I have earlier commented (see Of Landmarks and Lighthouses) on the importance of having landmarks 
that are easily recognized, even by outsiders who are unfamiliar with their meaning and relevance. Today I would like to revisit the subject and examine the impressions of unbiased writers and investigators regarding the Isthmus of Rivas in Nicaragua. These are people who are completely unfamiliar with the debate over Book of Mormon geography, and very likely were not even aware of this revealed scripture. Yet they universally recognize this area as a narrow neck of land, although they sometimes use other similar terms to describe it.
that are easily recognized, even by outsiders who are unfamiliar with their meaning and relevance. Today I would like to revisit the subject and examine the impressions of unbiased writers and investigators regarding the Isthmus of Rivas in Nicaragua. These are people who are completely unfamiliar with the debate over Book of Mormon geography, and very likely were not even aware of this revealed scripture. Yet they universally recognize this area as a narrow neck of land, although they sometimes use other similar terms to describe it.
As you are probably aware from previous articles, I feel that the Isthmus of Rivas is the narrow neck of land mentioned in the Book of Mormon. This reference to a narrow neck was given by Mormon as a clue to the location of their ancient homeland.
The following quotes are selected from a search on the Internet and are intended to show that numerous individuals have recognized that the Isthmus of Rivas is indeed a "narrow neck of land." Many of these quotes have reference to the inter-oceanic canal that was being studied in conjunction with the Panamanian one. They represent the opinions and observations of seventeen different individuals or groups. The emphasis is mine.
The following quotes are selected from a search on the Internet and are intended to show that numerous individuals have recognized that the Isthmus of Rivas is indeed a "narrow neck of land." Many of these quotes have reference to the inter-oceanic canal that was being studied in conjunction with the Panamanian one. They represent the opinions and observations of seventeen different individuals or groups. The emphasis is mine.
David McCullough, author.
"The Nicaragua system was the creation of Cornelius Vanderbilt, who became seriously enough interested in a Nicargua canal to hire Orville Childs, a highly qualified engineer, to survey the narrow neck of land between Lake Nicaragua and the Pacific. And in 1851 Orville Childs had the good fortune to hike into a pass that was only 153 feet above sea level. He had found a place, in other words, that was a full 122 feet lower than the summit of the Panama Railroad, and by 1870 no lower point had been discover anywhere else." (The Path Between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal, 1870-1914, p. 38-9)
Ephriam Squier, author, explorer and diplomat.
The inhabitants of this narrow isthmus [Rivas], between the lake [Nicaragua] and the ocean, were Mexicans [Nicaros], speaking the ancient Mexican language. Nicaragua: its people, scenery, monuments, and the proposed inter-oceanic Canal. p. 309.
Again from Squier
Between Lake Nicaragua and the Pacific, there is a narrow strip of land, not exceeding fourteen miles in width at its narrowest part; but it is traversed by an elevated ridge, which at the point deemed most favorable for the construction of a canal, has been found, by measurement, to rise to the height of several hundred feet above the ocean. p. 220.
Between Lake Nicaragua and the Pacific, there is a narrow strip of land, not exceeding fourteen miles in width at its narrowest part; but it is traversed by an elevated ridge, which at the point deemed most favorable for the construction of a canal, has been found, by measurement, to rise to the height of several hundred feet above the ocean. p. 220.
Carl Bovanllius, archaeologist.
The last or fourth of the tribes inhabiting Nicaragua was los Niquiranos. The territory occupied by this people was the smallest of all, viz; the narrow isthmus between Lake Nicaragua and the Pacific. Nicaraguan Antiquities p. 5.
S. K. Lothrop, archaeologist.
S. K. Lothrop, archaeologist.
The Isthmus
of
Rivas,
the narrow
strip
of
land
which
separates
the Lake
of
Nicaragua
from the
Pacific.
From: The Stone Statues of Nicaragua, American Anthropologist V23 #3 p.318.
Private webpage.
Private webpage.
