The New York herald., 1878-09-26
Voyage of a Steam Launch on
the Upper Madeira.
DIFFICULTIES or THE RUBBER TRADE.
Position of the Railroad Enterprise
at San Antonio.
SUFFERING AMONG THE LAB0RERS.
MAsAos, Rio Negro, August 2, 1878.

Tho steam launch Fawn, 10 which was intrusted the
duty OF completing the survey of tho Rio Madeira
from tho in the stream aorcast the Island OF
Urua departed her mission, II will be remembered,
on the 25;h OF June. She returned to the corvette
which had been at anchor OF the Parana Nurim. sur
rounding the Island OF Araras during her absence, on
the goth OF July having accomplished oil OF her task
with the exception Of thirty milcs. This remaining
distance was surveyed by Commander Soliridge and
Lieutenant Perkins, owing to an accident to the
launch which prevented hor from proceeding TO the
head OF navigation.
The voyage OF tho Fawn from Urua 10 Rezenda,
the point where unfortunately her machinery became
disabled Interesting an excursion ard valuable
in its results AS she was permitted by her
orders TO make not moro than twenty i've miles a
day her progress necessarily slow, but to com
pensate for the delay her officers and mon enjoyed
certain amount OF reposo, and her astronomer was
gwen opportunity 10 determine and locate the
position Of great many points along the coast. The
same system and the same precautions were observed
on board the Fawn, as experience had proven TO be
The best the corvette, ana hence her work cor
responds to that done ny tho larger vessels Its ac-
curacy is assured from The fact that Mr. Sparrow
charge of the charting and Lieutenant Per.ins that
OF tho determination Of latitudes and longitudes.
Both of these gentlemen are experts. and as they
were furnished with the latest Instruments and ap-
pliancss before starting their observations must
naturally be more correct than those made under
more adverse circumstances
UPPER MADSiRA.
The navigation of tho Upper Madeira presents no
dficulos for a vessel drawing SO little water tho
steam launch She could take advantage OF the cd
dies and shoals, and hcnco her trip was devoid
Of thrilling incident or Of accident In
fact, 1t was monotonous In tho extreme.
Vegetation, the same that which had covered the
banks from tho mouth, still extended itself further to
the southwark, the same bluffs OF reddish clay bound
the stream, and tho wator presented no change IN
color Had 1t not been tor tho nightly observations
and the occasional landmarks Of hut the people Of
the little steamer might easily have imagined thom-
selves at anchor, much docs part OF tho river
resemble another The daily routine was simple IN
tho extrema All hands up and had partaken Of
coffee and qulnino before the had heated the
morning short respite at noon gave opportunity
Tor midday meal of ships rat,0ns cooked port
able gaoy in tho dingy alongside. and, when night
on, the Arst hut or clearing that presented q
hosptabls look that gave plaza sufficiently large
for tho made tho resting place til morning.
Az times the night scene was dcsolae and depressing
No hut cluster OF palm thatched sheds would greet
tho eye the went down, and when The
darkness closed around the little launch. with
It's brave band Of explorers seemed as though they
deserted by ali save solitude.
Good fortune. bowsver, generally favored them
The Upper Madeira, although not by any means
th,cky settled is dotted every lew miles OF course
either by tho single hut OF the poor rubber gaherer
or by tho villageke groups OF sheds and houses OF
tho richer soringucrso. Wben one of these lattcr
happened 10 be the end OF tho days work 1t
indeed haven Of refuge for, poor as its accommoda
tons might be and rough as was tho welcome, u was
a human ha0itation, and tho boings who occupied 1t
were Of ike nature to those who wandering.
