Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-09-09
ALONG THE AMAZON.
WHERE RAIN CONES DOWN IN
TERRIFIC cLoUDBuRsTs.

hiN 'dHttiu AIaalishh hit uut tNIluf
freshets compared with tho monster
Foods that visit tho Amazon valley every
year with q regularity equaled only by
astronomical events and tax collections.
The rainfall % northern Brazil is about
three times that Of the wobfooticst coun-
ties OF Oregon, and IN midsummer the
thunder showers that duncli the woods
every Afternoon resemble a daily cloud
burst. On the Northern Pacific no other
word would b. applied TO an atuios-
pheric waterfall, darkening the air like
q London winter fox for hours together.
aud swamping house, n tho roof
should leak, through an aperture OF q
fow square inches.
Rains Of that sort are apt 20 occur day
after day for n series OF weeks, and their
effect on the lowlands can only be inn
perfectly indicated by the fact that the
Amazon river drains an area Of moro
than 100000 square miles. The Mis-
sissippi. too. drains half the eastern
slope Of country larger than Brazil.
but iis largest afiucnts arc dwarfcd by
tho third class tributaries OF the South
American father Of waters.
Not such flowing lakes as the Rio
Negro and the Madeira, but the Purus,
tho Yayari. tho Qurua, tho Hinge. tho
Papnic5 and dozens Of other strcans
rarely mentioned ON this side Of the
isihmua enter the main river through o
delta miles Ia width and deep encngh
t0r the largest river steamers of the 81.
Lawrenoe
About the middle OF summer these
streams begin to rise those from Ga,
southwest first, those from the northwest
and north few weeks later, and a fort.
night after the arrival Of thcsocoud sup
plemont tho valley Of tho Maranon, tho
wild hog rivor,n Us tho early colonists
called the Amazon. becomes paradise
OF swamp loving brutc-. The taps, tho
peccnr. the fish otter celebrate the pic
mic season Of their summer life. and
herds Of wild deer begin their westward
exodus. Near Monte Beira, in tho
province (now state) Of Matte Crosse,
the woods ia midsummer got full of
game. as u hundred years ago the foot
hills OF the southern Alcghlnlcs swarm
ed with wild pigeons when the forests
Of tho north were buried IN snow.
4 more than usually sudden rise Of
the flood cuts Oh many Of these fugi-
tives, who ar, thus reduced to the al
tentative of making for tho highest ac-
cegsiblo ground, farther east, till every
knoll becomes hill Of refuge, crowded
with timid hrutls, whose survival de
ponds on their escape from the gnnt
eats and boas WIN may approach their
stronghold by swimming, if the water
should have submerged too large por.
ton Of the continuous forest.
About two months after the begin
ming of the rainy season the delugc OF
tho lowlands reaches its maximum.
| Thousands Of square miles nre sub
merged so ofcctually that canoes can be
padded through.forests apparently free
! from underbrush, sinco only the taller
trees. with theirt network Of climbing
| vines. rise like Islands above the surg
ing waters. Tho swollen rivers have
found now currents, and broad, CUR
Cling streams twist and eddy through
the lonfy Wilderness, tearing of whole
groups Of trees, with all their roots, but
making amends BY depositing mllocl,s
OK driftwood, which soou get covered
with tufts OF now vegetation.
Tho pressure Of the surging food
against these mounds OF alluvium soon
becomes enormous, but the deep rooted
stems Of the adansonia and tho canuho
tree may resist Ill now deposits Of drift
wood consolidate number Of mounds
thus forming good sized islands with q
down stream base Of perhaps half mile
but n narrow head dohcctiug the cur
rent left and right, like the wedge
shaped front " a stout bridge pier. Al
the time OF their incipiency these noyy
islands may be tenanted only by river
lizards, but necessity 10 the mother Of
successful exploration as wen as OF IN,
venton, and wool: after its birth th,
driftwood hill swarms with animal
refugees, hogs, deer and capybaris, jos
Ting oach other in their struggle FOR {
base OF operations. thus often getting
noisy enough to attract the pgowlins
oarnivora.
The climbing talent OF tho great cat
saves them tho trouble OF emigration
Tho jaguar aud tho ocelot become en-
tirely urboreal, travelling like monkey
from branch to branch, and making
themselves at homo in tho tree tops--s'
much so indeed that some OF thom &,
TO housekeeping and raise q litter Q
cubs in the cavity Of hollow tree.
Their larder is replonished by all FORT
OF phcasants and woodhens, who max
their headquarters in tho underbrush
but who arc now obliged to take n
lodgings on the lower branches of the IN
submerged trees. BY climbing aroun,
the stem and rising suddenly In view ~
ocelot can scare roost OF gcllinaceou
fowl out of thcir wits and strike dow
two or three OF tho clumsy youngster
before tho whole Aeck contriyes TO tax
wing.
A swimming deer in these submerge,
tangle woods has no chance at a.
against the pursuit Of an enemy thu
eau leap from branch to branch o
climb along the yieductlil,e cablos Of tll
great Llama vines and q jnguar would no
begin TO regret a phenomenal delugo Ill
the waters had closed over the tops Q
the tallest palms. Francisco Chgor
icle.