to his great joy, she made her appearance, moving rapidly with the tide. He immediately got under way to intercept her, and, upon hailing, found that she contained a party from the Virago, under Lieutenant W. C. Forsyth, which had been sent to his assistance by Captain Edward Marshall, who, in a very polite note, congratulated him upon his arrival, and requested him to bring his whole party on board his ship. Mr. W. C. Bennett also accompanied the detachment, and it was to his promptness and energy that this timely assistance was rendered; for, as soon as he heard the Virago's guns at the mouth of the Savana, he jumped into a canoe, and, paddling himself, hurried down and stated Strain's urgent necessities, which induced Commander Marshall to expedite his expedition so that it left the Virago at midnight on the night previous. It is true that the intention to send a party up the Chuqunaqua already existed; but the promptness of Mr. Bennett, and his earnest representations, advanced its departure several hours, and thus saved Strain the voyage to Darien Harbor. The latter immediately transferred his baggage from the canoe to the paddle-box boat, and arrived at Yavisa a short time after dark. He there learned that answers to the call for men had been received from neighboring villages, but that none had yet arrived, though they were expected in the morning.
The next morning they were stirring early, and every effort was made to obtain canoes for the ascent, as they had determined not to wait the arrival of the natives, but to have them dispatched after by the Jefe Politico and the Alcalde. The constitutional tardiness of the natives, increased by a partially-concealed dissatisfaction at the arrival of the English officers and seamen, delayed them for some hours, and it was not till afternoon that, partly by entreaties, and partly by force, they obtained three canoes and put off.
The tide and some fourteen English oarsmen propelled them rapidly up the stream, and they only halted when it became so dark that they could proceed no farther. While at anchor near the bank, an incident occurred which had nearly proved fatal to the expedition and all engaged, and for a moment seemed to indicate that destiny was against them, and that the unfortunate party had been marked for destruction. At eleven o'clock at night, when all were asleep in the boat except the two sentries and Strain, the latter heard amidst the profound stillness a cracking and rending of timber in the woods, which he knew at once to proceed from a falling tree. He first thought it was some distance from the bank, but on looking up to see whether it was likely to strike and bring down any other timber nearer the shore, he saw against the starlit sky, directly over his head, the dark and swaying form of a tree gradually declining toward the spot where the unsuspecting boats lay moored. His first thought was, "My poor men will now be lost!" He, however, never opened his mouth, but watched the descending mass without moving, as it came directly toward him. Suddenly, as if turned aside by some unseen hand, it inclined to the right, and fell with a fearful crash into the river, a few feet behind, tearing off a piece of the stern of one of the canoes which was moored alongside. Shouts and exclamations followed, and for a moment the greatest consternation prevailed among the seamen, who thought the Indians were upon them; but the voices of the officers, and assurances that the danger had passed, soon restored order. Mr. Avery, who slept in a canoe alongside, had a narrow escape; but fortunately a good wetting was all the inconvenience which any of them experienced.
Next day was Sunday, and all were early at work and advancing up the river. About midday they were joined by two canoes containing eleven natives, who had been dispatched after them by the Jefe Politico in Yavisa. At two o'clock they arrived as far as the paddle-box boat could go, and after a hasty dinner, embarked the officers and a portion of the men in the canoes. It was at this point that Strain had discovered tide-water on the 4th of March, during the downward journey.
From this place down to the harbor of Darien, a distance of fifty miles, there is no obstacle to the navigation, and even at the lowest stage of water about two fathoms can be carried. Above this salto the same draft might be carried during the rainy season; but the immense quantities of floating timber at that time, combined with the narrowness of the stream and the frequent rapids, will probably prevent the river being navigated even under the most favorable circumstances. The gunner of the Virago and eight men were left in the paddle-box boat, Avery and Wilson remaining with them, neither of them being in a condition to render much service, and requiring rest and diet. Still Mr. Avery, with an endurance and spirit which honored him, offered to go on, if it was thought he could afford the slightest assistance. Mr. Bennett had brought his own canoe, so that, with the two owned by the natives, they had now six in all. The largest of these was given to William Ross, and was intended as a hospital. He was accompanied by the paymaster, W. H. Hills. Mr. Forsyth took charge of the canoe next in size to that of the surgeon, Mr. Bennett of his own, while Strain selected the canoe of the lightest draft for himself. The remaining two were managed by the natives, who halted to dine, while the main party proceeded over the rapids, which—the tide being out—were passed with great difficulty. At night, when they encamped, the natives rejoined and encamped near them. The 12-pound howitzer in the paddle-box boat was heard distinctly at 8 p.m. This was Sunday, and the next morning, March 20th, after a hearty breakfast, they started in the same order as on the previous day; but before mid-day, Strain found that the exertion of paddling a canoe was too great for him, and that his feet had become
