The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1852-03-02
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The Valley OF the Amazon.
BY LIEUT.. NJ. +. MAURY.

Hc SVaAcy Oh ehc IN tsksaXOfRs
DY LIEUT.. NJ. +. MAURY.
From very able article in the No
vcmbcr number of the Southern Lite
rary Messenger, we extract the follow
ing fine description OF this valley:
Of more than twice the size of the
Mississippi valley, the valley OF the
Amazon is entirely intcrtropical. An
everlasting summer rcigns there. Up
to the very base of the Andes, the RI
vcr itself is havigabIe for vessels of
the largest class. The Pennsylvania n
may go there.
~ natural canal throug gh the Caciqui-
ari connects it with the Oronoca. Civ
ing drainage and fertility to immense
plains that cover two million square
milcc, it receives from the North and
South innuncrablc tributaries, which,
it is said, affords an inland navigation.
up and down of not less than 10 or so
thousand miles in extent. Stretched
out in Il continuous line, the naviyablc
streams of that water shed would more
than cncirclc the around at its largest
yirth.
a the climates Of India arc there.
Indeed, we may say, that from the
mouth to the source of the Amazon,
piled up one above the other, and
spread out Andrnn-liHc. over stcppc
after stcppc. beautiful unbrokcn success
sion, are all the climates. and all the
soils, with the capaciticS OF produc-
1,t L., |. Il.
regions OF everlasting summer and
eternal snow.
The valley Of the Amazon is the
place of the production of India rub
her, an article of commerce which has
no parallel as to the incncasc of demand
for it. save and except in the history of
our own great staple, since the invcn-
ton of the cotton gin. We all rccul-
lcct when the only uses to Which India
rubber was applied were to rlb%out
pencil marks. and make itrlp-balls::to for
boys. But it is now na1esintoSshocs
and hats. caps and cl"aks,sfnD ballsand
purses, ribbons and cushions, boats,
beds, tents and bag, pontoons fi:
pushing armies Acro>s rivers, aud caiifE
els for liItinSssafps over shoals: 1t is
ais" applied TO IL variety Of other uses
and purposes. the mere enumeration of
which would maze us tedious. New
applications of it are continually be-
III" made. Bumnd!css forests of the
S:ringa tree are found upon the banks
of this river; and the cxpnrtatou of this
gum from the mouth that river, is
daily becoming business of more and
more value, cXtcnt, and Importance
In lSlG-I, p"nt"nnS for the British
army in India, and tents for the Amc-
rican army in Mexico, were made in
New England from the India rubber
of the Amazon. 1t is the best in the
world.
The sugar cane is tnund,hcrc in its
est sarchnrnc Development. 1t re-
purcS to be planted but once in 90
years.
There arc pr'nlucc'l, also. Of excel
lent quality and III great prulilSiurl.
coffee and tobacco. rice and indigo.
cocoa and cotton, with drugs. of virtues
h" most rare, dyes. of h.rc~ the most
o'i'lihiii. ana spices OF aroma the most,
exquisite.
Soils of the richest loam and the fin
est hliurl"nS are there. The climate
"t india, the MoluccaS. and the Spice
Islands. are all there. And there. too.
lying dormant arc the huunIIcSs arri-
cultural and mineral capacities of the
East and West. all clustered together.
IL commerce were but once to spread
ITS wings over that valley, the SHADOW
oft would be like the touch ola mari.
rian : wanu-thoSc immense resources
would spring at once into liit. and activ-
ity.
In the fine imagery ofthcir language.
tue Indians call the Amazon the King
OF l'Ircrs. 1t r!npiits into The Ocean
under the Line.