Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-10-08

nounOeQ III n-ran-ho, acceutfnS the lass
syllsble), the most wonderful as we'll
as the largest Of ali the Amazonian
IslandA 1t 10 more extensive than many an
old world principally, having superficial area
Of $1,000 square miles and presenting q rocky
barrier, $50 miles long by 100 miles wide in the
broadcst part, which has compelled even the
mighty river which cuts oontiuent in twain
and sweeps every other obstruction away like
ohan before the wind to turn aside and hOw
around H.
About bali Of Msrajois covered with dense
forests, which have never been much explored
except by few adventurous rubber hunters,
for the caoutchouc tree abounds The other
half Il one immense, gently undulating campos
or prairie, dotted with beautiful groves and
covered with greenest grass, which looks from
the deck OF passing steamer precisely like an
English park laid out by q landscape gardener.
But nearer view dtspels any such illusion. It
perfect network Of small streams, which over
now after every rainy season and form danger
Gus swamps and quagmires, the home of huge
water snakes and enormous alligators I saw
the carcass Of one Of the latter residents Of Ma
rajo which measured twenty -ssven feet from
tip to tip, but was not considered Of uncom-
mon size. There are tiger cats also, and those
strange and savage creatures called ounces
pronounced ween-ces), and other beasts Of
prey which are prone to give unwary rsmblers
rather too warm welcome.
EARLY RANCHES ESTABLISHED.
The natural advantages Of Marajo for the
raising Of horses and cattle were discovered by
tho very first settlers Of Brazil As early as the
year 1884 Its grassy plains had been divided into
extensive ranches and cattle introduced from
Cape Verde Islands. The cattle increased with
such marvellous rapidity that soon the paternal
government, in an unexpected spasm Of thrift
hao M nff 1nyia
heavy tax on "horned cattle" and derived large
revenues therefrom. In course of the two and
half centuries since their introduction I'M
counted millions Of cattle and horses have
found untimely graves in the marshes and quag-
mires, and ounces, tigers and alligators have
destroyed as many more. During the first
quarter Of the present century good horse
might be bought on the island for 81, but in
1924 new and terrible disease broke out among
the horses and killed vast numbers Of them-so
that nowadays horses hereabouts are extremely
scarce and dear, being all imported from
still much talked about, for to this day traces
Of it rsappear. A few years ago it suddenly
cropped out in the island Of Mexiana, not far
from Marajo, and in Ave days every horse on
the island was dead.
A FATAL HORSE DISEASE.
II Is said that the disease never attacks horned
cattle and shows itself first in the back and
loins Of horse, 80 that it Immediately loses
the use Of its hind legs. The Brazilian govern
ment sent man to France to study farriery
and veterinary surgery, in hopes to arrest the
disease, but without any good result, and the
only thing now done to an animal no matter
how valuable, when his hind legs begin to drag
is to put him ont Of his misery with rife bali.
Many and diverse reasons are given as to the
original cause. Some say 1t arose from the fact
that the government sold to q Portuguese the
right to kill ten thousand mares on Marajo Cfor
what purpose I cannot learn, and that the man
actually did kill great many more than that
number, and their carcasses, being left to rot
on the wet plains under a tropio sun, poisoned
the grasses and bred the irradicable pestilence.
Others assert with equal positiveness that it IL
. sort Of hydrophobia brought down Thousands
Of miles from the far wilds Of the upper ANA
zon, where it first attacked the dogs, then the
ferocious river hogs. then the alligators, and
finally the horses. But by for the greater num-
Der Of people, including all the ignorant lower
classes believe that the calamity was an especial
dispensation OF Providence, sent to punish the
inhabitants Of Marajo for neglecting to build
church and to show proper respect to the saints
and fiesta days; but il that be true it seems q
pity that the human delinquents were not made
TO suffer instead Of unoffending animals