The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-12-27
Daring Voyage Down the Tagus
from Toledo to Lisbon.
SWEPT OVER A HUNDRED WATERFALLS.
How Boyton Startled Pair of
Arcadian Lovers.

kilometers in eighteen days from the OF January
to the 18th of February passing 102 waterfalls vary
ing in height from few feet to twenty-five meters
besides innumerable rapids. Hardly anything has
hitherto been published respecting this voyage. l
shall therefore allow the intrepid coyoge to tell his
story again.
1T was most difficult voyage" says Captain
Boyton. Il could not get any information about the
river, and none of the maps correct Many and
many a town is marked on them being on the river
that is not it, wrote to mayors of the Spanish
and Portuguese towns the banks, asking for in
formation and enclosing stamp; but i'll most cases
the Spanish mayors did not reply. Only two OF
them replied, though all the Portuguese did
/ stayed in Madrid during the ceremonies and
festivities attending the Kings marriage, and then
l got thinking had been three or four weeks with
out going voyage and so determined to make
start down the Tagus. Toledo, found, the only
place could start from. Everybody said the thing
was quite impossible. Not single person who
knew the river to be found. 1t IS not navi-
gable and had never been descended. We
told it was all canyons winding through the noun
tains got pretty well tired out staying there doing
nothing and I started from Madrid at night, ar
irving at Toledo about midday That was the 30th of
January. was met at the station by officer sent
by the Governor Of Toledo.
TAKING WATER.
II took the water little below the nufactory of
tine celebrated Toledo blades with my little voyage
boat in tow. knew there was a long trip ahead Of
me- knew nothing of the river and the map had
bad In about q hundred yards lost sight Of
the party who me of. After dropping
small waterfall kept running on all that day. The
sun always made the weather tolerable in the day
time but at night it was piercing cold. wanted to
make a place called Pueba de Montalban. 1t took
me thirty hours to run there with quick current.
There frequent breaks and falls but continued
running all that day. The country there is but little
inhabited You may see here and there man plough
ing, but the Of them you are herding sheep
The first adventure had was with couple Of primi
lively clad shepherds, who. hearing my voice and see
ing . strange form in the river, away with all
speed. but fortunately leaving their frugal meal.
which they had been preparing before came round
the bend of the river.
EXCITING NAVIGATION.
II ran along them for some time without seeing
hardly human being. You can here and there
men mounted bulls, and accompanied by fierce
dogs There lots of great black bulls the hills
waiting to be driven into the arenas. was pretty
hard work getting along with my boat Every water
fall to had to pick her up and 80 over with
her in my arms. The river went winding about
good deal and during the day passed number Of
mills where the passage would be only two three
feet wide. The country now became quite desolate.
the only thing like civilization in view being occa
sonally great wheel with earthen pots attached to
it. These dipped into the river and lifted the water
into sluice which carried it to irrigate the
land At nightfall / could two
capped mountains right ahead Of me. Then they
would appear at one side and again at the other
extraordinary was the winding OF the river / ran
all that night. The falls something terrible.
1 used to shut my teeth and go ahead Sometimes
would go smoothly enough. and ut other times
would bring up sharp against rock. The current
was going SO quickly that was afraid OF coming full
ing heard noise that frightened me- and saw the
river running among jagged rocks.
cLUTcHING AN ISLAND.
dark, made q grab at little island of rock and
landed Hero could see the water running and
swiring all round me. / remained on the
rocks. jumping about until daylight. 1t
was awfully cold. You must remember that
sea- and this is the distance it falls from Toledo to
Lisbon. thought ! must have already passed
Pueba. But the windings of the river had deceived
me and it was until three O'Clock that afternoon
that reached that place. There met by large
crowd of people, and by the gsmrdia ctca who had
Similar orders had been sent to those officials all
through the Spanish territory. and the governors
and alcades had been instructed to give every
sistancc and courtesy in their power.
Just below Pueba struck portion Of bridge
(which had been blown mp during the first Carst
war;. and injured my dress. The sharp stones cnt
hole in it, as with knife This remedicd by stick
! ing patch on it. there abandoned my boat
| taking in its place tin tube, in which put all my
| papers. well remember a little incident that oc-
Cured there. The Mayors little daughter to
me and asked me IL 1 were going down to Lisbon
| / said Yes She answered in her childish way
You will never get there am sure-it is so danger
ous When got to Seville received aletter inform
| ing me that the child dead.
A NOVEL AMUSEMENT.
ION leaving Seville an interesting sight was pre-
| scented on the cliffs above Men and women
| flying about mules, the men with their spanish
cioaks and the with their picturesque red and
| yellow skirts When i had got under way pretty
| well ii began to snow, and the only amusement I
| could find to try to catch big flakes my
passed in the dark aud the people shouted to me
Look for the mills. and knew my old friends
the mills. were about, and short time afterward
saw light looming up the other side of the river
Here there sluice in the river, and went dash
ing right past and got out safely Until eight clock
the next morning never experienced such cold
weather. arrived at Tallavera on Sunday morning
about midday. procured something to eat. and
was received by the Syndic and others. then got
in the water again and was soon shooting waterfalls
at the rate OF two or three a kilometer They
averaged from four to six feet in fall All the town
came out to see shoot a fall below Tallavera.
just a. l was coming to IL out OF mere brayado
stood up and was thrown forward head foremost II
people shouted Viva thinking always took water
falls that way, but was glad to get out of il. ran
all that night, and q fearful night 1t was.
INEVITABLE MILLS.
Not dog barked The country was drcadfuly
desolate. The next day passed couple OF mills.
shooting the dams. In places the river fairly
went down stairs--one fall followed another Ike
steps At the end the river seemed to be stopped by
a huge rock right across the channel. thought 1T
goes underground I could not stop. braced
myself to 90 under with il. when saw that after
striking against the rock the water gathered up
ran OF at right angles. The Tagus was not high
when went down, and the rocks here showed the
marks TO which the water sometimes rose to height
of thirty forty meters. Pieces OF rock uttng out
into the water carved and cut into the
most beautiful shapes by the water There were
spiras and rounded columns that you would hardly
think water could form. There some of the
most wonderful things ! ever After going
through this ravine came out into large sloping
valley, and then shot into another canyon again.
SHOOTING THE RAPIDS.
81 went flying through amid rocks polished by the
water, and fall after another. The river
then began narrow in. and as it was getting
late afraid should have to stop In this place
all night 1 kept descending, and got some fearful
blows from stones but at last got through Then
heard terrible roar. II came from great dam.
made shoot for that, and got into the kind OF
place at Florence but by working against the
stones got out safely. There two great towers
here. like two piers OF bridge. could not make
ont what they for They seemed Moorish. After
passing the towers came to Pucnte del Arzobispo
| Two gua,ttid civit rose up the bank. hailed