The North-Carolinian., 1855-11-17

! the richness OF the county, Some of the first
class people are wealthy and intelligent, but
the ma jority ignorant and indolcnt, and as
pire to nothing beyond rude existence The
more educated have schools in which the boys
are. drilled in Latin grammar, and the girls in
butterfly accomplishments. They are polite
aud agreeable in their manners, and are full of
gaycty and life In the mountains where fuel
is scarce they dance and play romping games
till bedtime, thus dispensing with the necessity
Of ire;-a decidedly merry way of spending
, cold dreary evenings. North American mid
shipmen used to say that it was the height of
| their enjoyment to dance with these girls.
Lient. Gibbon thus handsomely describes the
young ladies abont the Capital of Bolivia.
.'Thc beauty aud grace of the ladies here can
not be doubted. They naturally gifted
with pleasing flow Of conversation, are keen
sighted and witty, Their bright black eyes
flas!, beneath an irresistible and modest smile.
Their long black hair neatly arranged when
abroad, but at home 1t hangs plated over their
shoulders. Their motions are slow and steady;
and they show their snow-whte necks and
graceful figures to advantage They receive
with mo6esty compliments from their beauX,
and when addressed speak out and to the point,
answe ering serioss questions afirmatvely. Such
girls, / trow, would not be wall flowers" even
in this ungallaut place. ..p
The Indians, once masters of this whole CONT
| nent, now exercise but little influence in its
Poiitical affairs MANY savage lFlteS HAVE
maintained their independence, while others
have been subdued and enslaved. These are
mild and submissive to the powers that be, and
view with philosophical composure all changes
in the affairs of government. Some of the
Indian girls decidedly beautiful of clear
complexion and regular features; black eyes,
black hair, perfectly white teeth, hand and feet
exqlisitely shaped, and of a most perfect figure.
Gibbon says they would make neat house
Keepers
The y n,azon is majestic river. 1t dis
charges six times as much water as the Msss-
sippi, and is one hundred and eighty miles wide
at its month. The island navigation that this
river and its tributaries afford is immense, be-
ing estimated at fifty thousand miles, and the
extent of the basin has been computed to be
about two-tfths of South America, or two mi[
lions of square miles, The capacities of this
country for yielding the comforts and luxuries
Of life are inconcciyaby great, yet the ignorant
and selfish policy of Brazil would rather suffer
it to remain in state of la ture, than to open
the Amazon to free nayigaf ion. We have Sc
cured the right of trading ii the Peruvian tribu-
tarics, but Brazil, in violation of principle OF
law, has forbidden us to ma ke any
attempt to ascend that river. If she could be
induced to throw off the restrictions. happy
would be the result-'rhe valley would unfold
its giant powers, foreign capital would flow in,
Tie clumsy river crafts would give place to the
symmetrical steamers, the wilderness would
brighten with glorics Of growing grain; and
cities that might eclipse the wealth and grandeur
of ancient Thebcs or Rome would spring up
its banks.
Lieut. Manry's Investigations of the currents
of the ocean show that the trade of this river
n,ust pass by our very doors. 4 cork thrown
into the Amazon will float through the Gulf of
Mexico along gulf stream, and will pass close
by Cape IIatteras Vessels driven i'll this
channel. Hence it is that of all Others
should be most interested in the free nav CATION
of this river, for ours will be the lions share OF
the advantages. "rEc greatest boon," says
Hcrndon, Gin the wide world of commmerce is
the free navigation of the Amazon and its
continents. This rolling stream and its magni-
fcent water shed, would start up, at the touch
of steam and the hand of civilization, into 4
display of industrial results that would indicate
the valley of the Amazon to be one Of the most
enchanting regions on the face of the earth"
He continues with enthusiasm; -" Had the
honor to be mustered among the statesmen of
my country, | would risk political fame and life
to have the commerce of this noble river
thrown open to the world"