The Isthmus of Rivas is the narrow expanse of land that separates Lake Nicaragua from the Pacific Ocean. http://www.zacatan.org/photos.html (link broken)
Jaime Incer, geographer.
Both lakes are located between an ancient eroded plateau, which constitutes the central portion of Nicaragua,
and a slender belt, the Isthmus of Rivas (20 km wide in its narrowest part), which separates Lake Nicaragua from the Pacific Ocean. The Geography of Lake Nicaragua. p. 1.
The Free Dictionary
Rivas, a town (1995 est. pop. 22,255), SW Nicaragua. It is on the Isthmus of Rivas, a narrow land strip between Lake Nicaragua and the Pacific Ocean. http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Rivas
Factmonster.
Nicaragua Canal, proposed waterway between the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans. It would be 172.8 mi (278 km) long and would generally follow the San Juan River, then go through Lake Nicaragua near the southern shore and across the narrow isthmus of Rivas to the Pacific Ocean.
Encyclopedia.com.
Rivas town (1995 est. pop. 22,255), SW Nicaragua. It is on the Isthmus of Rivas, a narrow land strip between Lake Nicaragua and the Pacific Ocean. Rivas is the commercial center of a region which produces grains, coffee, cacao, and tobacco; livestock is raised. During the California gold rush it controlled the transit route across Nicaragua. http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Rivas.html
Regionsunidas.com.
Before construction of the Panama Canal, a stagecoach line owned by Cornelius Vanderbilt's Accessory Transit Company connected the lake [Nicaragua] with the Pacific across the low hills of the narrow Isthmus of Rivas. Plans were made to take advantage of this route to build an interoceanic canal, the Nicaragua Canal, but the Panama Canal was built instead. http://www.regionesunidas.com/portal-latino/index.php?option=com_hwdvideoshare&task=viewvideo&Itemid=1142&video_id=281 (Link broken)Ostional resort.
El Ostional is part of the Department of Rivas an agricultural region of Nicaragua where papayas, bananas, sugar cane, rice, water melon and mangoes are cultivated. The beach is nestled in this narrow isthmus of Rivas with only 12 miles of land separating the Great Lake of Nicaragua and the Pacific Ocean. Once, the Nicaraguan and the United States governments considered to build a water canal through this region at the beginning of the XX century. http://www.orotravel.com/San_Juan_del_Sur/Ostional (Link broken)
Encyclopedia Britannica.
Facts about Rivas Isthmus: For part of its course, the San Juan [River] forms the boundary between Nicaragua and Costa Rica. To the southwest, the lake [Nicaragua] is separated from the Pacific Ocean by a narrow land corridor, the Rivas Isthmus, which is 12 miles (19 km) wide. http://www.britannica.com/facts/5/258411/Rivas-Isthmus-as-discussed-in-Lake-Nicaragua-lake-Nicaragua (Link broken)
Facts about Rivas Isthmus: For part of its course, the San Juan [River] forms the boundary between Nicaragua and Costa Rica. To the southwest, the lake [Nicaragua] is separated from the Pacific Ocean by a narrow land corridor, the Rivas Isthmus, which is 12 miles (19 km) wide. http://www.britannica.com/facts/5/258411/Rivas-Isthmus-as-discussed-in-Lake-Nicaragua-lake-Nicaragua (Link broken)
Wikipedia.
Before construction of the Panama Canal, a stagecoach line owned by Cornelius Vanderbilt'sAccessory Transit Company connected the lake with the Pacific across the low hills of the narrow Isthmus of Rivas. Plans were made to take advantage of this route to build an interoceanic canal, the Nicaragua Canal, but the Panama Canal was built instead. In order to quell competition with the Panama Canal, the U.S. secured all rights to a canal along this route in the Bryan-Chamorro Treaty of 1916. However, since this treaty was mutually rescinded by the United States and Nicaragua in 1970, the idea of another canal in Nicaragua still periodically resurfaces. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Nicaragua
Before construction of the Panama Canal, a stagecoach line owned by Cornelius Vanderbilt'sAccessory Transit Company connected the lake with the Pacific across the low hills of the narrow Isthmus of Rivas. Plans were made to take advantage of this route to build an interoceanic canal, the Nicaragua Canal, but the Panama Canal was built instead. In order to quell competition with the Panama Canal, the U.S. secured all rights to a canal along this route in the Bryan-Chamorro Treaty of 1916. However, since this treaty was mutually rescinded by the United States and Nicaragua in 1970, the idea of another canal in Nicaragua still periodically resurfaces. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Nicaragua
Revista Geographic Aca.
