Britannic Majesty’s navy, Captain
Fitzroy. (Journal of the Royal Geographical Society,
Vol. XX., p. 20.)
The increase of human knowledge, and the immense
progress of science, arts, and industry among the
western nations, have given us powers which only call
for application. Everything depends on energy and
perseverance. I therefore congratulate you, Sir, and
your courageous friend, Dr. Cullen, as well as Sir
Charles Fox, Mr. Henderson, and Mr. Brassey, for
having given your names to so noble an undertaking.
I have always considered, firstly, the opening of an
oceanic canal, without locks; and secondly, the cut
at Huchuecoca, in the valley of Mexico (which is on
a comparatively smaller scale, as may be seen by the
map and section I published), as two events calcu-
lated highly to improve the relations between the
different families of the human species. In fact, such
a work as the one you contemplate will bring Eastern
Asia nearer to the nations of Europe and America.
It will render the whole globe more easy to be tra-
velled over—this little globe, of which Christopher
Columbus, in one of his letters to the Queen of Spain,
said, “el mundo es poco.” It will facilitate the diffusion
of productions, especially of precious metals, of which
the relative value (I to 15 5-6ths) would change too
suddenly without this “permeability” of the world.
As early as the discovery of the new continent,
civilisation had spread, in a direction from north to
south, over those portions of America which lie opposite
to Asia, those on the European side being then occu-
pied by barbarous hunting tribes. The finest harbours,
the most precious products, are likewise found in the
West. Even the currents of the air, by their direction,
contribute towards the preponderance of West Ameri-
can power over the rich countries of Asia. The in-
creasing importance of the west coast of America
promises to balance, at some future time, the surprising
progress of the Atlantic States, provided the western
States keep themselves free from that hideous discase
—slavery of coloured people.
Indeed, Sir, I feel the most ardent wishes for the
happy success of this occanic canal. The attention
which the public of the two continents bestows already
upon your undertaking will increase, as soon as you
are enabled—assisted by further explorations, and a
survey extending over all details, and carried on by a
great number of experienced men—to publish on a
large scale maps and sections of the line fixed upon be-
tween Puerto Escoces and the Gulf of San Miguel.
The changes which the success of your undertaking is
sure to effect in the international commerce of the
world will only disturb such people as in the narrow-
ness of their views oppose themselves to the natural
and Providential course of events, and shed tears over
the unfortunate discovery of America. The Rio
Huaxacualco, with its portage to the Rio Chimalapa
(Tehuantepec), of which I published the first map after
the itineraries discovered by me in the archives of the
vice-kingdom of Mexico, will always be of great im-
portance, owing to its position opposite Louisiana, in
the Gulf of Mexico, which has all the appearance of
soon becoming a mare clausum—a lake of the United
States. The nature of the soil, however, does not
allow great works to be carried out in that locality;
besides, you know the difficulties impeding any
canalisation or rectification of rivers of great length,
and the great variations of the volume of water, as in
the river San Juan; but a railway would be a great
advantage to the Southern States.