Telegram-herald., 1890-02-21

The AMAZON RIVER.
A Body Of Water one HaDdred Miles Wide
at Its Mouth.


The Amazon. IL the Para river DO in
cluded az the southern channel, is one
hundred miles wide a. its mouth Para
itself, the northernmost city OF Brazil.
lies al the gateway OF the most Won
derful river system of the world. 1t IS
the commercial depot and distributing
point for 40, Oce miles OF nayigable wa
ter. The Amazon watershed embraces
twenty-five degrees OF latitude and
thirty-fve degrees of longitude. Its
western sources are in the Andes OF
Peru and Ecuador. only a few leagues
from the Pacific. It's northern trlbuta-
ries traverse tho borders Of Guiana and
Colombia, while midway the head wa
ters OF the Negro mingle with those OF
the OrinOco in the western spurs OF
the Sierra de Pacaraima.
On the south the Madeira has in
Vulnerable sources in the mountain
levels of Bolivia, while the Tapajos, the
Xingu and the Tocantins penetrate the
central provinces of Brazil. IL COM
paratively small group OF Southern
provinces be left out OF the account. the
Amazon, with its tributaries, forms the
water system for an area larger than
the United States 1t furnishes the only
means OF communication between the
smaller centers OF population in fully
one-half OF the vast territories OF Brazil.
Between most of its leading tributa-
ries are broad stretches of impenetrable
forests which have never been explored
by white men. 1t is the Amazon alone
that renders any form of government
possible in the heart of South America.
Within the range of the 80. 600 miles Of
navigsble water settlements have been
made, rubber farms opened and magis-
trates empowered TO conduct local ad-
ministration Para, lying al the south
ernmost outlet Of the Amazon, less than
a hundred miles from the sea, is the
metropolis of this wonderful valley. 1t
is city with perhaps sc, 900 inhabitants,
and with as much commercial enterprise
as is possible under the equator.
The commerce of the Amazon is
nominally carried on under the Brazil
ian flag. Foreigners are not allowed by
law 10 own steamers or sailing vessels
employed in inland navigation; and
hence IL is necessary for the English
capitalists who control the carrying
trade of the river 70 assign their inter
ests 70 Brazilians. There are forty
steamers owned by an English line,
which receives large mail subsidy
from the Brazilian Government for ply
ing between various ports and villages
on the main tributaries; and in
return for this financial support it
is well satisfied 20 fly the national flag.
Another company has eight steamers
under similar conditions; and there are
as many as dozen more on the river
and its tributaries which sail under the
Brazilian flag. These sixty steamers
are gradually opening up the Amazon
valley 10 commerce. Only the smaller
vessels are now running beyond Manaos,
AZ the junction Of the Negro, but next
year tho largest English vessels will
make regular trips 70 Gquitos, 3, $50
miles from the coast.
Some 81 the tributaries are only
navigable for long distances at high wa
ter. during certain months OF the year,
but the lower villages on their banks
are visited By steamers as often as once
or twice a month. This river trade is
almost completely in the hands Of the
Portuguese merchants and the mer-
camille houses represented at Para.
Manaos, with population Of 15 900, is
The most iourishing town west OF Para
The other settlements, with few excep-
tions, arc struggling villages inhabited
mainly by negroes, Indians and half
breeds
The forests OF the Amazon. consisting
mainly OF hard wood. are not available
for commercial requirements. The
finest Of rosewood and mahogany are
used there for ircwood. Even II there
we're demand for The hard wood a. Para
II could not be logged and brought 20
market on large scale. owing % the
density % tho woods and the lack Of
roads and cloarinrs. Only one tree
which is The source ~ wealth in
these immense forests IS the rubber
tree IL is found everywhere. from ths
lov-lving delta opposite Para % the
Tspojos. ne Madeira and the Negro.
and probably thousands 90 miles beyond
those great tributaries IN The interior
roads are impracticsble. and the rubber
trees that are MIXED lie along the
rivers where ths farms can - sp-
preached. The milk can only be drawn
a. certain levels of the river. f0r ths
trunks - the trees ara often ffteen or
twenty feet under wate- after the rainy