The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-01-13
the ASPECT OF THE AMAZON.

A Lecture bv Professor Louis Agassiz, In
Brooklyn.
large audience assembled last evening in the
Academy Of Music Brooklyn. TO hear lecture by Pro-
lessor Louis Agassiz entitled The Aspect OF the
Amazon in pursuance Of an engagement with the Mer.
camille Library Association Of that city Tho research
and experience which Professor Agassz has brought TO
bear upon his late survey Of Brazil ought to command
unusual attention. and attach more than ordinary i'm
porance to his reflections and observations on the great
South American river region which traverscs
At eight o'clock the lecturer introduced 20 the au.
dience by J. r Kennedy, and proceeded to deliver
lengthy lecture, OF which the following is brief ao-
stract -
To do fun Justice TO his subject he remarked, he
ought 10 the painters brush rather than the dry
vocabulary Of the naturalist; but he not an ar
tt he the tools he had learned 10 MANAGE as
well as he could Indeed to describe the richness
Of tho tropics to give an idea of the variety Of the
% ~ 'uosu s eaiS% ,n'o a No,
seen tropical countries were hardly prepared. even
by comparison TO form an accurate idea Of the richness
OF nature where most profuse and where II pre-
scented It's grandest scenery and there tropical
scenery richer that OF South Amerca-at least
Amazon especially wonder in itsef-a combination
Of water and vege table growth All other rivers
diminutive whom compared with the Amazon The
whole region was o submerged plane three thou
sand miles long and from FIVE hundred to seven
hundred IN width, entirely occupied by the i'm
mense water basin through which tho river flowed
from the Andes to the Atlantic plane santing from
west to eastward but SO slightly that did exceed
two hundred and forty feet for the whole length from
the borders Of the Para through 70 tho over that
plain nnumerable qualifications Of these fresh
waters TO extent that ought rather to require the
the whole width Of Ireland Thirty miles away from the
Of Brazil you could already the disturbed yell
low waters Of the Amazon mngling with tho lear blue
waters Of the ocean And yet there purity about
the waters Of this river 1t hundred and fifty
miles wide its mouth and the the great
water system by two riversthe Para on the south
main branch OF the Amazon which
the north. Between the two was the Island Of
Marajo, which was half the width Of Ireland
He here illustrated the outline Of the island and position
of the mouths of the river The eye could from
Cape North Salinas, to either shore of this
hours Of steam navigation to cross Between the island
and Para innumerable small islands and further
inland there were many channels that seemed
the ocean flowed by hem and you could sail one thou
sand and twelve miles the channel before II really
assumed the shape OF river. II was not till you
cended above the junction Of the Rio Negro and the
Amazon that the shores visible on either side The
lido motion felt not only Para but four hundred
miles above The tributaries Of the Amazon were as COL
iossa the Amazon itself They were the Tocantns,
which entered above Pare the Chngu and three others
on the southern SIDE. Such combination of large
remarkable was their relations to one another. It
flowed nearly along the same line OF latitude under the
equator and was therefore subject to the same climate
influences. Some Of the features Of the Madeira
and the Rio Negro rivers were alluded 10,
after which the lecturer remarked that the
plane was an uninterrupted forest Of grca density and
impeuetrabe without the OF the Ratchet Tho hills
on the LEFT side Of the banks seemed high though none
exceeded thousand feet IN altitude They not
plane below These owed their existence 70 burrows or
washinas by the rains Of thu Intervening masee and
were st one time moro extensive. They wcrs formed
early times Of extensive glaciers 10 Brazil The vegeta-
tio0 Of the Amazonian regan consisted In part Of
tropical forests which, unlike forests did not contain
clusters Of the came family but groups OF various trees
There was NOT oak maple elm poplar in the whole
valley Of the Amazon, nor single plant allied TO those
which form our forests There were remarkable spec
mems Of trees which belonged to the same family a the
leaves that not simple but along which lateral
leaflets. Tho Myrtle, which was small shrub here
performed an important function in this region furnish
ing variety Of fruit diverse luscious and pleasant and
refreshing those Of the family 10 which be-
onged with usthe pear cherry, apricot peach, plum
and almond The great Brazilian chestnut belonged
two 6sts contained Q number OF triangular nuts
and the tree grew to height OF hundred and eighty
two hundred feet particularly striking feature In
parasitic plants which ntsriace in the forests
and tend 10 make them impeuctrable II would be TN.
possible to establish roads there The streams would
10 properly open up this rich country vessels Of
larger draught and more numerous than now steam
along these waters. The valley contained only two
hundred and fty thousand people, and they Of
Eve millions The tmbers were exceedingly rich and
beautiful there, and he had incidentally made collec
ton Of three hundred specimens The climate was
temperate the Thermometer averaging siGhty-four
during the yearthe lowest temperature being seventy.
FIVE, and the highest nneyone. ninetytwo and ninety.
three, while the trade winds which nearly always blow
there make 1t pleasant u bad also avery heathful
climate the cases Of sickness being generally attribute
BILE indiscreton II that country could be settled by
an enterprisng population. he had no doubt It would
rapidly rise to wealth and prosperity and his advice
those who wanted TO enjoy the stiffness Of nature and
grandeur Of scenery ss varied " was wonderful was
70 to the Amazon and ascend that river for couple
A. all. n.la