Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1852-02-24
THE VALLEY OF THE AMAZON.
BY LIEUT.. M. +. MAURY.


BY LIEUT.. NJ +. MAURY.
From very able article in the November
number of the Southern Literary Messenger, we
extract the following fine description of this
Valley:
Of more than twice the size of the Mississip-
pi valley, the valley of the Amazon is entirely
inter-tropical. An eternal summer reigns here
Up to the very base of the Andes, the river itself
is navigable for vessels of the largest Glass;
The Pennsylvania IA may 90 there.
natural canal through Caciquiari connects
it with the OrOnoco. Giving draining and fer
tity to immense plains that cover two millions
square miles,i receives from the north and south
linnumerable tributaries, which it is said, afford
an inland navigation up and down, of not less
than 70 or 80 thousand miles in extent. Stretch
ed out in acontinuous line,the navigable streams
of that great watershed would more than encr-
Gle the earth around at its largest girth.
All the climates of India are there. Indeed,
we may say, that from the mouth of the sources
OF the Amazon, piled up one above the other,
and spread out, Andean like, over steppe after
steppe, in beautiful unbroken succession, are all
the climates and all the soils with the capaci-
ties of production that are to be found between
the regions Of everlasting summer and eternal
snow.
The valley of the Amazon is the place of pro-
duction Of India rubber-an article of commerce
which has no parallel as to the increase of de-
mand for it, save and except in the history of
our own great staple since the invention Of the
cotton gin. We all recollect when the only use
to which India-rubber was applied were to rub
out pencil marks and make trapp-balls for the
boys.
But it is made into shoes and hats, caps and
cloaks, foot balls and purses, ribbons and cush-
ion boats, beds, tents and bags; into pontoons
for pushing armies across rivers, and into cam
els for lifting ships over shoals. 1t is also ap-
piled to n variety of other uses and purposes,
the mere enumeration of which would make us
tedious New applications of it are continually
being made. Boundless forest of the Saratiga
tree are found upon the banks Of this stream,
and the expectation of this gum from the mouth
of that river, is daily becoming business of
more and more value, eXtert and Importance.
In 1867, pontoons for the British army in
India, and the tents for the American army in
Mexico were made in New England from the In
dian rubber Of the Amazon. 1t is the best in
the world.
The sugar cane is found here in its most lux
uriant growth, and of the richest saccharine de-
velopment. 1t requires to be planted but once
in 20 years.
There are produced of excellent quality, and
in great profusion, coffee and tobacco, rice and
indigo, cocoa and cotton, with drugs of virtues
the most rare, dyes of hues the most brilliant,
and spices of aroma the most exquisite.
Soils of the richest loan and the finest alu-
vions are there. The Climate OF India--of the
Moluccas and the Spice Islands are all there
And there too, lying dormant, are the foundless
agricultural and mineral capacities of the East
and West, all clustered together. If commerce
were but once to spread its wings over that val
ley, the shadow Of it would be like the touch of
n magcian's wand; those immense resources
would spring at once into life and activity.
In the fine imagery of their language, the In
dams call the Amazon the King of Rvers."-
1t empties into the Ocean under the Line.
The AZTEC CHILDREN-These children,
which we have noticed before, still continue to
attract great crowds at the Society Library,
this city, and no wonder-they are great curl
osities as all who have seen them can testify.
They are not only subjects of interest to the
merely curious, but to those whose professions
lead them to look upon them in scientific light.
In respect to them, never was the old proverb
of doctors differ" more completely substan-
tiated: Drs. Warren and Kneeland, Of Boston,
have come to the conclusion that they are South
American Indian dwarfs with the limited intel
t-idiotic-pecuiar to the great majority of
the dwarfs of all nations. DR.. Buchanan, of
Cincinnati, the editor of the Journal of man,
believes they are the offspring of the priestly
race belonging to the Totecs, and degenerated
by the near relative intermarriages for genera
tions. Dr. Powell, late Professor in the Men,
phs Medical Institute, believes them to be an
exception to every thing hitherto known in the
history of our race
Wheneverany strange fact is brought to light,
terrific rush is sure to be made by multitude
of men, all determined to be pre-eminent in
predcating the causes and conditions of its pro-
duct We have had host of writer's on South
American Antiquities, and yet all their works
are but inconclusve speculations. There is