Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1890-04-15
THE AMAZON RIVER.
A Body of Water One Hundred Miles Wild
at Its Mouth.

Mt Its Mouth.
The Amazon. If the Para river be in.
cluded at the southern channel, is one
hundred miles wide at its mouth. Para
ITSELF the northernmost city of Brazil,
lies at the gateway of the most won.
derful river system of the world. 1t is
the commercial depot and distributing
point for 40, 600 miles of navigable 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 few leagues
from the Pacific. Its northern tributa-
ries traverse the borders OF Guiana and
Colombia, while midway the head wa
tiers 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. III a 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 o. population In fully
one-half OF the vast territories OF Brazil
Between most OF Its leading tributa-
ries are broad stretches OF impenetrabie
forests which have never been explored
by white men. 1t is the Amazon alone
that renders any form OF governments
possible In the heart OF South America.
Within the range OF the 10000 miles OF
navigablc water settlements have been
made, rubber farms opened and magis-
trates empowered TO conduct local adj
ministration Para, lying at the south
ernmost outlet OF the Amazon, less than
hundred miles from she sea- Is the
metropolis of this wonderful valley IT
Is a city with perhaps 30, 900 inhabitants'
and with as much commercial enterprise
as Is possible under the equator.
The commerce OF the Amazon ~
nominaliy carried on unaer the brazil
Ian nag Foreigners are NOT aiio"eo ny
law 10 own steamers or saiiihR Vessels
employed IN inland naVagatiohi ana
hence IL Is necessary Tor Inc EnRlish
capitalists VINO cohtroi the carrying
trade OF tho river to assign their inter
ests 70 braziians' lhere are lory
steamers owned by an Engiish me
when receives a large man SUBSIDY
from the brazilian Government ior ply
ing between various ports ana villages
on the main tributaries' ana IN
return for TINS nnanciai support 10
Is Wen satisned 10 ny the hatiohai nag
Announcer company mas cieh. s'oan"er'
uhuer similar oohoi''ohs' ahu .noro nv
az many as aoozen niors On eho rivor
ana ~ tributaries which san uhuer ehe
braziian nag these sixty steamers
are graouaiiy opening up .ne amazon
Vaiiey 10 commerce. ohiy 'ne s"aiier
Vesseis are no" running oeyohu ""n'os,
u. 'hs Junction. o, eno N"Ero' pu' mex.
year the largest hhghsl vessels VIII
MAKE regular TRIPS 70 iqui'os' '''''
miles from inc coast
Some OF tho 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 IL
almost completely In The hands OF the
Portuguese merchants and the mer
camille houses represented at Para
Manaos, with population oil l9'ooo, Il
the most hourishing town west OF fara
The other settlements, with few excep