Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-04-11
SOUTH AMERICA.
What Further Explorations in That Coun-
try May Develop.

What Further Explorations in That C0un-
try May Develop.
From Goldthwaite's Geographical Magazine
There are portions of South America which
are unknown and inaccessible, but explorers
Of unquestionable ability and veracity have let
in floods of light upon regions which the public
isprone to believe have never been
trodden by any save the savage
Indian. Stieler's maps of South
America show at q glance what is known, and
what unknown. The continuous lines of rivers,
for example. are plotted from the mathemati-
cal observations of competent travellers. The
dotted lines indicate suppositional courses. The
accuracy of these maps is astonishing In a
distance Of 900 Lilies on the upper Amazon
there exist only about dozen trifiing errors.
such as a little town placed on the wrong side
OF river, q secondary channel mistaken for
the main channel around an island and q river
emptying into the Amazon at the middle of big
bend instead Of at its end. The town lad once
stood where once represented on the map, but
being burned had been rebuilt across the river;
and As the river is subject to rapid changes,
owing to the erosion of its banks, it is possible
that the other errors would, upon investiga-
ton, prove correct according to the latest OBJ
servatfons available at the date of publication
of the map. A few suggestions will show where
and how the love OF exploration and adj
venture may be gratified with profit to the ex-
plorer and TO the world. Eastern, western and
southern Peru are well known. So is western,
middle and the more important portions of
eastern Ecuador; all of Bolivia, except the ex-
treme northern part; all OF Colombia. except
the southeastern portion; all OF Venezuela, ex-
cept the southwestern and southeastern cor
ners; the whole OF British and French Guiana;
all OF Brazil, except that portion north Of the
Amazon between the kio Negro and
a
extensive areas in the other portions of
these countries which are only indif-
ferently known, the information at hand con-
corning them is sufficient to render possible
very accurate reasoning regarding the means
Of developing their resources. Their general
physical aspects are comprehended; We know
their natural products, the number and ex-
tent OF their navigabie rivers the ordinary
facilities for communication, the character
OF their inhabitants and the presence or
absence of organized government. South
ern Colombia and northern Ecuador, how
ever, offer rare field for intelligent explora-
ton. Although u mule road has been IN use
between Popayan and Quito for over 200 years,
our knowledge of this region Is most obscure.
1t has lain out of the route of ordinary travel
ers; landlocked, II has preserved lis secrets of
open passes, Of mineral riches, and TO
mantle landscapes, unbroken to the pres
ent day. 1t is destined to assume importance
the encroaching links in that system
OF railroads which will eventually make
the dream Of pan-American railroad fact
shall have left only this space to be traversed.
knowledge Of its topography and resources
would be of the utmost value. 1t is jour
ney which could be made in a single summer
The route lies by way of Panama, and Buen-
aventura on the western coast OF Colombia
thence by rail toward the mountains. and
across the western range to Cali, in the valley
OF the Rio Cauca. Niue trains ar constantly
passing back and forth from Ca. to Popaya an,
which latter town is near the head of the Cauca
valley, in the extreme south Of Colombia 1t is
the capital of the great state OF Cauca, has long
been city Of no little commercial consequence
and boasts of cathedral and such other public
buildings are inseparable from q south
American town Of 1000 inhabitants.