The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-03-22

Vast Tract in South America Which Has
Never Been Explored.

Never Been Explored.
Among the many objects Of interest that
have been brought TO light by the Anglo
Venezuelan dispute there is. perhaps.
none that claims quite so much attention
from the scientific world as the so-called
Mountain OF Roraima. Situated In the
southwestern corner of Sir Robert Schom-
burgks alleged boundary between British
Guiana and Venezuela. this wonderful
phenomenon, although long known. has
ELECTED but little interest. In point %
fact. however. II is a yeritable scientific
sphinx, the message of whose riddle has
come down intact and unread from far
geological cpochs to the present time.
This stupendous mountain, or Isolated
table-land, which the native Indians call
"Roraima," or the mysterious. rises high
in solitary grandeur above the surround
ing mountain system, its perpendicular,
rocky sides rendering it absolutely mae
cessible to the foot Of man or b. asst.
Growing this infpregnable fortress OF ma
ture is a tract Of territory estimated 10
contain upward OF 40 square miles. Tn
like other inaccessible mountain SUBMITS
of the world, this elevated region IL no
mere wilderness OF snOw-capped ridges.
On the contrary, all the indications, in
Guiding the positive evidence Of the tele-
scope. point TO its being covered with for
ests, intersected with rivers fed from
lakes, and to possess the climate that
must. IN the nature Of things, be temper
ate-that is. neither wintry. despite its
altitude; nor tropical, despite its equator
ial position.
Geology teaches us the past history OF
this singular freak of nature with no I'M
certain voice. For, as it is not Of volcanic
origin it must have been thus isolated
from the rest Of the continent-from the
submerged wOrld-at some distant eeOlOg-
ical period. In a word. IL Is formed by
the action Of water at the time when the
whole southern continent was slowly
emerging from the ocean. Through sue
cessive ages Roraima's smooth perpendlc-
ular sides must have grown up until
height OF some 1000 feet was attained ere
even the SUBMITS of what are now its
neighbor mountains arose from the deep.
As the geological ages slowly rolled by
the mountains grew and the valleys be-
came dry lahd, and the ancestral vegeta-
ton appeared, following which came AMI
nal life. But meanwhile, Roraima was
already Old and must be supposed 10
have by that time possessed a weli-de-
VelOped flora and fauna OF its own. lso-
lated as these were from that remote be-
ginning, they have continued 10 develop
along their individual lines unaffected by
those modifying influences which inter
communication affects under normal con
ditions.
Roraima, Therefore. must form a little
world in itself, full OF mysterious interest
10 the modern Scientist. and TO the world
at large. What marvellous treasures must
there await the eye of the botanist and
the naturalist, All that IS now known OF
this isolated region is that II is thickly
MI oil W. 10 fal
reveals the woodland. while numerous stu
pendous waterfalls come plunging down
the sides, one having a clear leap OF .. 600
feet and such an enormous volume that
il is plainly visible from a point thirty
miles OF. That strange forms Of plants
and beasts and even fishes abound IN this
wonderful lone island Is self-evident
Speculation even surmises that IL may
be INHABITED by human beings; but wheth-
er this be so or not. the region Is wei
worthy of being explored, and the won
der is that no serious attempt at doing 80
has yet been made. If, as asserted, IT Is
only accessible TO a balloon. even that
means of scaling the heights may be re-
sorted TO with success.
In the neignborhood OF Roraima proper
are two or three other masses Of similar
formation, which are believed to be equa'
ly inaccessible. although their lower forms
have not been explored. one of these.
called by the natives kenkenham. Is
much larger than Roraima, but not near
ly so striking in the uncompromising as
pect Of it's accessibility. This and its
fellows may prove to be equally as iso-
lated and interesting as Roraima Itself.
but, so far as is now apparent, IL is To
Rora!ma that science must look 10 solve
the mighty riddle that she herself pro
pounds of the preservation in unbroken
line Of descent of the earliest forms OF
fora and fauna that appeared on this
half Of our globe when "the waters were
together in one place, and the
dry land appeared"
Whether the possession OF this South
American geological sphinx ultimately
falls TO England or Venezuela. IL is TO be
hoped that science will not much longer
delay I'm Wrestling from il the secret IL has
inclosed. and been waiting 10 divulgc
through many ages. The possible results
would justify almost any cost that may
be incurred IN pursuance OF this object
Caracas Letter TO New York Times.
Commissioner Booth. OF the Salvation
Army. rejoces in the given name OF
and not Eva. as she has been
Lad otI ~ ha