New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-11-25

| that sand and mud-banks easily found These are
taken uoscssion by mauritia palms mangroves arums
and other swamp plants. The muddy water of every
tide builds up the land by new layer OF mud and by.
by an island is formed, behind which the tide keeps
omen deep channel Through the agency of the vege
taton the estuary is chOked up with islands formed In
this way. few OF the islands separating the Guajarz
from the Bay Of Mara6 formed Of tertiary deposits
but the others very recent New are constantly
forming. Sandhanks taken possession OF by trees
before they fully TO- the surface the water and are
rcckoned as islands when II without trees they would
be considered only az sand-banks.
GEOGRAPHICAL PLUMBERS.
ON maps even the best the Tocantins is represented
forming below the rapids long stretch OF open water
several miles in width and quite from islands This
is Tar from being correct, you will from my de-
serption. For several hours threaded he labyrinth
OF the Abaee and AnapG, watching with intense interest
the splendid panorama that unroled before u.s. each,
notebook in hand sketcng noting down Of trees.
and facts of all kinds Through the yellow water on
whose surface strangelyshsped maurtas dropped down
with the tide, padded by srongl Indian srms,
little plowed her way filing the forest with
echOet gliding along in the shade Of the forest so
that could almost pluck the fruit OF the
mauritias and shooting out into the bright sunlight
that danced the and on the glistenng palms.
Tens OF thousands Of yellow butterflies here and there
filed the air like fakes gathered like beds OF
yellow flowers the banks Of the stream. By-andby
we made turn and down the river beyond portal Of
Murte columns, looked out the lake-ke expanse OF
the estuary of the Tocantins here II miles IN
width, the opposite shore lying dim and low IN the
horizon. We passed the palms at the mouth OF the
Anapu and entered the green waters OF the Tocantns
An exclamation Of surprise came from every lip: This
a riverf Down stream was clear water horizon,
broken only by q islands dim In the distance. and up
stream the bOundess water view. In few min
utes our little pitching gently on the swell
If the Tocantns Dophins tuubed aud bowed near us,
md gulis screamed overhead. II seemed rather sound
.han d river. The Amazona Valley was not long ago,
ccoogcaly speaking, great bay corresponding homo
logically to HudsOns Bay in North America. The rise OF
lie land has not been sufficient TO shut out the sea-
thou the OF fresh water is such to prevent the
entrance OF the salt water The Amazon is Itself inter
mediate between o river and a Mediterranean. Were
the land few hundred feet higher, the sea wOud be
shut out and the formation OF guar wedcned river
channels would be possible.
TIE CHARACTER OF THE TocANrlNs
The Tocantns, its mouth, docs not pour steady
stream of water l, miles width into the Bay of Mar
si6. II is immense tidal estuary in which the tide
Gibbs flows and into which the muddy waters g the
Amazonas find their way, mostly the green waters of
the Tocanns with hrGTn utcnes. In this estuary the
waters Tocantns and Araguays collect, and are
damned up speak, by the press Of the Amazonian
waters, and swing up and down by the tide But when
tue annual overflow comes, the river swes 20 mighty
food LAYING under water the whole country far and
wide TO the edge OF the bluffs and only the vegetation
keeps p The appearance Osands and terra rna several
writers have already called attention 60 the resemblance
borne between the life Of the Amazonian system and
that ohe The Tocantins, well the Amazonas,
has ts dolphins and rays sea-brds and shehsh that
ape marine forms. Casteinau found dOphins hundreds
miles up the Araguaya, in the very center of BRAZIL
We steamed UP the river the right bank, inside
long line Of islands covered with maurtias and occl
pied by cacaO plantations, and all Of modern oT1gn,
being mere mud banks accumulated through the influx
of vegetation sand banks formed by currents. Tie
river full of them, and numerous were they that
here and there it rather seemed though instead OF
being sprinked with islands the river broke mp into
network Of channels. The water grew clear and
green as assembled On the islands every where were
the matched huts OF the cacao growers miserable shan
ties constructed almost entirely OF different parts Of the
murite palm The outside Of the trunk of this useful
tree and splits of readily into fat pieces used as
boards The inside is soft The immense petoes serve
TO make lattice mating for the side OF the house
The roof is matched with the leaves of another Species
generally the Ubussd The outside bark, If may use
sucha term furnishes material Ike used for making
baskets, broOns &C. The fruit, which Is a. large as
big plum and covered with closely fitting brown scales,
resembles somewhat the OF fir, and IL produced
in immense punches, than man could lift several
Of which usually seen hanging just below the crown
The outside pulp is edible and may be made in'o nor-
ishing drink by being rubbed down with water Ike
the dsq but the hard Of starch inside correspond
one who has seen the extraordinary quantity Of fruit
produced by the Maurita palm, millions OF bushels Of
Which fall and rot Oh the ground every year, can help
wondering whether some use cannot he found for It,
We reached Cameta the chief city OF the lower Tocan
tins late in theafternoOn. We sent up a few rockets
hoisted our little American flag that the Guarda-n6r or
Para had kindly lent us, aud came TO anchor OF the
town went on shore possible, accompanied
y the cOnmandant OF the steamer TO present letters OF
introduction from the President and other officers IN
Para. Besides wished to engage pilot mp the river
called first the Director OF the Coegio boys boarding
school found In the large reception neat little cl
low pracicnC the piano exercises that when was
a boy had tired my fingers ut home. Music in Brazil
forms one OF the regular branches OF boys edu alton
1t seems 10 that has much 10 do with that refine
ment every visible IN Brazil and cannot Out feel
that iii science undeseryedy neglected at home The
Director Dr. Eneas dAranjo Torreao, graduate OF tho
College OF sac Pauo turned out to be cassnate OF my
friend Dr. Rodrgues OF Lowell who has done so much to
aid this expedition We went together and called Oh the
Delegado da POlica, ST. Rebeiro, who had received
orders from Government to aid me TO the extent OF
ability He received me very kindly, aid promised
10 secure me pilot, which he did. The evening was
spent in visiting several gentlemen in company with Dr.
Eufas and in obtaining information OF all kinds about
the country The next morning at daylight ! went on
shore secured my pilot, and little after o'clock We
were off up the river.
THE ISLANDS ABOVE cANETA
Above Cameta the river channels grow more harrow,
md the Islands are very abundant Nowhere Is the
whole width OF the river From Cameth IN on the
left bank the river is bordered by high bluffs Of the ANA
zonian formation and the bare patches OF white sand
and red and white and yellow cays form very pleasing
effect seen here and there through the perfect cataract
OF vines and srubbery and trees that stream down over
tie slopes to the waters edge, hang broadvaed from
lluE or oustretched branch. All the islands near Cam
eta are covered by mur6s hut going up the river these
soop thin ont and at last disappear the islands