The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-08-18
Tue PRESS.
Opening Of a South American
River.
A Plucky Americans Discoveries.

PROF John ID. Parker in Kansas Review.l
Since the death of Prof. Orion in South
America, his assistant, DR.. Ivon D. Heath, and
his brother, Dr. e. R. Heath, have both taken
o deep interest in completing the unfinished
work of that expedition. Prof. Orion had
formed the purpose of conducting his expedi-
ton through the unexplored portion Of the
Benz river, over which there has always hung
such an uncertainty and superstitious fear.
But, just before he reached this portion of his
journey, the soldiers, whom he had hired and
paid in advance for his whole expedition, iu-
Inundated by superstitious fear, suddenly pre-
sented their bayonets at the breast of Prof.
Orion, refused to go any further, and returned
home. Prof. Orion was, therefore, compelled
to abandon his expedition, and returned almost
heartbroken to die of WEAKNESS and disappoint-
ment on the legendary lake of Titicsca.
About three years ago, DR.. E. R. Heath re-
turned to South America to complete, if posi-
BILE, Prof Orton's work, and explore this I'M
known region, the terra incognita Of South
America. 1t was hoped that some geographic
cal society would aid in this important work,
but while plans were being laid to secure ma
terial assistance, DIR. E. r. Heath undertook
and solved the problem himself. December %,
1880, DR.. Heath of Wyandotte, Kan, received
letter hastily written by his brother, dated
Reyes, Bolivia, on the river BENZ, August 3,
1880, on the day of his embarkation for the
rnbber camps and the unknown country fur
Their below. He wrote that he was just setting
out to explore this unknown region, and three
months would tell the tale of his success or de-
feat March 10, DIR Ivon d. Heath received
another letter from his brother in South Amer
lea, announcing that his expedition had proved
a complete success. The following extract
will be interesting from this letter, which is
dated Reyes, Bolivia, December 20, 1885,
"The question of the Benz is solved. This
work of Prof. Orion is finished. 1 made the
trip from Cabinas rubber camps on the Madi-
di) in a canoe with two Indians left Cablnas
September q, and, after delays from sickness
new river entering from the south, and at mid
day of the Sth arrived at the junction of the
Madre de Dios with the BENZ. No other white
man has ever seen the mouth of this magnfi-
cent river. Crude measurements gave 735 feet
for the width of the Benz, and 1850 for that of
the Madre de Dios Took careful observations
for latitude and longitude. At $50 a. m. of
the 9th passed the mouth of a river the size
of the Yacuma, entering from the north, to
which gave the name of Orion. At night we
oicpb vi bouu uai JOluCu W largo loldAu'
On the 10th we passed this island, and at a.
m. another large one. and at 10 a. m. came to
line OF rocks obStructing the river and max
ing rapids. One mile further down we came
to the main fall, which exhibits a perpendieu-
lar descent of the entire river OF 30 feet We
occupied the remainder of the 10th in drawing
our little craft over the rocks to the waters be-
low. With much risk we passed the waves
below the falls and camped. On the morning
of October II we passed some rocks in the river
70 dc Of fbo Do In Grap do
of the river Mamore, but which offer no seri-
Gus distractions to navigation. At 10 a. M,
October IL, 1880, we arrived at the junction of
the BENZ and Mamore rivers. From thence we
assembled the Mamore, 300 miles, to Exaltation
and Santa Ana, and from Santa Ana to this
place, 200 miles west over the pampas; brought
my boat on an OK cart. Here am safe and
sound, with map of the three rivers-Beni,
Mamore and Yacuma. From the river Madidi
to tn. mouth of the BENZ there are but four
families of Pecavara Indians in the place of
'multitudes of man eating savages,' as every
man woman and child in Bolivia has believed
during many scores of years. Rubber gatherers
are already taking advantage of my explora-
ton, and have established camps further down
the Benz"
On account Of superstitious fear of the unex-
plored portion of the river Benz, the produc-
tions of the rubber camps on the river Madidi
have assembled the river Reni 200 miles to
Reyes, thence east 200 miles to the river Mar
more, thence 300 miles north to its union with
the Beni-7o0 miles around in place of 800
miles direct. The waters of the Benz come
down from the gold mines of Bolivia and
through forests Of cinchona trees; and the Ma
DIRE de Dios from much larger area Of similar
territory in Peru. DIR. Heath, alone, unaided,
spent two years in patient, determined prepa-
ration near the scene of the proposed explora-
ton, and then, in frail canoe, with only two
Indian servants, with certain death before
them, as all Bolivia believed, padded bravely
forth to explore great river and extensive
country, where, during $50 years, score of
costly expeditions have disastrously failed. 1t
is thought that the governments of Bolivia and
Peru will give official recognition of his daring
and successful achievement. His work will
develop and change the commerce of many
hundred miles of mountain and plain. Rubber
and bark will now descend the BENZ, instead
Of going 800 or 700 miles around. What risk
and danger he faced in descending an abso-
lutely unknown river larger than the Missis.
sippi, in which were rapids and falls! What
satisfaction he must have felt when his canoe
entered the yellow waters of the Mamore hav-
ing successfully braved the superstition of ages
and opened up new country to commerce!