The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1892-11-24

ana lnuS SEND them along, after the 1g-
mis- fatuus of their dreams. The annual
rains came on, which, lasting for months
with equatorial violence literally rotted
the garments from the bodies of the SOL
diers, who could neither find nor make
shelter. At length provisions gave out
and then they began to feed upon their
dogs. The sick multiplied so fast that
| they were compelled to build boat in
which to carry them-a herculean task
for soldiers to perform without the re-
quiste implements. Before it was accom-
| plished they had to kill their horses for
food. Still, with death staring them in
the face, PizaTo continued to seize pris-
oners, and put them in irons whenever
| they showed disposition to escape.
At length with greatly depleted num-
| bers, they reached the banks of that Am
azonian tributary called the Rio Napo.
Here they heard of larger river into
which this emptied, and were told by the
willy savages that the country through
! which it ran ahounded with gold and pro
/ visions. 50 Pizarro determined to des-
/ patch the rude brigantine with fifty pick
ed men, to secure supplies for the rest,
and the expedition was put under the
/ command of Francisco de Orellana a
+ knight OF TruNille. The swift current cf
the mighty river carried them rapidly
] downward, through an uninhabited and
deserted country. When they had de-
seconded about three hundred miles. with
ont finding food sufficient for themselves,
they began to question the propriety Of
returning. But dared they 90 back empty
handed to the starving army and face the
brutal rage of the ex- swine herd Goncale?
Besides, how could they ascend against
the current i'll their enfeebled condition:
and if they succeeded it would be but to
perish with the rest. Don Orellana urged
these considerations upon his compan-
ions-together with the well known fact
that ''all rivers to the ocean run and
and that therefore there was some chance
OF not only saving their own lives, but i'm
mortaizing their names by fresh discover
ies-with such plausibility that all CON
sented except tw5-a young knight of
Badajoz and a Dominican Friar. These
objections Orelana disposed of by setting
the stubborn twain ashore, To perish or
return to the army as best they could.
Then, in order that he might make dis
cOVerics under his own name and not I'M
der delegated authority in the name OF
another. Orellana renowned the com
mission he had received from Pizarro and
was elected commander by his own men.
ON the last day of December l541,
mass was said by Friar Gaspar and the
adventurous voyage began. Their pros
poets were gloomy enough; all their pro
visions being exhausted they were reduc-
ed to boiling their leathern girdles and the
soles OF THEN shoes in the hope of extract
ing sufficient noulishment to sustain life
soon ii became necessary to build bet
ter vessel. and this being accomplished
after great difficulty and delay, they re-
SumCd the voyage. Sometimes they met
with kind !eccptios from the Indians,
but generally had TO fight their way, with
great losses and danger of complete
destruction. 1t was in June OF the same
year that they discovered what they re-
ported to be AmazOns, OF female warriors,
in a battle with hostile tribe Fliar
Gaspa solemnly atlrms that a dozen Of
these women fought at tile head of the
tribe which was subject to their author
lty. He described them rs very tall and
large hmbed having white competition
and long hair plated and braided around
THEN heads: and also affirmed that the
men fought desperately because if any
deserted they would be beaten to death
by these female tyrants.
4 After seven months of untold hartlships
and numerous adventures Orellana sailed
cut ri the mouth of the great river. (Which
. they named Amazonas in remembrance of
the alleged women wau1ors) and reached
the Atlantic ocean early in September.
Thence he proceeded To Spain. to give an
account of lis discoveries. assisted bv the
fertile Imagination Of Friar Garpar. His
excuse for deserving Pizalro was accepted.
ana he received a royal grant OF the re
! glon lle had discovered with right of con-
quest. He found no difficulty in raising
funds and recruiting adventures for Il
second expedition The return fleet en-
tered tile Amazon early iii 1914; but they
/ Got lost amid the labyrinth Of channels at
! The mouth OF the river and never found
/ the main branch. After beating about a
month or two, without making any pro
gress. Orellana and most of his men sick
! cncd and died He had not even the hon
OF OF being the first discoveror of the
Amazon, for that belonged to Pinzon. in
| 1900 though Orellana was undoubtedly
the first to descend the mighty emhouch-
ment.
/ Nearly a hundred years later second
/ party descended the Amazon from Quito.
! This was long after the Portuguese had
established themselves near tllc ,noutll of
the river and Para was a city of conse-
! quence, under the captain generalship of