Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-11-13
AeAss1z ON THE AMAZON.

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Professor Agas,iz, it has been known
for ,ome time, thinks that the valley OF
the Amazon will one day support so many
millions Of people that the valley OF the
Mississippi will be nothing to IT, although
the latter lies in the temperate and the
former in the ,orrid zone. Lately he gave
,om. Of his reasons for this view in a pub
lie lecture. The facts he presented were
most striking. He set out on this journey
with every advantage that wealth, science,
and good will could afford. His expenses,
and those Of six assistants, were paid BY
Mr.. Thayer, Of Boston. Other assistants
volunteered. and thus sixteen persons
formed this most remarkable Of scientific
expeditions. OF two steamship compa-
MES, one gave this expedition . free pas
sage to Rio, and the other placed q steamer
at his disposal for = whole month. The
United States Government sent . circular
to all our naval officers on the station to
render the expedition al the service in
their power; and the Emperor Of Brazil
treated them with an impartial hospitality
that arranged for the accomplishment OF
all their desires. A ship Of war was placed
at the service Of the Professor for several
months on the Amazon. He consumed
$500 gallons Of alcohol in preserving the
specimens brought away, and was even
able to bring home a fossil palm tree. to
enable botanists TO throw light upon the
former vegetation and the climate OF those
American tropics. Humboldt when 10
attempted to enter Brazil from the waters
Of the Orinoco, was stopped on the from
tier and forbidden to enter, a. Q man
whose principles were pernicious to soei-
ETY. and inimical to religion. Strange
contrast!
The banks Of the Amazon form apscu-
liar specimen Of tropical nature, quite I'M
like similar regions in Africa or Asia.
There are no hills for 1000 miles clear
away across the continent to the foot OF
the Andes, and the river il 1000 miles
long, running from west to east, tho val
ley being 1880 mile, wide and Of the most
amazing fertility, full Of vegetable matter
aud irrigated by rivers where ships Of war
can sail for hundreds Of miles. The
climate averages but 50 degrees, though
right under the line-72 degrees being the
lowest, and 95 degrees the highest ever
known. The river runs just opposite to
the trade winds, and thus makes this one
Of the most mild and hesthful Of all tropi-
cal regions. Yet it has q bad name,
owing TO the bad arrangements OF the
Brazilian Government, which sends out TO
these regions young officers. who misrsp-
resent the climate to get away. All hi,
company went and returned with COM
fort, and are now enjoying better health
than usual. The woods are full Of tim.
Der OF the most valuable varieties. One
hundred and seventy-eigh different kinds
Of timber were counted in a small region
The river is not open at present. but soon
will be-. There 10 not a saw-mill in thiI
noblest OF rivers. In August and Sep
TENDER the SHOWS Of the Andes melt, but
the lower section does not feel the rise till
the following March, and the river iS
highest from June to October. The rise
10 from thirty to sixty feet; somstimes the
whole basin i, under water. and the
forests may be ~navigated.
This river has no delta like the Nile,
the Gauses, or the Mississippi-nos for
want Of mud. for it is Of . sort Of half
coffee, half cream color, and tinges the
ocean far out to sea. Instead Of forming
land, the sea is constantly encroaching on
the shore. The river once extended three
hundred miles beyond ito present mouth,
and a belt Of that breadth has been swep,
away. Whether this is owing to the sink
ing Of the coast. or the force OF the current
undermining, as at Niagara Falls. is no,
certain; but rivers now empty into the
Atlantic tina, used clearly to be tributary
to the Amazon.
As to the prospect Of this river soon
being open to 4 profitable American com.
merce, it must be borne in mind tina,
whatever may be the mildness Of the eli
mate for the tropics, yet fevers would
appear certain to prevail. Fish are abund-
an, in the river, hut so are alligators 4; and
,erpenss, jaguars, bears, panthers, and
other wild animals are equally abundant.
The tides at the full Of the moon arc
more wonderful than in the Bay Of Fun
dy. They do not rise SO high. but much
more suddenly, sweeping along like q
mighty wave or tongue Of water, ten Of
twelve feet high, uprooting trees and
sweeping vessels most destructively. Still,
where money is to be made dificultie'
will be overcome, and the interests both
OF the United States and the Brazilian
| Government, are too closely connected
with the opening up Of this vast region
to leave any doubt but that under the
present enlightened Emperor Of those vast
rich and important regions, the valley Of
the Amazon will be opened to prolific
| commerce and settlement.
A DREADFUL fccident occurred sever
Mi. Iu;..; ths ,;ohf ~ III