New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-11-28
ON THE RIO POLOCHlC.
GVATENALAN NATIVES UNABLE ~ CONi NJ
UEYD A CANOE TRIP FOR PLEASURE

o,omnod nosltIons I'm an overcrowdcd boat GAYS anu
nights OF s!ecpessness and dread The lever '''"
| Nc Ike q Nemesis. one Of our Cards began u u''O'
on the second morning and although the DOCTOR s"Nr
him all the attention our situation peT"',ru
left him In the shadow OF sacred Ceiba' I"e "'S
WAS a short one 10 him. long 10 US anu lis i'.' W.,
to bis friends as the light went OUT WIS '''
meet you here in the morning"
We entered the river an hour after mlu'hs"' ~ 81
norrbw central channel The shadows OF the dense
tropical forest reached from shore 10 sHoFe anu -
velopcd US in darkness and mystery. Inc SH'ase
situation excited feeling Of apprehension NiNc" "'S
Intensified by the still stranger sounds ~ u".'' Nv
stiffness was intense, and then the WIFE, "
night Rrd which our paddles started from us Ni"'
Ing beat sharp staccato upon the air as II r, v"'
the rusheS and dropped into them again. %
the mouthing OF some wild animal wou.u pi'"N
tho stiffness filing all the vast forest Will s'arueu
echoes and slowly ebb!nG into silence once Is W
swept under n denee canopy OF overhahginE D'H'''.
| tho puncent odor OF sleeping alligator warned Us OF
our nearncss TO an unpleasant acquaintance
As the sky REDEEMED into morning the "oo' AZ"
marshes gave uttcrancc TO innumcra5e bird ana amman
voices and the air was fun Of flashing wings. h'",u
but few bird songs. The cry ana cFoah anu ~
mo sharn and slrill deep. harsh ana hoAiae'
boltanmol utterances awoke The echoes ana S"Fu'u
lis from the drowsness Of exhaustion il WIS ~"
revelation Of bird and animal lile' ana aen'o'''"'"
OF part Of the Spanish proVerb' Inc blus "'c
later The variety OF parrots was SURPRISING ana al
seemed % ey in pair From the tiny parakc'is' OF
Ioveblrds which futered about from stalk TO stah Z"
Wild slCarcane seeming TO seek closer acquaintance
the large winged, heavy bodied. long fal'el s"'Es
colored macaw lava macao) which agOhl|eH ''c p'""
air BY It's clamor each Of the 80 varieties "'n "'V
found In tropical America had lis representative mere
Other birds were In equal abundance, ana 'ach S'
moro brilliantly plumaged than the other THIS Is
the paradIse OF the ornithoogst and John BuTTouL9
wore he here would accumulate new TREASURES u o'N
lore for the delight OF his admirers.
Here for the first tine understood the real un'I
ence between the monkey Of Nature and the mohA'N
OF Art or perhaps l should say. the cNllzed anu u'
civilized monkey and for the first time iel, Nle
thrill Of that common nerve which seems TO a'tach
man to his ancestors and by which the m"""'f -
fled 70 the fIrhost end OF the line. The woods were
full OF them. They sat upright on distant m"S anu
scolded us they nodded TO Us and wlhh'u VII" I'M
pertinent familiarity, they swung upon beAuihS H'"os
and rubbed cir hands and laughed. and then sheaNi
hohipa trunks and peekedr out and wlnked again
whom we made motions TO throw something at them
The Doctor mad. felt hurt at SUCH "o'iohS w
the part OF n distant relative. but the CARDS u"'U
rs 10 .hoot saying that monkey make good soup
In order to see something OF the vegetable wealth.
Of this river bottom. took Carb with me- icaVihS
three TO paddle The canoe, and followed N5@"7
ro,b or trail for several miles through the FOREST
Tho variety and luxl,riance OF vegetable ana pant
life was wonderful. The Ceioa tree. maJ's"' ]"
proportions and symmetrical as work OF ART over.