MADEIRA vILLAGK
Tho launch was fortunate in making several OF
these agreeable stoppages but the third day ou:
she had the tremendous luck to reach the village Of
ancore just at nghtialL This village, with that OF
Humitai, tho only two spots along the river that
have any claim wbatovor TO the proud distinction OF
beng called towns. From Borba up. with tho ex-
cepuon Of the half ruined town OF Sapacayaruca,
tue river does not pass village worthy OF the
until II reaches Aanicore. ihis pride oil the Upper
MADEIRA IL IN latitude deg As min. Az soc SOUTH and
In longitude 81 Deg. 10 mia. 30 sec. west 1t has
population oil over four hundred people, and has en-
Ierprise sufficient to support school several
shops Tho schooluIaster more than delighted
them all most cordially and gave general holiday
day to his scholars IN honor vi The arrival
the distinguished strangers
The town Is supported by tho RUBBER trade. Its
principal mon ale traders IN this and other rivsr
products, ana have numbers OF aoorsrs employed In
tnc work oil coleclnS up tie Manicore River, which
cmpt.es into the Madeira at this point. Tneso traders
claim ship over 1000 arrobss $1,000 pounds) Of
rubber annually, bcs,des immense qualities CT CO.
psiba, sirsspafIlla copai and cbouta, black, odor
gum used AS cement; but yet they say they
are NOT prosperng and they mover hope Ds
ou, o., debt AT Cas,aniia, another stopping
place. the Padron, who was man much
a,ovo the average and whose house was quito
manson Loth internally aud externally,
declared lnat he was being slowly ruined. TINS state
mont at first considered merely as mid exag-
grrston similar 10 those generally indulged In by
gentlsmcn engaged IN agricultural pursuits. Inc
Psaroa empio, ed over threo hundred Indians aud
natives c0licCnug iubOer, and had Ia store great
quantity of the article besides numerous demiJohns
al oil oil copai1a aud inagazin" iu oi misc csaueous
pfodGcts OF tue forest
IL ald not seem possible that amid such wealth
he could be embirr assed financially, but when no
sxpIainsd she sys'em on whica he worked II be-
Ca eydont mat amid abundance might
easily become bankrupt A pctnicious Plan vi credit
praetssd Oy the merchants OF Para had undermined
tue wLoie ruboer business. AZ has gained such
Leadway that II is almost Impossible Tor aPadron to
operate wibout having recourse 10 IT, and has boon
Almost ialal in iis results here has been
tne sandwich Islands wDers the same habit OF ad-
ysDced ppy gained gfouud By this system tho
gaiLcrcr. 10 DO pad ior IN rubber when the
crop ~ collected. rho Padron is compelled
TO advance to Tue lndians, wbo collect Tor MN,
tile goods he mas rsceiyed from Para, they promsng
10 pay "a rubber. la case the Padron VIII not
sent 10 graut them tns 'ndngencc" or advance they
desert him i0r WHO VIII. Tho mauia i0r
rubber great tnat they lad no difficulty Ia 1n.
tng oas wIe vii supply them even ~ risk Tho loss
to the Padron occurs hsrs de advances to the la
porer the soods he has obtained anJ for when he Is
bgid responsible; Tue in.ian never returns, apd the
rubber collected oy his honest hands all used TO pay
tic losses incurred through the hight OF the dislos-
esL la tnls way the Padrons are kept In debt, but
the merchants prosper iney have lien on tue rrb-
bur colcctsd tncy have charged cxorbitant per
ctnta.cs on the goods furnished fhey iaitcu at the
expense OF tue poor devils WHO spena tncr days Toll
ina VA ths depths Ot Tue forest
A reform ~ greatly ncsccj, Tor not only are the
peOYle wh0 employ tse Indians becoming diss listed,
but the trees themselves are Uciug ruined ny over
dTsiniBG Bievss anu BosDa have Already gone to
cay, and sooa ,be Upper Madeira viii follow tho
Of tue o~er river aud The sernea bearing Districts Of
the Amazons. IL ~ pleasure to note that legislation
is promised Tor ths rich product deserves protection.
RUBBKR fAxLSDAs
tastauha ~ type vi most ol tne rubber fszendss
tho banks OF tue Upper MADEIRA The lunch stopped
AT many VI them or cacn is the probable nucleus oi
iutafo town la view OF tbis possibility their tati-
tuds aHd Longitude as we'll AS ther barOme.rIc cieva-
t0us, we're always determined A. Nil Of these places
the hospitsiiiy a. the people was groai. Their
welcome 10 genuine. The natives OF these
Wild woods d. not boro one wan questions. 1t