The study area encompasses the narrow isthmus and province of Rivas of southwestern Nicaragua to the west of Lake Nicaragua. p. 56. Mapping Tropical Dry Forest Cover and Biodiversity Assessment in Nicaragua. Revista geografica Aca. V. 2, #2. http://content.yudu.com/Library/A119z1/RevistaGeograficaAca/resources/56.htm
Richard Arghiris.
Bordering Costa Rica to the south, the slender, well traveled isthmus of Rivas is an exciting region of transition and international activity. Nicaragua By Richard Arghiris, Richard Leonardi page 134.
Encyclopedia Britannica.
Encyclopedia Britannica.
To the southwest the lake is separated from the Pacific Ocean by a narrow land corridor, the Rivas Isthmus, which is 12 miles wide. Encyclopedia Britannica. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/504793/Rivas-Isthmus
Karl Scherzer.
According to the present position of political affairs, we take for the southern boundary of Nicaragua the river San Juan, the southern shore of the great inland sea, and the wooded ridge that crosses the narrow isthmus [of Rivas] from the mouth of the Sapoa river to the Gulf of Salinas. Travels in the free States of Central America: Nicaragua ..., Volumen 1 Escrito por Karl Scherzer (Ritter von) p. 27.
J. F. Bransford, physician and archaeologist.
These people [the Chorotegas] possessed the major portion of the country from Fonseca to Nicoya,
These people [the Chorotegas] possessed the major portion of the country from Fonseca to Nicoya,
their territorial continuity being interrupted in the neighborhood of the present
Leon by the Marabios, and again by an Aztec colony [the Nicaros] occupying the narrowest
part of the belt [isthmus of Rivas] between the Pacific and Lake Nicaragua. Archaeological Researches in Nicaragua. p.4
Great Article.
ReplyDeleteThe water in Lake Nicaragua is a very brown and silty looking (I have flown over several times). If you were to look from the west shore, you would think it was an ocean because of its size. So, yes I agree that the west shore could be seen as the narrow neck of land separating the sea east from the sea west.
ReplyDeleteThe water exits Lake Nicaragua via the San Juan river on the east side and flows from Lake Nicaragua all the way to the Atlantic Ocean (about 100 kilometers). I can easily see how it would have been possible, during Book of Mormon times, that instead of a river it could have been a large gulf of water that gradually got filled in over a couple thousand years. This is true of the Tigres and Euphrates rivers in Iraq that during biblical times entered the Persian gulf as separate rivers, but now are joined together (about 100 miles upstream) and become one single river (the Euphrates) which enters in at the head of the Persian gulf. One hundred miles of what is now land used to be water (a hundred miles of the Persian Gulf got filled in with silt and became land).
So, certainly it is possible for such silty water flowing from Lake Nicarauga could have filled in a much larger gulf that may have connected the Atlantic Ocean to Lake Nicarauga. Such a large gulf could have been considered impassable during BOM times. This would have made the narrow neck of land to be the only way to pass on dry land from the land South (we now know as Costa Rica) to the land North (current day Nicaragua).
I have boated between islands in Lake Nicaragua and even swam in the lake near San Jorge and it always looked fairly clear to me. And I have walked across the Isthmus of Rivas on the road between La Virgen and San Juan del Sur and it took a full day to do it. It is definitely more of a "narrow neck" than the Isthmus of Panama which takes at least 3 days to walk across mainly due to the mountains and rivers.
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