so much surf on the beach that we found it impracticable to launch our

canoe.

In the evening of the 21st, we were invited to visit a settlement, near Palmarta Point, where Mr. Scott's mechanical skill in shewing them how to repair a pump belonging to the estate gained him great applause, of which we all reaped the benefit; for, by way of return for the services he had rendered, they invited us to take up our abode with them, and sent us a bag of fruit and a fine fat ready roasted duck!

Our Ramas all along have behaved extremely well; notwithstanding their ruling passion for grog, they never once were untractable, nor took an unlicensed liberty with our stores.

Monday 23rd.-At 11h. 30m. A.M. the wind having a little moderated we launched our canoe and paddled across to the island of Ometape, carrying a depth of five and seven fathoms. At 3 P.M. we landed, the wind coming round to the east.

The south side of this island is thickly wooded, excepting here and there where a few small plantations appear like so many oases in the wilderness, or forest. On the north side there is, I am informed, an Indian village, containing between 200 to 300 huts, where beautiful mats are manufactured out of grass.

At 6 P.M. we again embarked, paddled to the south point of Ometape. The shore, along which we passed, is bold and craggy in some parts, in others low and gently declivitous. Here we remained for the night under the lee of the island, wind blowing in heavy gusts.

Tuesday 24th.-At 4 A.M. started, continuing our course towards Madeira. Here we discovered that Ometape and Madeira, which at a distance appear to be distinct islands, are connected by a low woody neck of land, about forty or fifty feet high. The latter mountain is thickly wooded to its summit, and in some parts intersected with ravines and cataracts.

At 7h. 30m. we landed on the south-west part of Madeira where we found a German, named Oraldo Wormger, had settled with his wife and family. They had lately come from the United States with a view of forming a cotton plantation: he appeared to be very sanguine of success, informing us that, although he had been there only two months, was getting on extremely well; his land amounted to 5,000 acres he had purchased from the local government of Nicaragua, at the rate of half a dollar an acre, which, after all incidental expenses were paid, would cost nearly as much as land in North America. The delay in getting it surveyed before he could take possession had, he said, been a great source of vexation and expense.

The huts in which this enterprising family had taken up their abode, are made of bamboos and wild cane, fixed perpendicularly into the ground and roofed by a kind of palmetto, neat, airy, and comfortable enough in fine weather, but in the rainy season I should think hardly weather-tight; but, should he succeed to his expectations, he told us, he intended to remove his dwelling, and build a more substantial house near a cascade, (a short distance from this), for the convenience of its

falling waters, which he thinks he can make subservient to his cotton gin and other domestic purposes.

At noon the wind having nearly died away and the sea gone down, we again shoved off, paddling towards the south shore, and carrying a depth of ten and nine fathoms. At 4h. 30m. we were off the Tortugas shore, and 5h. 30m. landed at the village of that name, consisting of only six or seven huts, inhabited by fishermen, &c. We saw the smoke of Beiga, an active volcano issuing apparently not from its highest peak, but from an elevation on the side of it.

The aspect of the northern shores of the lake is strikingly contrasted with that of the north side, where all is clear Savanna land; here it is densely wooded as far as the eye can reach.

From the composition of the bottom and beaches of this lake, which are both more or less impregnated with iron, one would have expected to find this water slightly chalybeate; but owing, I presume, to the metal not being in an oxidised state, nor associated with carbonic or sulphuric acid, it is not soluble: little, however, is known of the chemical operations of nature in the synthesis of mineral waters.

At 1h. 30m. P.M., we were abreast of Maccaroon, the western extreme of the Solentinane group, which we had a good opportunity of examining as we passed: their geological features do not differ materially from those of the other islands, and they are completely overgrown with the most luxuriant vegetation, resembling that of Corn Island: they are all inhabited by numerous families, and produce abundance of stock of all kinds.

At 6h. P.M. took our last departure and bade adieu to this inland sea, our course now being directed to its outlet: passed close to the eastward of the Bocas Cays where the depth is about two fathoms; and at 10h. P.M. anchored off San Carlos where we remained for the night. Weather threatening; lightning in the horizon.

Thursday 26th.-At 2 A.M. we were awoke by a heavy squall from the north-east with torrents of rain.

Shortly after leaving San Carlos we met three bongos, and were informed by one of them, that H.M.S. Thunder, had just arrived at the Boca de San Juan. Continued our course till midnight when we anchored in the middle of the stream, about three miles above the Toro rapid: mosquitos murdered sleep.

Friday 27th.-Away at dawn of day when the sky was overcast and a shower of rain fell, wind easterly; paddling with the stream so much in our favour, that by 5h. 30m. A.M. we had passed the Toro rapid, and at 8h, safely descended that of Castillo Viejo, in neither of which did we experience the slightest difficulty or disaster, by keeping to the northern side. The time occupied in descending the latter was not more than one minute and a half.

