The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1886-01-27

from III In every direction. we progressed
at half-speed along the Euro do Jaburd
generally ured by vessels going north,
while the Tajipurd is used by those de-
scending, to avoid collision. During the
night | had frequent glimpses of the veg
citation, and it seemed as if we were In a
vast palm grove nearly all the time.
1t Is possible for canoes to pass from
Breves by way of the POGO and other
channels to the northwest point OF
the island of Marsl6 without once enter
ing the main stream. Behold the
Maranhao,' said fellow passenger, as
he touched me on the shoulder and point
ed to the mighty river we began to enter
shortly after daybreak. Yes, this yell
low, hurrying, fresh water Mediterranean
is the river Amazon. The north bank
cannot be seen from the mouth of the
channels we had Just left, several lines Of
islands and expanses OF water interven-
ing between them and the main land"
From the same writer we gather very
interesting facts about the maze of these
natural channels and lakes on the south
of the Amazon above this point. The
village OF Gurupa is on the south bank of
the Amazon $50 miles above Breves, the
place Just mentioned. To the east of
Gurupa is small stream coming in
from the south up which large canoes
ascend as far as Lake Pacajahy, and then
go east across the country through chan
nels coming out at the Breves estuary.
This country is mainly submerged dur
ing the height of the rainy season; indeed
land falls close behind Gurup& to the
uniform dead level of this district. About
100 miles above Gurupa the XingG (pro-
badly Shim-g6o) comes in from the south
This is the second great southern tribu-
tary-about 1900 miles long. At its
mouth one has splendid view of the
Amazon, which is there about twelve
miles wide. 1t is possible to travel by
water from the left bank of the Xingu to
nearly opposite Prainha without going
anywhere near the Amazon. For in
stance, threading the Agniquy we shall
come to the Uruara, and ascending this
about seventy miles we enter a series of
expansive lakes running northwards TO
the point mentioned. Owing to the gen.
eral low level the greater part of the for
ests is submerged between the Xjngu and
the Tapaj6s, q distance of about $50 miles
The Tapaj6s empties into the Amazon
from the south about 500 miles from the
sea. 1t is about l 500 miles long Dur.
ing the last 100 miles of its course it pre-
sents a succession of magnificent reaches,
varying from two-and-a half to ten miles
in width. These are, OF course, lakes.
The town OF Santarem, where a colony of
Southerners located after our war, is sit
uated at the. mouth of this river Above
Santarem ;s good backwater system.
q ~tr into the Tapa6s from an
the west, and numero
81 ct this lake with the ANA.
z0n farther p The next great southern
tributary is the Madeira, " hich empties
400 miles west of the Tapaj6s. The town
of Villa Bella is situated on the south
bank of the Amazon, below the mouth of
the Madeira. From this town an i'm
mense estuary extends inland to the
south west, and finally connects with the
Madeira. This, of course forms an island
which is from two to twenty miles broad;
large boats may travel by inland waters
the whole distance. This district is, in
reality, cluster of islands, rivers falling
into the estuary and streams running
north to the Amazon. Those who have
traversed this district describe the estua-
ry as a chain of expansive and beautiful
deep water lakes The Purds, a large
river 300 miles long, flows into the Am
AEON from the south, $50 miles west
of the Madeira The land between those
two rivers, for about $50 miles south of
the Amazon, is intersected by rivers and
canals, so that canoes may pass
from one to the other across the country.
l have confined my extracts to descrip-
tons of the rivers and estuaries and lakes
on the south of the Amazon. The Rio
Negro is the only large tributary flowing
into the Amazon from the north it
empties eighty miles west of the Madeira,
Manaus being situated at It's mouth The
same system of back-water lakes and es-
tuaries is described on the north side
Of the Amazon, both west and east of
the Rio Negro. Considering all this, and
the immense size of the main stream, it
is not surprising that the Amazon should
be called the Mediterranean of Brazil.
ITO be Continued
Unreasonable and Wicked Men.