Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-11-05

hha<O~AAN AZ HUME
miles and that Its vast basin would easily hold
nifty countries the size Of England with a trife
Of margin TO spare. Only after floating for
weeks upon II can one begin TO form an idea OF
Its incalculable o. waters. Could the
whole OF the Mississippi river be poured in il
would not be raised six inches. and away of in
Bolivia and Peru IL II IL some places 10 feet
deep With i.s branches and sfiuents it affords
not less than Is 900 miles of steamboat naviga-
ton. and vessels drawing SIX feet Of water may
anchor under the shadows Of the Andes.
VARIETY OF SANEs-
When first leaving Para for up the river" il
is impossible TO believe that you are really on the
Amazon. for You experience all the sensations
% being out on the open sea-especiallv after
having lived a few weeks on the greasy and
gsricy menu of the Hotel do Commercio. The
rolling pillows and long measured swells are the
sane. realizing the Miltonie phrase OF ocean
stream. and soon there would be no land in
sight were IL not for the big island Of Maraio
half the size Of ireland. dividing the river in
twain near its mouth. We two DAYS in
passing the island. for upstream steamers leav-
ing Para 20 westwardly around it, The river
hereabout ~ never spoken Of as the Amazonas
but Its waters at different points bear local
names, such A. the Para river BAY Of Mar
slo. "hio Aturla. dc. until beyond the point
where the Xingu river comes rushing in BY
the way. In regard to the name AmaZonas.
many believe IL 20 have been derived from the
Indian word -'Amassona," applied 90 the won
derful phenomenon Of high tide which occurs
two DAYS before and after the full moon and
extends To the very confluence OF the Madeira
being very destructive 20 small craft the ma
uves call this tide Amassona or boat breaker ="
Concerning the female warriors which Friar
Gs.par and early monki-h chrouiclers de
scrfbed. though those authors often used
their own vivid imsginings In lieu of facts
they we're not far amiss In that statement
ct least so Tar a. appearances &C. for to this
day the male warriors OF the upper ANA
ron wear feathered skirts and other toggery
usually ascribed To females.
TIE TOWN OF BREvEs.
Having passed the wide mouth OF the To-
csnsins river We come to anchor of the little
town Of Broyes, on Marnjo. where the FIRST
light IL spent. Arriving an hour before night
fal ve find the landing crowded with men
sosen and children. clad in little but the
oiseA-st Of skins with which nature provided
mem, all jabbering and gesticulating like
mad - efforts 10 sell their wares-long-
heeked g1urds. carved and painted for water
bottles, oIn red pottery as ugly as curious.
hNing Monkeys. snakes and paroquets and
serpent SIMS from ten TO twenty feet long
tanned reao: for the 20 which Brazilians
usually put them. tina, of making boots and
shoes. You kIow there is no twilight in the
tropics, but old Sol goes to bed as he gets Up,
with startling sndlenness and no preliminary
ceremonies OF btshing skies and gorgeous
S4ONs Apparently sl the full glare of the day
ne jumps behind the horizon, and in a moment
dense darkness fslls-iarker at first than at
midnight, for then the stars shine brighter than
you ever saw them at h1me At Breves we
have barely time 20 note tina. the village is not
worth noting. 20 barter littl. with the mob of
monkey and parrot vendors AMI take a look up
and down shore, when darkness shuts on every
thing beyond our deck.
AFtoAT AT DAYBREAK..
Soon a. the sun iurnps up again with no
rosy blush of morn to herald the coming of ne
born day, We are again afoat, steaming slowly
estseen numerous islands of ali shapes and
asss. which remind us o: portion Of rhe 81.
Lawrence Some Of the channels dividing the