Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-10-16
SCIENTIFIC EXPEDITION TO SOUTH AMERICA


The Journal des Debas in recent NUMBER announces
the return of DE- CAsrELSAU and his party who had been
employed by the French Government make scientific
voyage to South America for the purpose of collecting nfor
nation with respect to that country. One of the party,
NJ DOsEaY engineer in the royal mining corps, having
accidentally separated from his friends was murdered by
dams The party suffered incredible fatigue their wander
ings and NJ Devie Of them, although young only
twenty three years DID, had side entirely paayzed by the
fagues OF the expedition The collections made in this
voyage said to be immense and principally destined
for the Jadn du Ro The living animals ngeat numbers
All the manufactured articles deposited in the office of the
Commercial department, where they will be examined and
analysed under the direction Of the Government In the
vessel with NJ Castelnau arrived the Malay Floentno and
the little savage Caama the latter taken by M de Castel
the river Araguay belongs to the Anthopophag Of
the Apnages. As NJ. GuIzoT informed of the
death Of M DOsey he forwarded the most positive orders
that every effort should be made obtain the papers the
expedition which said be in the hands of the Aeberos
Indians. AT the time this report written NJ Castenau
of the death of M. DOsery, which fact he
learned at Cayenne, on his return.
To The Minister Of Public Instruction:
81 am still prey to the greatest anxiety respecting my
travelling companion M DOsery, Of whom have yet
been able TO gather any information suppose he have
been detained at Lima and perhaps not willing separate
expedition, which had been entrusted to his
" In my last despatch had the honor your
Exceency arrival at the mission station Of Sarayacu, a
ter painful and disastrous campaign the Ucayal Re
ceved with the most touching hospitality by the Franciscan
monks who direct this msson able thanks to their
to recover in about month"; health and enough
to think of continuing explorations This mission estab
hshment IN which there white persons but the fathers
situated in the midst Of the savage colonies of the Pampa
del Sacramento three priests who compose it, with
but those of ah have been able not only escape all the
attacks of the babarans by whom they surrounded but
to convert three thousand of them to the religion of Christ
The Project of the MISSION Father Plaza has succeeded
inspiring unbounded confidence in himself these neOphytes
and the power he exercises them has other limits than
those drawn by his pure Intentions will not here
ter into details respecting the organization of these missions
for though they very interesting they would carry
far from the plan to which must confne myself will only
quote fact which, TO be sure has little Of that local
oring which celebrated traveller nowhere with.
pressed day desire form collection of the fishes of
the Ucaya for the Museum of Nataral History Father
Plaza Immediately organized fishing party a lake situated
days journey from the fall of the river and about six huh
bred Indians accompanied On arriving the place de-
sgnated, found there palm leaf huts which
had been prepared TO receive and where passed the
night.
The next morning daybreak a grea, many canoes
poughed the waters Of the lake, which about league long
The Indians who manned them threw out in abundance
root designed to benumb the fish, and soon,
fact the surface of the water covered with Them that
while the boats towards the middle Of the lake
carried the work Of destruction with and clubs BY
evening about twenty-five thousand fish had been taken but
Of this immense quantity found only about forty differ
Species of which of the interesting the cleo
eel curious from the strength of the shocks impaired
by it. This fish, however, has been already studied by the
llustrous Humboldt The next day obliged to leave
this place account Of the infectious odor from the lake,
which covered with dead fish.
son the Both of October left the Missions in four
furnished by the good fathers The Indians who
accompany the number of eighteen threw themselves
before their departure at the feet of Father Plaza to receive
his benediction II without sadness that parted
from this excellent old whom the most lively
gratitude
'The next day arrived at the Mission Of Terra Blanca,
where stad only few moments. Continuing our voy
we met every day hu of the Conbos and Pros
Indians who, though not converted received US with hosp
ay We passed by the last establishment Of these nations
The rest Of the river inhabited by the Mayona feocious
and canniba tribe, against whose poisoned it is always
necessary to be ones guard.
Son the 9th arrived the mouth of the Ucaya in the
Amazon river, (Which is called the Maranon at this part
These two rivers have here nearly the width, which
Judge TO be about half league. This junction produces
magnificent effect After three hours ascent, arrv-
ed at the village Of Nauta, inhabited by about thousand
Comacos Indians, under the direction Of cuae after
wards visited the village of 0magnas formed Oregones In
dians remarkable for their ears which by artificial means
made TO grow incredible size the village OF Squitos
from the of another nation inhabng the bordering for
ests, and the people Of which entirely naked and finally
that Of the Pepas Here found several missionaries, some
OF whom accompanied the Yaguas, nation IN the m
terror very curious their features and their customs which
entirely different from the other Amazon colonies and who
belong 10 the Carribee race.
:" Among these different people the venom made
which TO poison the little which they throw by
of tube Of extraordinary length have collected the
different ingredients Of this poison which may OTTER an interest
ing subject for chemical analysis
There in this neghborhood extensive woods OF wild
Nature has nowhere displayed her wealth IN
liberal II impossible TO imagine the diversity and
extreme beauty of the particularly the palms, which
form the forests The animals which nhabt these countries
less remarkable for their singular forms than from the
splendor Of their coos Jaguers taps ant bears, amad
los than twenty species OF monkeys the most brilliant
BIRDS such as couroucoos blue congas paroques every
where We procured there, among Others two magn
cent birds cephaoptems and the espendent
The first his head singular TUT IN the form OF pa
raso and the second displays his plumage all that the
the equator has been able combine Of purple god and
emerald.
"The happy saguas living in these forests have no other
dresses than the long pumes Of the scarlet their man
ners are gentle and peaceabc they admit the immortality Of
the soul but thew beeven universal pardon after death A
cordnp to them God is hidden behind the SUM- and his pr
cpa occupation is TO keep that body in motion They allow
bu, one wife, and are faithful her They show such strong
attachment to their children that when they lose them they
DESTROY eyey thing they possess and set fire only 10 their
houses but 10 their weapons Of and their other most pre-
cious objects.
ssTbs region ahounds in magnificent wood for building
and cabinet work. produces abundance every thing
fu for ships such pitch, hemp, excellent corjare resisting
the action Of the water and made Of the bes of palm
Vanilla is found there in abundance and the Indians collect
III nj Dyinu oia.a nj