Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1872-01-11
The Valley of the Amazon.

About eighteen months ago Prof. G.
F. Hartt of Cornell University, headed
an expedition to the Valley of the
Amazon, for the purpose of studying its
geological structure and ascertaining
the correctness Of Prof. Agassiz's theory
of the glacial origin of the valley, a
controverted point among scientists.
The results of this expedition are of
great Importance to the scientific world,
as they prove the erroneous ideas which
many naturalists have held in regard to
this region. Prof. Hartt, who was
somewhat familiar with the drift or
glacial deposit of Southern Brazil, has
been unable to discover anything of
similar nature in the Amazonian Valley,
and believes that he has evidence to
prove conclusively that Prot. Agassiz's
theory was founded on an error. He
says that Prof. Agassiz has mistaken for
drifts the wells in which he has discov
cred Devonian fossils, and that the
geological structure of the valley, in
stead of being barren and uninteresting.
as scientists have heretofore supposed,
is, on the contrary. exceedingly profuse
in geological relics. In the vicinity of
Para especially the Professor has
opened rich geological field.
Prof HART went under the patronage
of Harvard and Cornell Universities,
taking with him O. A. Derby as assis-
tant. Arriving at Para he found the
yellow fever raging. and went up the
river Immediately. He studiee. the
formation of the mountain district Of
Erere, making fine collection of De
vonian fossils, previously discovered ;
and his researches confirmed his previ-
Gus belief in regard to the formation of
this interesting region. He visited on
foot the Sierra of Taquari. and made a
tedious and extremely perIlous journey
to the Sierra of Paranaquara, the most
beautiful and conspicuous of the table
topped hills of the Amazoniar Valley.
| He found this composed of horizontal
beds of clay and soft sandstone. and
entirely different in its formation from
the Ercre hills. These beds probably
belong to the tertiary formation. In
order to complete geological section
of the valley, he revisited the Tapajos
River, and explored it carefully as far
as Itaituba, where he and his assistant
made large and valuable collections OF
carboniferous fossils. Brazil mas, until
lately, been thought to be country
without antiquities, but his researches
show that the field is not so barren as
has been imagined. He explored the
sites of ancient villages situated near
Santarem, and cultivated at present by
settlers from the Southern States: and
he found IN the patches of black land
on the edge of the bluffs large quaint
ties of broken Indian pottery. This
proves that the country must have beer
settled for long period. This IS the
district where the ancient Amazoniar
warriors are said TO have lived anc
fought-the possession of the celebra
ted and precious green stones which
Prof. HART has obtained specimens
Near Santarem he examined critically
an immense mound of shells made b,
the Indians. probably long before th'
time of the Bluf-dwellers, as is indica
ted by the pottery mixed with th'
shells. IN other places he discovered
other antiquities in the shape of Indian
implements, urns, and weapons.
Prof. Hartt states that the American
colonists who have established them
selves in that region, are thriving ant
are engaged in the successful cultivation
of sugar, cotton, and tobacco: and tina
the fact has been demonstrated tina
the climate is adapted 10 the Anglo
Saxon, who can, without inconvenience
work at midday beneath the severe;
rays of the sun.