Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-10-16
QDQlo States'3>rtGrt5alr1tt,. 81 ID Il.
d TEAE AMAZON BASIN.
BY PROFESSOR AGAssrz.
From the Boston Post, 10th. ]


of the Boston Young Mems Christian Asso-
citation. The audience was very large, and
included many distinguished men of liberal
culture and social position. Upon the
platform were Senator Wilson, His Honor
Mayor Lincoln, Representatives Rice and
Hooper, President Hill of Harvard, and
numerous other prominent aud wealthy
citizens, and testified by their presence |
their admiration and respect for the most
eminent naturalist of the world
Professor Agassiz in opening, said that
as the present was his first address to
Boston audience, after a long absence,
he would say few words concern
ing the circumstances that secured
for him the information he proposed to lay
before them. An expedition to the tropics
il, for naturalist, an occasion of enlarg-
ing his information, his perceptions and
the whole sphere of his mental activity.
The Professor continued: | had never en-
jOyed that privilege, and it was suggested
! to me by Mr.. Nathaniel Thayer, of this
place, that should not grow tOoold before
obtaining that sort OF Information. ZAP
| plause,l This expedition to the Amazon
and to Brazil generally owes its origin to
Mr.. Thayer, and he provided most literally
| the means of carrying it to successful
end. | was allowed to take six assistants
WIN SllOuIu SIhGC Ullt advantages WHlCll L
had myself. Six volunteered, and a few
| friends Joined, so that when we started,
sixteen in all engaged in the scientific eX-
ploratiou of part of the world yet little
known in many respects, though often ex-
| plOred. And have the happiness to say
that all my companions are back in brtter
health than when they went. The Pro-
fessor was carried to the shores of Brazil,
free of all expense, by the liberality of the
Pacific Steamship Company, and went first
to Rio, hoping to secure some facilities
| from the Government. Heknew that in the
beginning of this century, the greatest
naturalist of our age, had not been
permitted to travel in Brazil. When
Humboldt approached the borders of
| that Empire from the OrinOco, he
was met by an order from the Government
to stop his passage with message by no
means complimentary to science, forbid
ding his circulating doctrines pernciOus to
society and religion. The speaker knew
| that the young Emperor now upon the
| throne of Brazil, which was now no longer
| Portuguese, was liberal man, highly edu-
Gated and fond of study. But there were
other facilities. The Secretary of State in
structed all United States naval officers to
give all the facilities and assistance they
could without interfering with regular SER
vices, and orders had also been sent to our
Minister at Rio to facilitate the expedition
in every possible way. We learned after
ward that these facilities from our Govern
ment had been extended at the suggestion
| of Governor Andrew. On reaching Rio,
he was met with friendly message from
| the Emperor. welcoming him to his capital
and extending the hOspitalities of Brazil,
and he experienced that hospitality which
| fosters the object for which the stranger
comes. All means of transportation he
could wish were put at his disposition. He
was allowed to use the public cOnveyances,
railroad, steam navigation, or on public
roads, and thus carry large collections
which former travellers had to transport on
mule back with extraordinary difficulties,
and these facilities accompanied him every
where. Passing by his journeyings in the
neighborhOod of Rio, the AmaZonian
Steamship Company placed at his command
one of their finest steamers for whole
month, that he might visit rapidly those
parts of the Amazon which were only to be
reached otherwise by boats, and in the eX-
lploration of which large amount of time
llwould otherwise be consumed. This facil-
Iity enabled him to do what he never could
have done otherwise, and large sums OF
money would not have given. The trans
lportation and means of preserving cOllec-
tions are difficult on account of the great
bulk. To illustrate, he used in ten months
$500 gallons of alcohol in preserving spec
linens. Imagine the difficulties of trans
porting such bulk in small boats, increased
by the specimens themselves. By these
facilities he made collections which will
enable paleontologists to learn something
of the character of tropical vegetation and
past geological ages. After spending a
month or so in the upper waters of the
Amazon, he returned and found war
steamer placed at his disposal by the En-
peror. tue use of which he.enjoyed several
months. At no time was he deprived OF
these facilities, without which exploration
is difficult. He met with no danger, no
difficulty, hardly any discOmforts, and, in
consequence of this, devoted all his time to
study, These particulars were dwet upon
at that length to show that he had advan-
tages which few travellers ever enjoyed, aud
that it would be his fault aid that of his
companions If their exposition was not
productive of valuable results. Passing to
consider the waters of the Amazon, the
speaker said that the country was so diff
| ferent from any we are familiar with or
heard of, so peculiar in its physical condi-
tions, that iG deserved to be carefully eX-
amined as specimen of tropical nature
totally distinct from tropical nature in
| Africa or Asia. In the first place the
| whole Amazon, region is q vast plain.
There are no hills interrupting this inn
mense expanse of woods and water. Only
| in the middle and lower course of the river
| is there range of low hills, The Profess
sophere explained by. means of maps the
various localities, names of tributary riV-
ers, and, other facts connected with the
subject designed to illustrate the immense
space covered with water, owing to the lit
tie slope from. the Andes. and the wonders
| full network of rivers. The valley of the
Amazon extends from west to east five de-
grees south of the line. The length of the
Valley is 1900 miles,, width about 1900
miles: the source of the river 1000 miles
from it's mouth; and the whole of this
space is plain, sloping from the Andes to
the Atlantic. Over a length of 5000 miles
the slope is only 2l0 feet. Therefore, the
IAmazonivalley can not be compared to Or
dinary river valleys. Within this vast ex-
panse are several rivers longer than any of
our Atlantic rivers, hardly known even by
name. There are great lakes having COM
Lmunication with the Amazon, and in fact,
the interior Is vast fresh-water ocean
moving upon an inclined plain. There are
spaces of water so wide-that the opposite
shores can not, be seen. The Amazon swells
in three different ways In October the
snow begins to melt at the foot of the An
des; the rise advances by degrees but it is
notuntil March that it is felt in the lower
waters, and it is highest in June. It takes
front October to June to o-swell, and that
time for The water from the Andes to reach
the, ocean. That Is not the principalsource
0f the rise. A swelling fromithe southern
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