The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-08-02
Andes and Amazon Basin.
LETTER ADpRBSsYD TO A MERCHANT OF C0CHA-
BANDA, IN BOLIVIA. BY LIEUT.. LARDNHR GIBBoN,
u. q. NAVY.

U. 9. NAVY.
| PHILADELrHIA, July 20, 1854.
DEAR SR-On a steppe of the Andes where
the mountain streams pay tribute to the Allan
tic, you write to know something of the peace
flu river routes communicating through the
territory of Bolivia and the empire of Brazil.
Ny excuse for not complying with your re-
quest sooner, is that l had no right to publish
before obtaining permission from the proper
authorities to do So Having now that per-
mission, hope my answer will prove salts
factory as rational result Of my observa-
tions, if not the most agreeable to you as
merchant.
The discovery of an outlet for the produc-
tions of the territory of Bolivia to the Atlantic
has long been an earnest desire with the nhabi-
tazts on the banks Of the tributaries of the
| Amazon and La Plata. The subject is not
new one but as the current Of population flow
ed from the Pacific shore, over the mountains,
down the sides of the Andes into the lowlands
to the east, the Importance of being able to
float to the Atlantic has become every year
more and more apparent.
Standing on one of the loftiest peaks in the
New World, looking out TO the west, the ira
weller beholds rough, mountainous, unproduc-
tive country from Lake Titicaca to the Pacific
shore. single narrow path winds through
the great desert of Atacama, and leads down
steep precipices to the only seaport of entry
possessed by your country. Cobija is a free
| port yet the distance is so great that mer-
chants OF Bolivia prefer to pay transit duty to
Peru, through africa, for foreign manufacture
brought by ships around Cape Horn and nearly
the whole length Of two great oceans
Towards the east he feels gentle wind blow
ing III his face from the distant Atlantic, which
drives before it clouds loaded with moisture
from that ocean.
AS these clouds pass over the low lands mois-
ture is sprinkled on the earth in dew drops and
rains Striking the base of the Andes, the
wind watts upward; and when the clouds reach
an elevation Of little over fourteen thousand
feet above the sea, they enter an atmosphere so
rarided and cold that the remaining moisture
freezes and falls on the mountains, in snow
flakes, hail, and frost smoke.
The traveller, plunging through deep snow
above the clouds, suffers the torments and pri-
vations Of dreary winter, and descends nearly
seven thousand feet of everlasting ice, through
region avoided by every kind of animal
life, and where no signs of vegetation
are to be seen. Above an atmosphere
congenial for birds, except the condor,
are grasses kept green by water melted from
ice and snow under tropical sun. Here the
llama, alpaca, and vicuna, the wool-growers
feed, aud the aboriginal Indian cultivates pota-
toes and barley, or digs silver from the vein.
A little lower are coarse tufts of grass, min |
gled with small bushes Of blackberry and whor-
tleberry; focks Of sheep, white and black, !
speckie the mountain sides; gay, laughing In
dian shepherdesses protect with dogs the new
born lambs In the soil is found native copper;
blocks Of tin lie near the surface, and wheat
crop fourishes upon it.
The peach, apple, and pear trees are in full
blossom on lower steppe; Strawberries ripen
at new years day; horned cattle are fattened
Oh lucerne, and flowers exist in all their beau
ty. The climate being warmer, the traveller
changes his garments The people gather
harvest of corn, and the population becomes
more dense. Finally appears growth of small
forest trees, which increase in size as he de-
sends
The best cinchsna in the world is free to all
bark ga'herers by the laws Of the land
The tops Of the trees swarm with monkeys
parrots wild turkeys, and great variety of
beautiful birds OF brilliant plulnage. Through
the woods roam spotted tigers poisonous snakes, |
or trains of ants with painful stings.
The coffee tree and sugar cane produce well, |
so do plantains, oranges, and all the tropical
fruits.
The small snow water streams, with golden
beds gradually swollen by heavy rains, at the
base OF the Andes, east OF Cochamba, invite the
traveller to step into a canoe, manned by Indi-
ans, who paddle with the current 500 miles of a
river navigable for steamboats,. The Mamore
flows through great prairie country, where
herds OF horned cattle horses and deer grace
The Brazil elk and ostrich roam over these
plains The land, the air and The waters are
here filled with animal life.
Thirteen bard working days are required to
descend TIE seventeen cataracts on the Madeira,
a distance of 240 miles, and not nnvigable up
wards. But passable road might be cut in q
straight line through Brazilian territory, from
the upper to the lower falls, assistance shorten
ed to $50 miles, by which cargoes could pass to
the upper country.
Launching a canoe below these falls, the de.
scent is through wild region, inhabited by
savages, black tigers anG alligators, for 500
miles of navigable water, to the mouth of the
Madeira, where its waters join those of the
Amazon, and still flow on 500 miles, to be emp
tied into the Atlantic.
In looking back upon the beautiful Madeira,
which we have traced from its source among
the SHOWS OF distant lands we regard it as the
natural river road, or highway, by which the
people of Bolivia can reach the markets of the
world
Compare this route, prepared by the Ruler of
all Things with that travelled by the iackass
slama. or mule, through the desert of Ataeama,
struggling under heavy loads of cinchona bark,
silver and wool, climbing the lofty Andes, on
their way TO the South Pacific, while the little
canoe floats gaily with the current to the
NCrh Atlantic.
See by your map of South America the diff
ference between the route through the noun
tains and by two oceans, from Cochaoamba,
and that by the Madeira river, to Para, at the
mouth of the Amazon.
Many years ago the government OF Bolivia
declared ports on the rivers flowing into the
Ma1eira and Para croy FREQ portS IF entry