The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1867-03-30
American Correspondence.

CONfOisD- Mass Jan lSb1-
DEAE SHIN my last letter / gave you some
account Of the Valley Of the Amazon. a. described
by Prof A,assiz. lie great valley is described
a vast PLAIN 3Ooe lilies in length and $40 to LOO
miles in width running east and west, five degrees
soah Of the Equator. 1t presents to the eye vast
explusc Of wood and water. with gradual slope
from h.. foot 0f tie Andes to tin. Atlantic Ocean.
having q descent Of only 2IO feet in Il distance Of
5000 miles. The Amazon has its source in the
Andes. IOJJ miles from its mouth. The entire
area Of the valley. from the Andes 10 the coast. Is
occupied by eight ten main tributaries on each
side Of the main stream naviguble for steamers
200 To jJJ miles from their junction with the ANA
zou and thes.- again divided into innuncrlblc
brluclcs. between which floods have formed or
opened new channels, thus presenting a complete
network Of rivers and canals throughout the valley
And 80 dense and imPeactrable the forests that
for many years to come. these water courses must
form the only possible highways through the cJuu-
try
Formerly the Amazon extended some three
four hundred miles beyond its present mouth sea-
ward. through land since washed away by the
and tLeze euerUachments OF the ocean upoH
the land are still going for several hundred
miles north and south Of its junction with the At
Iautic- These cncruaehmsHts Of the explain
the absence Of dcIris The rise and fall Of the tide
i some thirty fcii The ris,. of the rivers. in the
rainy l. fifty to eighty feet. and the meeting
Of tn. tidal currents in tue rivers walls up the
waters to a fearful bight-aud one or the other
current guirs The asceudaucy the wall falls, in
overwhelming torrents in the opposite direction.
rendering navigation IN Tie rainy very haz-
arIous, and bridges across the streams imprac-
ticablr During these hoods immense lakes
formed. which. ON tue subsistence Of the waters.
swarm with fish. Msra,I- al aquatic birds, dark
enins th,. air feed ON these FISH, crushing them
with jheir feet as they pass over them in sh, al
waters.
Before Ae.,ssiz's visit only about one hundred to
hundred aud Gfty species vi liSh in the Amazon
we're known. Prof AgIs-iz brought away eighfeeJ.
Els,iref y-lisi;es. which. with TIA: exception of
few rIniiics have representatives ia our waters
The tropical vegetation. in diversity. variety and
Iuvuriauc,- exceeds that Of any other tropical
country. Within area Of half square mile the
Profess ,r found hundred and seventy varieties
81 costly woods. Imm-nS. rosewood logs hollow
..d ont with hatehcls are made into canoes; aHd
single log i worked down. with hatchet, TO the
size OF a single plank. Not Il saw mill i to be
seen in the country. The climate Is most delight
f!-72- 10 81 : with average temperature Of
So. The Escl that the scientific party. after near
" 4 wears residence. returned to their New Eng
land homes in good health without exception. cor
raborlt.- the Professors estimate of the climate
IL Z. one Of the best countries in the world. with
the worst reputation. owing to the bad ldministr-
tinn Of the government (thc inefficient governors
ui-repre-entiug It to serve their PurpOscs).
and To the. abomiaaLle systcm of slavery, dcgrad-
ing the Iaboriug classes. Properly governed and
in,provrd twenty millions of inhabitants could live
happily and prosperou=ly within its borders.
The Professor thinks it, forests would afford -
rich field Of operations for our Maine lumbermen
Water lilies ssich ~ that beautiful mammoth lily
tie Victoria EegiI and other aquatic plants, are
spread over some Of the lakes ia such density that
aquatic birds walk over thcu and in navigating
these lakes in canoes asbe Llsd ,rgie1- Is To be
sseH-
The diversity. size. abundance and richness of
IL fruits surpa-s those of any other country and
compared with which those brought To these
markets from the neiShboriug tropics. are mere
rubbish. The size Of the bananas and pine apples.
the Professor described. would cause the mann
moth pears and peaches $50 called Of California
% blush aud hide themselves ia the foliage Of the
trees that bear them-
Tn, family Of rOses. to which belong also the
Tears. peaches and apples ia this country. have
their representative types in the Amazon. in the
myrtle y bich there forest trees Of immense
Proportions Many other families of plants which.
in the temperate attitudes Ecrbaceous- or mere
shrubs represented in Brazil Oy forest trees Of
extraordinary size aud beauty
have made thr-.- notes AGaSsizs lectures
because / suppose they would interest You. coming
from high an authority N0u are at liberty to
draw from them IT you Gud anything suited to your
paper, in the absence Of other matter
Very truly yours. L. W. W.