The National Geographic Magazine, Vol. I., No. 4, October, 1889 — John Shaqi
The National Geographic Magazine, Vol. I., No. 4, October, 1889Various
History
The National Geographic Magazine, Vol. I., No. 4, October, 1889
Various
Geography -- Periodicals
points from the Yape to the Capite and from the Capite to the Pucro. It
was further decided that as time was limited it would be impracticable
to run out the fourth side of the figure that would contain the grant,
as the country around the headwaters of the streams was known to be
exceedingly rough and mountainous, and to follow any straight line
would necessarily involve a great amount of laborious cutting and
climbing.
Furthermore, in order to know just what direction this line should
follow it would be first necessary to make a connected preliminary
survey of the three rivers; to plot this survey and then by inspection
of the map and consideration of various starting points to decide on
the most available location of the fourth side.
Instead of this it was considered best and sufficient to arbitrarily
adopt a certain waterfall on the Rio Yape, the location of which was
approximately known from a reconnoisance previously made, as the
initial point of the line connecting the upper Yape with the Pucro and
closing the figure. Thus it only became necessary, as far as the
boundaries were concerned, to run a line along the Tuyra, joining the
mouths of the Yape and Pucro; to run a line from the mouth of the Yape
to the waterfall above referred to; and to run up the Pucro
sufficiently far to be certain that when the work was completed and
plotted, a line drawn from the position of the waterfall on the map in
such a way as to include the desired area would intersect the Pucro at
some point within the limit of what had been surveyed. I have not time
to go into the details of the various trips by land and water necessary
to carry out these plans.
Before starting it was known exactly what was necessary to be done;
each assistant engineer had his work clearly mapped out before him, and
each one faithfully performed the task allotted to him, so that the
whole survey was brought to a successful completion. This brought to a
close all the work in Darien, the other tracts having been surveyed
before my arrival and consequently the whole expedition returned to
Panama, and soon afterwards I returned to this country.
In going to and returning from Darien, I passed twice over the Panama
railroad and along the line of the Panama canal, and I have thought
that a few facts relative to the canal and railroad might prove of
interest to the Geographical Society.
Published herewith is a sketch showing the location of the railroad,
canal and tributary drainage, and a profile along the axis of the
canal.
[Illustration: SKETCH SHOWING LOCATION OF PANAMA RAIL ROAD, PANAMA
CANAL AND TRIBUTARY DRAINAGE. N. Peters, Photo-Lithographer,
Washington, D. C.]
[Illustration: PROFILE OF THE PANAMA CANAL. Black indicates work
executed; stipple, work to be executed to complete a lock-canal; white,
additional work to be executed to complete a sea-level canal.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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