mbination of
circumstances.

Mr. Robinson, a United States merchant, in 1821, said that the most
ardent imagination would fail in an attempt to portray all the
important and beneficial consequences of such a work, the magnitude and
grandeur of which were worthy the profound attention of every commercial
nation. The powers of the old and new world should discard all selfish
considerations, and unite to execute it on a magnificent scale, so that
when completed it might become, like the ocean, a highway of nations,
the enjoyment of which should be guaranteed by all, and be exempt from
the caprice or regulation of any one kingdom or state.

Such were the views promulgated at the beginning of this century, but
nothing was done until about 1850, when the pressure of circumstances
again brought the isthmus into note.

Darien and Panama are in the Republic of New Granada, but north of these
come the small states of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, San Salvador,
and Guatemala. All of these are inhabited by true Americans--native
races who have to a considerable extent absorbed the slight admixture of
European blood introduced by their conquerors. Some places are so
inaccessible as to be virtually outside the pale of civilisation. The
roads are nothing but mule tracks, full of quagmires where the animals
have to wade up to their girths in mud--in fact, little better than the
paths so well described by Lionel Wafer. The rivers are numerous, and,
on account of the heavy rainfall, their currents are very strong, and
all the more dangerous from the numerous sandbanks and rapids which
obstruct their course. Since the states gained their independence they
have passed through so many changes of government that at the beginning
hardly a month passed without a revolution in one or the other. This
went on until 1848 without interference from outside, but with the
discovery of gold in California came an invasion of ruffians of all
nations.

The old freebooters almost seemed to have come to life again. Hardy
adventurers from all parts of the world rushed off to the new "El
Dorado," woke the sleepy Nicaraguans on the San Juan river, and roused
the people of Chagres. Over the isthmus of Panama or through the
Nicaragua lake they flocked by thousands, necessitating the
establishment of Transit Companies to provide them with mules, boats,
and steamers. The easiest, although longest, route was through
Nicaragua, which was controlled by the Va