New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-02-12

ally TO than As feet above its low level and tina
mass OF water now pressing against the waters whcl
occupy the center Of the valley pushes them south
MWIu, ana these rivers are now moving IN another
direction. SO that the whole flow is IL thus IN,
ain flow from west 10 east that gentle plain whef
h such slight slope, aided by the nterflow fsom thu
consequence is that, while the whole flows westward, II
flows westward init northermot reach during oug Win
Ter months and II flows westward in its most southern
most reach dLring the months Of Summer. and IN
that manner the bottom OF the valley is constantly sniff
ing 20 and fro The natural consequence is that there ae
extraordinary wafer communications between these nv
ers You may travel mp the Rio Negro, and pc
flowing into one of its own tr1butaries-a branch
from the main river flowing into one OF Its
haps sixty miles distant from its mouth you will find
tributaries 60 miles above s mouth, moving with It and
meeting the main river afterward you may find tnat
from the Purus there IS a communication extending
or that from the Madeira there ia communication
with the Topajos in such a manner that, with
ont ever travelling in the main course Of the
river, u Is possible to pass from the I pasin
the country is settled, these channels will be OF
immense advantage for intercommnieaton Tor they are
limited to the lower course Of the river About 600 miles
above its mouth the Purus sends brunch which
gOes into the Madeira, the Madeira, sends Drahfnes
which go into the Tapajosy the Iapajos sends 1SIs
occurs TO most extraordinary extent III had plOre
Amazon You would be surprised TO see how hundred
branches lntepcommuncate between the northern hu
passes from part OF the country the other fact
all these passages between the rivers are natural hgh
ways which win forever remain the principal msaIso
communication from one part of the country the other
The whole land too much under the power Oh Wttea W
be susceptible Of sustaining inland travel over any
great extent The patches of land which rise above the
river limited in extent though they are sundensy
high and extensive to afford the most exquisite sites TOT
settlements. But the main communication Throughout
the river country must forever be
and the whole country must e administered IN
between which the communicat9n Is sh ho Ss
who have any Intention of settling that country The
idea of travel by horse and wagOn,by stage CT by ia
h. fttr DIV of
The boat is the natural means or conveyance over Ie
whole land and there is something alarming IN the ehar
acter OF tins water communication covered with such lux
urant vegetation varied and yet so CONTINUOUS tnat
nothing give an idea OF what suel submerged c9ui
try covered by forests and nteTockt by plants OF all
kinds is. 1t must be seen TO- form an idea
of its true appearance VIII Try Inn h no IiTec
description The whole land is covered with vegetation
and forests There here and there small aces when
SpoD nv Rc SvSfetafS and there Is no knowing where
en a44 M water begins TnS q9odS s wsssa
ceslng fhe limits of the one and the Of the other
wherever there are extensive lakes their margins are
Sometimes very Sar from the shore and here there arc
extensive tracts coTcTed with water which appear, ntV
as they Weir a Sp 70 n on SsSS ep1c
the surface OF the water Ihayo naugated fC miles and
miles among meadows which have presented variety
Of flowers great "a our praries the most favorable
season OF the year. aud these large meadows covered
n this way with aquatic vegetationhe animal Creations
varied, the waier-Drds especially being so numerous
that the is Of the most vrod that can be con
ceived of The forest itself has character OF rs OVID en-
rey different from the forest OF oher parts OF the world
With VA in the temperate zone in tc more northern la
udes all the forests consists Of few kinds Of trees ana
these trees clustered together large number OF lhd
viduals OF the same kind occupying exclusively q con
siderable tract Of land Not 40 VIII the tropical iors
from one another. are mixed together in The
most ,profnse manner. so thh y9l TaieT hu,
mixture OF the most diversified kind are crowded
together and form as d s5 iorS us Sort Sfy
OF smaller plants and OF parasite growing upon inc
trees and Of vines climbing from one tree g,,I 70
mine TO which plant vine OF tree the flowers or fut
you belongs. The variety the more astonishing ~
Though there are marked sea,ons yet there Is
never period when the trees are destitute 81 leaytI
kinds ~ trecs, no part!sula7 seasons. drop
their ler, -, but they are ~ few IN number that
the , e., ,ate the impression of few dead trees Ia
tho. ng forest These forests rich IN oil kinds of
natur, and it IS in these products that consists
The W. 81, the continent The valley oithe Amazon n
n count not rich IN mineral procurtot. IL u ohy
IN the ~, rr land Of the GOyaz and the Mat'O Iros
that there ere gold and diamond mines md u only
find valuable productions Of the mineral biz ipm
me mineral kingdom is represented only nv snnd-. eis
loans which shall allude more IN detail m future
lecture, but there are rocks except her W., ,oun
try begins 10 rise, Tor instance on the Rio Mgro'
above rs junction with the Amazon and on the Tap
lie waterfalls There the solid rock begins and TIRE ~
land IN which valuable mineral productions mag U VD
tanned but for the whole extent OF this PLAIN We chlri
wealth Of the country consists in timber IN tc1h hcrs
in various fruits and all The various production OF the
,E5 ailnde hnS TO the timber The variety
is incredible. have Of Para ~ public e.heition
collection OF Brazilian Timber. choice and ynled and
susceptible Of furnishing material for the mosibcaufu
cabinet work OF III different kinds collected DER piece
of land half a mile square We have not In ne United
states one half Of this number OF different kinds
OF timber worth anything for puhnhS puf
noscs or for manfacfuring yet there the variety Is
SO great that from small area OF half squae mile III
from mis- short expedition OF ten months survey.
Will Dlaufs only necessary part or
Valuable timber remarkable for the beatty Of their
grain, for their hardness, the variety OF their
tints and their durability, which u Introduced
which wood Is supplied And that wood siCi yet used IN
any way 10 Ia allowed 10 float down thriyer ana the
only mpediment TO navigation that har perceived at
any time was the quantity Of floating timber. so little
have the Inhabitants made OF II thu they have no
sawms and WHOM they want timber 70 any ph" %S
cut II the die they wish with Ratchet This waste Is
practiced in refencc TO timber with reference TO tex
greatly benefited far as regards onr sl1pns alone
we would make OF those tissues which so peculiarly
are in particular several kinds o. palm leaves
which have very resistant ant strong hDer
of the Rio Negro, aud already the English have be
gun export that Diasaba, but am not aware that
the Americans have yet begun 10 make use 81 II. The
fiber is light that the cables may float when made
Among other articles which are most useful, and
a variety of fruit, most delicious, Of which the
greatest variety Of preserves are made aud OF which We
world over the plants which produce rutbelong 70 par
ticular families II compare moment the fruit trees
and fruits the tropical regions with ous there - the
most striking contrast Most OF fruh belong to one
and the same natural familyof the vegetable kingdom
he rose family Cherries peaches puns apricots apples
and pears In fact the choicest OF fruits belong to that
family II il only few other kndsof native fruits when
belong 10 other families such the walnut and then the
grape vines OF which we have graf variety among the
native while In the old world there Is one Kind only
Now an the Valley NJ the Amazon the principal fruits be-
long 10 the myrtle family, There ~ great variety
OF fruits belonging TO thG family as we
have i'm the rose family The which you may know
from the presence Of that which you get from Cuba
Is one of Che trees oil over that region but
tbey have also numerous fruits similar 20 ours Piuns
grow i'm immense quantities the hanks Of oil thS net
work OF rivers throughout The Valley Of the Amazon
And then other families produce fruits. You familiar