At 9h. A.M. we dashed down the river in great style, but more cautiously took the Machuca, which is considered by the padrones the most dangerous of all the rapids, on account of the tortuous course and the many rocks which lie superficially concealed in its bed. They

never attempt to pull the bongos over it but always ease them down by means of a rope. We, however, by keeping good way on the canoe and skilful steerage, managed to shoot it without any inconvenience or danger. I must here alter my opinion respecting this rapid, and confess that it well deserves the name, although insignificant in its ascent. The Castillo Viejo rapid is the most formidable and imposing to look at, but being straight and clear of shallow rocks, there is not much danger of capsizing so long as you keep well on the northern bank and "give way."

At 9h. 50m. A.M. we landed to breakfast on the Isla Campana. The river had fallen at least one foot and a half since we went up, and the stream did not run quite so fast. The padrone said that it would fall one foot and a half more than at present. After May, when it is at its lowest, it begins to rise again, and in October generally, attains its greatest depth. Hence I should think, that the best time to commence levelling would be about the middle of March, or beginning of April. Mr. Bailey, if again employed by the government of Central America, to level between the lake and the Atlantic, via this river, intends to lay artificial foundations on its banks by means of planks, six feet by three. In the rainy season when the river is most swollen, and the stream is not too strong, it takes the best bongos from fourteen or fifteen days to go from San Juan to Sau Carlos.

The largest of these rude vessels, hewn out of immense trunks of trees, carry thirteen hands, including the captain or padrone, and are about five or six tons burden. On their passage to Grenada they never take a full cargo, but on their return they are generally deeply laden, on account of the stream and rapids which must oppose a greater resistance to a heavy body, and for other obvious reasons.

At 10h. 30m. A.M. we took our leave of Campana, and paddled down the stream as fast as our brave Indians could apply their brawny arms, and by way of encouragement we gave them an extra allowance of grog, which seemed to infuse fresh vigour. We were frequently drenched by heavy showers which fell during the day. At 3h. 30m. landed to dine on a dry sandy-spit, where we remained about an hour, and then resumed our course down the river, heavy showers still falling. And at 7h. 30m. brought up for the night at San Francisco, where we contrived to get our clothes dried.

Saturday 28th.-Started at 4h. A.M.,-sky cloudy,-paddling down the river at a great rate. Passed the river Serapequi at 6 A.M., and at 9h. landed to breakfast on the Colorado Island. Found the river very shallow and the stream not so rapid. At 10h. 30m. proceeded, and found the river getting so shallow that the Indians were obliged to jump out and haul the canoe over several bars of sand. The padrone said, that the bongos in the dry season are often obliged to leave half their cargoes at Colorado, before they can get over the shallows which obstruct this part of the river, and even then the difficulty is so great that it sometimes takes them eleven days to get down to San Juan, digging a channel as they advance. At noon we were

abreast of Juanillo Point, where the river takes a remarkable turn, running off at right angles and parallel with the coast, as if this had once been its termination, which by the same process of fluviatile deposit now going on before our eyes at its present outlet, has been blocked up and the stream diverted into a new channel: the land intervening between this part of the river and the sea coast is a complete delta, the result of alluvial accumulation, and would seem to countenance this opinion.

With respect to the capabilities of this river as we now find it, I think it might be considerably deepened, and many obstructions removed by shutting the mouth of the Colorado branch. As to the rapids it would be ruin to attempt their removal, but they might be avoided by a canal.

Such improvements, however, can never be thought of in the present revolutionary state of this country. For all its commercial purposes the river is sufficiently navigable, and its bongos quite big enough.

At 2h. P.M. we passed the Pauro branch, at 3h. the lower mouth of the Juanillo, and at 4h. got on board the Thunder, in San Juan harbour.

ARCTIC AMUSEMENTS.

[While our adventurous seamen who are now we trust snugly secured in their winter quarters somewhere in the neighbourhood of the Parry Islands, are preparing to beguile the long hours of a tedious winter, it may interest our own readers to see one of the means which they have established for this purpose. A newspaper, the produce of the officers. Many of our readers have heard of the "Cockpit Herald" and such other productions of former days in Her Majesty's Fleet:-Parry had his, and Capt. Ommaney the companion of Capt. Austin has the following weekly

AURORA BOREALIS OF H.M.S. ASSISTANCE.

Baffin Bay, June 1850. It is pleasing for the human mind after the troubles, revolutions, and disturbances, which have of late years convulsed Europe, to dwell upon, and contemplate the workings of humanity, and more especially where evinced in favour of Sir John Franklin and his daring band of companions.

It is gratifying to find that, amid the many occurrences that daily interest and carry away the public

No. 10.-VOL. XIX.

mind, the voice of England has been raised for their rescue; and that money, capital, and other resources placed readily at the disposal of those in authority. Our expedition has been fitted out under the most favourable and most glowing auspices; few have ever left England with so many and such ardent blessings; the great, the good, the generous have blessed us, and a nation has cast forth its wishes for our success and happiness.

4 B