The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1852-03-11
NUMBER q.
The Valley of the Amnzon.


Of more than twice the size of the Nississinni
valley, the valley of the Amazon, is entirely in
tertropical An everlasting summer reigns hero
Up to the very base of the Andes. the river it.
self is navigable for vessels of the larger class
natural canal through the Caciquiari con-
meets the Oronoco. Giving draining and fertili-
" 10 immense plains that cover two millions of
square miles, 1t receives from the north and south
innumerable tributaries, which it is said afford
an inland navigation up and down. of not less
than 90 sr 20 thousand miles in extent Stretch
ed out Ina continuous line, the navigable streams
OF the great water-course would more than en-
circle the earth around at its largest girth
All the climates of India are there Indeed
we may say, that from the mouth to the sources
OF the Amazon, piled up one above the other and
spread OUT Andean like, over steep after steep.
IN beautiful unbroken succession. are all tho eli.
mates, and all the soils, with the capacit;es Of
production that are to be found between the re-
gions OF eternal summer and everlasting snow.
The valley of the Amazon is the place of pro-
duction of India rubber-an article of commerse
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 cotton
gin. We all recollect when the only uses to
winch India rubber was applied was to rub out
pencil marks and for the manufacture of trtpp
balls for boys
But it is made into shoes and hats. cans and
cloaks' foot balls and purses ribbons and cush-
ions' boats, beds, tents and bags into pontoon,
for pushing armies across rivers, and lifting
ships over shoals 1t is also applied to a variety
Of other uses and purposes, the mere enumera-
ton of which would make us tedious. New an
pications of it are constantly being made.
Boundless forests of the Saratiga tree are found
upon the banks of this stream, and the exporta
ton of this gum from the mouth of that river, is
daily becoming business of more and more val
ue, in extent and Importance
In 1876, pontoons for the British army in
India, and tents for the American army in Mex
leo were made in New England from the India
rubber Of the Amazon. 1t is the best in the
world
The sugar cane is found here in its most Iuxu-
RANT growth, and of the richest saccharine de-
yelopement, 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 andcotton, 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 alluvi-
ans are there. And there too, lying dormant
| are the bOundless agricultural and mineral ca
pacities of the East, and West, all clustered to-
gether. If commerce were but once to spread
its wings over that valley, the shadow of it
would be like the touch of Magician's wand
those immense resources would at once spring
into life and activity.
In the fine imagery of their language, the In
dians call the Amazon the King of Rivers "
1t empties into the Ocean under the line-Lieuk
! II. +. .Hamy.