Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1891-12-31

idea OF the size OF the Amazon may be
gained from the statement that over $50
rivers, ar-y once of which would else
where be deemed a cons 6erable stream,
unite to make up this giant among
rivers. For nearly 4,00D miles, accord
Ing to HeIndon, does the Amazon flow
In Brazil and the countries TO the west,
ana some conception of, its magnitude
may be gained from the fact that 900
miles from its mouth it receives a tribu-
tary itself 3yOe0Fmies in length. At
Nanta, Q, 800 miles from the Atlantic, the
Amazon is nearly a mile wide, at the en-
trance TO the Madeira 1t is three miles
at Santarem il is ten miles, and il the
Para River be included in its mouth, it
empties into the sea in a gigantic stream
$50 miles ia width. Al frequent points
In its lower course IL is an inland sea,
the low shores OF which are not Wis BILE
fsom either side, and so eff ctual bar
rier is 1t that until the advent of steam
power the people on the opposite banks
had little more inter curse with each
other than II they lived on diffefent sides
of an ocean.
Brazil ic :hus the most thoroughly
wat red country on the globe. So nu-
merous are rs water courses, and Sc
closely do they inter ock, that only q
few short canals are necessary to enable
vessels of considerable size to traverse
the interior OF the country from end to
end. Nor IS this al; the maynifi cnt
Rio Negro. the greatest northern tribu-
tary, itself ksp0 miles long, is come cted
by natural cana's with the Orinoco, SO
that river or canal transportation is a
possibility from the southern extremity
OF Brazil TO the north coast OF South
America. The Amazon is always full;
there Is no annual rise as in other rivers;
its waters arc gathered from every Part
of a. great co ltincnt, so that when in
one region, the dry term prevails, in
another tn annual rhinS are falling, and
its banks are Always over lowing. The
tide Of the ocean Is perceptible $50 miles
from the mouth, and n curious feature
OF the river is its system Of side chan
nels, joining the main river at intervals,
so that one may travei for LOCO mile
from tho mouth without ever entering
the main.stream. IL is safer rot to do
90, for taEeertain seasons The -bore" or
tidal swell in the river rises in tremen-
dous waves fifteen to thirty feet in
heighk- which sweep everything before
them upro )ting the stoutest trees and
endangering the strongest ship' The
Amazon is the river Of q cont nent, II
rises within seventy miles of the Pacific,
and drains most OF South America. and
although only artial steam communi-
cation has been established over IL, 00C
miles OF inland water travel have been
thus opened up to the world. The
whole OF the Amazon Valley, which. as
already stated, comprises two third:
OF Brazil, lis one vast forest OF
tropical ye9ekatlbn.s A recent trav.
eler says .tbat from the plains oil
Venezuela t6tbe phmpas Of the Argen.
tine Confedefptiop there rs bew lderinp
diversity oftgfahd and beautiful trees
ut every polrt IN tertwined with vines OF
such prodlgioassz as elsewhere to be
deemed trees,sswhile the matted and
creeping piant9, draped, festooned
corded, matted, and ribboned In every
direction. form an almost impossible
bar TO the progress or the traveller Ions
ago Buckle pointed out that the exuber
ance OF nature in tropical climate. un
der q burniuR sun. with water In abun
dance. was almost as great barrier Il
the progress OF civilization as the rain
less deserts OF the Sahara or Arabia
Naturp Is too abundant When q piece
of land. with Infinite Pains and labor
has beeniscleafed Of the indigenou
plants. d thousand species OF erase
spring up, and by the utmost oxertlol
the busbandman Is unable TO save hi
crop from the weeds A road must b
cleared through the forest with tn
hatcheta and machete TO enable the trav
eler and his company 70 pass, and fe,
days lafeEitisimpossible TO detect wher