Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-03-29
The Amazon.

Let us. following in brief abstract
the account Of Mr.. Orton, touch up
on some prominent characteristics of
this great ocean river. 1t rises in
the little Peruvian Lake of Laurico-
cha, just below the limits of perpetual
snow. For 500 miles it flows swift
ly through deep valley. Then, turn
ing sharply eastward, it runs $500
miles across the great equatorial
plain. Two thousand miles above its
mouth, its width is a mile and a half,
increasing to more than ten miles at
the head ofthe delta, where it divides,
and, after running 400 miles, presents
front of $50 miles upon the ocean.
For a great distance, it is hordered
by side-channels or "bayous," as they
are called upon the Mississippi, nam
ed by the Indians igarapes, or "canoe
paths" From Sanfarem, the princi-
pal town above Para, one may paddle
a thousand miles parallel to the river
without once entering the stream
For twenty-five degrees of latitude,
every river that flows down the east
ern slope of the Andes is an afluent
Of the Amazon. 1t is as though all
the rivers from Mexico to Oregon uni
ted their waters in the Mississippi
A half score of these tributaries are
larger-the Danube excepted-than
any European river out of Russia
The volume of its water it greater
even than the breadth of the river
would indicate. At Nanta, 2.200
miles from its mouth, the depth is
forty feet, increasing rapidly as it ap.
prOaches the ocean. The largest ocean
steamer could doubtless steam 1000
miles up the Amazon.
The vegetation of the valley is eXu.
berant. There is a bewildering di
versity of grand and beautiful trees, a
wild, unconguered race of vegetable
giants draped and festooned by creep
ing plants. The moment you land
upon the shore you are confronted by
a solid wall Of vegetation, through
which. if you wish to proceed, yor
must hew your way with axe or ma
cheta. Palms, of which thirty varie
ties are noted, constitute the majority
, of trees. Then there are "cow trees,
,, hundred and fifty feet high, yielding
: a milk of the consistency of cream
used for tea, coffee, and custards.-
: The "caucho," or rubber tree, thougl
of different species from that of tn,
East Indies, produces a gum whicl
5 constitutes most of the rubber of com
mcrce. Agassiz puts this tree fort,
or eighty feet high, in the same clas
with the "milk-weed" of our Ameri
can pastures. OF ornamental wood
there is no end. Foremost amony
these is the Nora Pinima, or "tor
toise-shell wood" the most beautiful
in grain and color ofany in the world
Enough of this is wasted every yea
to veneer all the dwellings in the civ
ilized world. For years to come tn
exports Of the Amazon Valley mus
be mainly the products of its forest;
Yet, strangely enough, timber is nov
one of the chief articles of import a
Para. A city of $4,000 inhabitant'
lying on the verge of great fores
}, buys pine boards from far ava
: Maine This folly will in time com
:, to an end. Contrary to all that W
,, might expect, the climate of the ANA
zon Valley is temperate rather tina
= tropical. 1t is more equal than i
any other region ofthe world. Yea
: in and year out it ranges from IA t
81 degrees-the fair mean being s
degrees.-Harper's Magazine.