New-York tribune., 1890-01-17

the lnderDrlSh, ana Wlcn III Is lappeu anu lllktu
another is sighted further Rubber trees
seem to grow close together in veins leading away
from as well as along the river, but only those
which are accessible by canoe are MIXED They
are found in the greatest profusion the Tapajos
and the lower Negro, the latter tributary not
being open to rubber farmers for a long distance,
owing to the presence Of unsubdued cannibal
tribes of Indians At least one-half of the
territories covered by these gloomy and impene-
trablc forests have never been explored In the
remainder the progress that has been made since
inland navigation by steamers has been sys-
tcmatically conducted is considerable. a Few
struggling towns have been built up, and some
| life has been infused into the torpid VII
| agcs. These steamers carry up -four, meal,
calico. drilling hardware, oil and other supplies.
| and return with rubber collected at the landings
| Those who have made these long inland voyages
describe the reaches of the river as monotonousiy
| and inexpressibly drcary. The solitude OF the
equatorial forest oppresses and dlsplrlts all VINO
| come under its enervatng influence. Inc WOODS
| of the Amazon may some day he available for
commerce, but until they are the wretched and
undignifcd looking rubber tree is the money
| king of the forest
Para ITSELF at the mouth OF the Amazon, Is a
| fairly built Portuguese town, with many pictu
RESCUE effects ana SUDStiHtal advantages w lo"ih
ten years il has made remarkable progress. The
| streets have been paved and severed, the drain
age system unfortunately having been wrctchedly
managed SO that the last state OF attempted i'm
provement with elaborate arrangements for max.
! ing water run up hill is perhaps worse than the
first condition of unmitigated neglect The ware
houses, shops and many Of the houses are built
| Of a peculiar brick manufactured in the locality,
| and are painted in contrasting shades OF pink,
| yellow and other light colors There is an air
| Of stir and activity in the streets and con-
| spcuous appearance Of wealth and enterprise
| in the business portion of the town. A double
lowered cathedral Of gaudy architecture looms
| above the shops and restaurants. An opera house
larger than the rcquircmcnts of the public, is one
| of the most imprlhal i've structures. There Is an
excellent water supply. and by virtue of It's mag
| niiccnt position at the entrance Of the Amazon,
Para seems destined to enjoy increasing prosperity
| Nothing is more characteristic Of Para than the
| frankncss with which the residents admit the
essential vicncss of ts climate. Ordinarily in
unfavorablc localities there are optmistS who
can discover some compcnsating advantages or
az least console themselves with the reflection
that the climate is not so bad when gets
used TO il. or at any rate. that matters might be
worse. The limitations Of optimism are exceeded
i
favor Of the climate 1t is always hot humid
| and maarouS II is irrclccmably and unatcr-
| ably bad. Getting used TO it, means getting
stocked with malaria. 1t is impossible TO imagine
| anything worse and the foreigners make no at
tempt to do so. They will tell you with
| signed air that they have undoubtedly the worst
climate with which any large city is cursed on
| tie face Of the earth Perhaps if they were
Yankees they would be proud Of the
distinction of living under conditions
| 81 prominently unfavorable 10 life
| and comfort: but rs they are mainly
| English. Germans and Portuguese, they complain
| 4 their msfortuncs and sokcit the visitors com
| passion somewhat a, bcggar exhibits his sores.
| They will tell you that il is highly dangerous 10
venture out early in the morning; that the heat
n the forenoon In lntolcrohlc: that II is madness
| to go anywhere or to do anything but sleep in
| the middle Of the day. and that the night air
is absolutely fatal They will assure you that
they have found the thermometer registering
among the eighties and ninctics unrcmttinsly
| that they no longer take tie trouble Of looking
At IT, They WI inform you that when the sun
| s in full glare everybody pants for rain and
| that when II rains every one IS anxious TO have
! the sun come ont ae1in. They will enlaree
| Ncy-l lorkcrs ideas II the possibilities of hu-
| mldlty hy relating their experiences in wiring
ing the water out of their brd-shcctS before rr-
! trlng M night and iu finding their clothc, I'm
! tie moruin- saturated with moisture and their
shoes covered with mildcw. rs for malaria.
| their faces fairly light mp with a glow of en-
! thusasm rs they tell you of the resources of
the climate \ foreigner can remain here only
! a few months Yet be- able 20 accumulate a Va
ucd assortment of aches, pains. periodical chills,
iiushc,. neuralgia. and fcvcrs hIsh, low, malis-
| naut and everlasting. Yes, you VIII hear
| European merchant .rimly say, L shall carry
malaria 10 the grave a souvenir Of Para
| or another viii tell so, that he works on until
hc is too III 10 stand or walk, and is then carried
| on board ship and taken {, the West Indies or
| England for recovery. Mr. Seus. the American
merchant. was taken on few weeks ago i'll
that the doctors declined 10 assume tie re
spousibility of carrying him all the way to New
York. lie could neither cat sleep,
stand nor walk when he was sent
ASHORE nj Barbados: but so electric is
bis vitality that when tie slmc ship returned
to the island, he had shaken OF the malaria and
was able to return 10 Para. From nervous pros
ration and high state Of dcrium he reached
within four days point where he could break in
the most vicious horse on the island.
With equal fankncss foreigners temporarily
residing here admit that there is no congcnlal
society and no opportunity for rational recreation
! The Germans have beer gardens and lind some
thing to do in the evening, but the English and
! American residents are utterly unable TO amuse
! themselves out Of business hours. There are
| theatres, but the heat Is ovcrpowcrng, and they
are seldom filled Such society as there is among
the educated classes Of Braziians offers few at
fractions for native Americans. The native popu-
| lation, having become acrFmatcd to the dlScom-
forts Of their lot, live quietly, and find dull
sense Of plcasurablc enjoyment in the stir and
activity of city life: but the foreigners only
remain here because their business interests rc-
qirc their presence and ycarn for release from
ii IONS of csicncc Mhch lncN cnnhlhcr lntnlc rahc