East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1864-04-13
THE RIVER AMAZON.

This is wonderful river. The ma
tives call it Paranatinga and Guiena
Europeans call it Maranon, OF Mar
anaham, Solimeno, Orellana and Am
azon. Its head waters or sources are
in the Andes. There are three rivers,
each Of which, rising within one hun
dred miles Of the Pacific coast, have
been regarded as the main stream. -
The names of these three rivers are
Ucayali, Benz and Tunguragua. Be-
sides these there flows into this great
river II other first class rivers, and
over 200 tributaries. And it is esti-
mated the Amazon and its tributaries
drain a surface of territory Of over
$500, 900 square miles.
The mouth of the Amazon was dis
covered in 1500by Yanez Pincon. In
1889, Francis dOrellana explored it
through its whole coast, descending it
from near Quito to its mouth. In
1913, Spanish adventurer had visit
ed its upper waters, and gave them his
name-Maranon. Its length, accord
ing to Lieut.. Herndon, of the U. S.
Survey, who explored it by direction
of our Government in 1S51-2-its
length from Oroya, the source of the
Huallaga branch to the Para mouth
is 1914 miles. AT a distance of D.
$50 miles from its mouth it is 500
yards wide; 1926 miles from the sea
it is three-fourths Of mile wide; 35
miles above its mouth it is 10 miles in
width; and at its mouth, where largo
island divides the current, it is 1S0
miles in width.
The region bordering this great
stream is exceedingly fertile and cover
ed with vast forests Boron Hum
boldt says -" If the name Of prime
val forest can be given TO any forest on
the face of the earth, mono can so
strictly claim it as those that fill the
22Nmnaa22SSthfd 22ma2Sh.d hofie BANKS bs Ks OF nf6s 1nazoh
are elevated above the ordinary height
Of the river. But during the rainy
season it overhows its banks and COW
ers districts with its waters, hundreds
Of miles in extent. The tides percep-
tibly affect its waters 400 miles from
its mouth. There arc no falls in it to
interrupt navigation except mar the
sources of iis head waters. 1t is as
serted that ships of from 1000 to q
600 tons burthen might bo employed
on this river ard its tributaries COM
bined extent Of not less than 10000
miles, and smaller steamers for at
least as much more.
The river is quite deep at tho very
edge of the stream, not having those
sloping shores which characterize
most streams. ItswarIns with alliga-
tors through the greater part Of its
course. Choice fish arc abundant in
its waters. Delicious turtles, frogs
lizards and water serpents are plenty.
And the forests, which border it, arc
haunted with bears, panthers, jaguars
and other wild animals.
There is wonderful phenomenon
which occurs in this RIVER. 1t is call
ed by the natives porOroea. More than
hundred years ago it was described
by La Condamine as follows: dur
ing three days before the new and full
moons, the period of the highest tides
the sea, instead Of occupying six
hours to reach it's food, swels to its
highest limit in one or two minutes. -
The noise of this terrible flood is
heard five or six miles, and increases
as it approaches. Presently you see
liquid promontory, II or 10 feet
high, followed by another and anoth-
or, and sometimes by fourth. These
watery mountains spread across the
whole channel, and advance with pro-
digous rapidity, rending and crushing
everything in their way. Immense
trees are instantly uprooted by it, and
sometimes whole tracts Of land are
swept away. No vessel can withstand
the fury of such tide, and hence
those accustomed to the navigation of
the river avail themselves of cover or
resting places where their vessels may
DO sheltered from its violence.
Tur BpAury op THE H,Rru An