toppei all others. The spreading top was supporter
bv m Immense trunk ard this was supported IN
huge fattcned roots. which out from the Smooth
hole and braced the tree upon each SIDE. Mahogany
ard ober cedars were inteSpeT>cd With india rubber
(cooutcboucl an occasional cocpboa and ebony ana
a vast variety whose names were unknown 10 me-
Every tree was burdened with variety Of parasites
and orchids some growing upright upon TIE o'"',H,'
and others pendant from them. There were "''"u'
Of ouantcstshapcd flower and leaf. and as dcAco'eF
colored as the evening clouds. while tousah'S %
vines dropped or hung in festoons from ever branch
Among the medicinal vines was the safsamrilla OF
commerce The most delicate plants oil our con
servatorlcs grew In such abundance ana luN"'"'.0
rs TO excite wonder. And AL this vc-c''o'
wealth grows. natures. decays. unseen ana uhap'
nrecated save rs a few Indians gather the ruD"'F
and sarsapara few Germans hack at The precious
woods and an occasional bohemian naturalist gathers
specimens OF The flowers. insects and mri'.
The agricultural possibilities Of these level bottoms
are beyond estimate. Lying unused ana unknown
occupled they would support large polula'ioh anu
ho, they would be occupied Is certain II their wealth.
producing qualities known and they were MADE
eosv Of access by making tie Rio Ploclhc more safely
navlgabe This could be accomplished by The eAp'h-
ditnre OF "A comparatively small amount 81 money
under the direction Of educated brains. SohNolh'
made By Dutch, English and American 'hth'''
have the Feasibility Oh IthVNIi- ''' Una '''
livingston and that removed. ocean steamers 81 the
Iargos, size could pas through the Rio Ducc. the "H
fe, and Lake Yzaba 10 the mouth OF the RIO PoocAl'
where river steamers could receive the irAght ana
| transport it to the limit Of river navigation
panzos which = now place Of s)uie importance
As a commercial centre, would AT once become the Ie
celying and distributing depot Tor large territory
| 4 railroad would be easily and quickly constructed
between Panzos an. Coban and the entire Ana Vera
Paz district, the most magnificent ''"e' "''"'''
| I'm the world would De 81 quick communication
with New Orleans, NewYork and the markets OIL 'Ar
| United States
| II cannot be that the Gua;emaan Government Is
aware of The Importance OF this part Of the Republic
and the east with which 1t can be developed Nc4'"e:
can cOlonists who seeking homes III these ''l'''
| American Republics be aware o! me atliHo"DIe vi
| his river and It's aluent, the Cahahon pom
iI1.r side OF these rivers .1Ch auva. flats 10"
| covered with rank growth OF %lld cane ana pan.
boo Which with Lttlc labor, will produce abundant
growth IS and heavy the TIMBER ~ u'e u.s. %
| leave "A large margin OF prOnt, and then the land
| would be ready for occupancy by colohists, ulu'F
| whose careful cultivation 1t would soon become a
paradise OF beauty and source OF immediate N'lu,
| As we slowly padded up the river an occasional
opening IN the foliage reNeaicd sinai hno%s "tn Il
rrouD OF thatched cottages wAeTe lew Ihulah iahi
! lies mad cleared the forest and made home Iheac
! families rarely produce more Than th'y consume io
| win present ficLilcs uhey are too inr from me
ocean 10 raise fruit market and the rice and sugar
cane grow nearly Spontaneously lhAt ul'y ic
| given little or no attention. .,,,.., ....., .,r
The people friendly, but exhibited great sur
prise at our unexpected visit. and asked many
Questions as to object Ia navigating thelr itct
| In so frail boat They could not understand thst
cnrioslfy and pleasure had brought far from the
treat cites 10 them all who come here are fortune
! hunters In search Of wealth and the acquisition u
land and any other object Is beyond ueli comlie
| henslOn. - - . A., ,.oi,
| At one point pulled our canoe up to tie BANK
at a place where narrow pain yea through W.
| tangled mass Of brush and weeds Following the pain
| "A Short distance, came upon the sun suohlhS
rnns of cluster OF houses surrounded by the burned
and dropping stalks of banana plantation. An nc
cidenta spark dropped upon n mass OF diled leaves
hsd caused a cOnhag grafton which DESTROYED the en-
tire village and the group Of houseless Indians who
stood around US could not hide their sorrow even by
the,r looks Of stOcal resignation. We distributed
| few reals among them, and left them With brighter
! looks upOn their faces and their mouths iuI OF
| spanlsh benedictions upon their visitors.
II IT had not been for our cramped position In me