The sun., 1899-09-23
EXPLORED THE AMAZON.
COMMANDER TODD TALKS or HIS
TRIP UP THE MIGHTY RIVER.

OoeAn-Going Steamers Can Ascend tho
River $500 Miles-Ita Commerce Some-
thing Wonderful-Tho Vegetation Along
Its Banks Is Gorgeous and Profuse.
wAsHISaToN. Sept. 22.-Commander G. O.
Todd. U. s. N. reported to-day at tho Navy
Department. having Just returned from his ex-
ploration Of the Amazon. To him belongs the
honor OF commanding the first warshp to
ascend $500 miles up the Amazon. Some time
ago he forwarded to the Navy Department VOL
luminous report on the work ofthe expedition.
compiled by himself and the other offers on
board the Wilmington. which will be published
by the Navy Department. 1t will be Illus
trated By drawings and photographs, and
contain much valuable and - interesting
information regarding q territory very little
known. The trip was In the nature
Of q revelation to him. Commander
Todd said tonight. and In many instances he
found the Information contained In encyclo-
psdas regarding the Amazon River and
its tributaries to be erroneous. The Will
mlngton was gone six weeks. during which
time 10 ascended the river from Para
to Yqultes. Peru. 1t would have been
possible for him to have proceeded 400
miles further up the river. as It is navigable to
that extent. had he had n sufficient supply OF
coal. He attempted TO purchase coal at ilui-
tos. but found there were only thlrtJ-nye tons
OF coal in the entire city which the inhabitants
declined to sell to him.
The river. according to Commander Todd's
description. is a marvel 1T Is almost as broad
at Yauitos as 1t 10 at Para" he says. Twenty
five hundred miles from its mouth 1t Is a mile
and three-quarters wide and fourtesn feet
deep. Ocean going steamers can ascend
tho river as far as Yduitos. The COM
merce borne on its mi ghty bosom Is something
~nnierfnI nj riyer graft ply
and down the river. iron the ocean going steam
ers to the india rubber seeker in his light
canoe. During the trip l was charged with
the investigation OF the fora and tho
fauna OF the region. with the investigation
OF the topography OF the country. and also car;
States Government to the people OF the inter-
ior of Brazil; list Of rare and valuable ani.
was sent to me. and think l secured all the
animals mentioned. They were all shipped
to the Io tn time ago and tbsS srs TS w,s
what believe to be the largest eagle in cap
tivity. It's specimen OF the Harry easle
raw meat daily. This bird was presented
TO the Smithsonian by the Governor OF Anna
Much OF the alleged information about tho
psaPs s o esa sss the
river constantly referred to the encyclopg-
dtas to verify Information in thom con
trIc%s claim the y, honor Of Possessing
that this mighty river rises, in the mountains
on the west coast Of South Anne rca and drains
t4f ssissn 0m rsra FS9s'GSi
and other countries. Great jealousy
sss' son besn. T to ou. EA'cs Certain the it Ap esn
The current IS lutte swiit% T. Averaging from
along the banks Of the Amazon 10 gorgeous
and profn9e. forming. almost an impassahle
ourre9t and then literally secured away. some
times. however. seeds are carried on to these
islands and the growth OF vegetation Is 50
grass and trees and the islands become per-
mansnt
the production OF rubber. / am inclined to be-
lieve the rubber Industry is seriously threat
sp'a s the sap 0RS sands
Brazil peopSa into from the
ritory has never been thoroughly explored and
no adequate information can be had as. to how
trees extends Consequently it is i'm possible to
correctly estimate he visibl supply. but this
much. Is certain, that with the en- ployme t
must be. rapidly diminishing. While those
who hold concefs ons for enormous tracts Of
the rubber land claim that they are gathering e
the production in such manner as not to in
lure the growth and prodnctivsness Of the
I
land from the rayages OF the INDEPENDENT
rubber hunter. All that is known about these
canoes and return with a canoe full of rubber.
1t 10 natural to suppose that they secured this
rubber In the easiest manner possib bic, which is
BY sinking great hole 10 the tree and secur-
ing all the sap at one time. leaving the tree
70 die. With raw rubber at a dollar pound at
Para. the profits Of rubber hunting are enor-
nous and. as in the gold mining region, every
thing else is neglected 'or the one product
The highest prices are paid for ordinary neceS-
RitipS which could bH easily prplupn1 in that
region were II not that everybody is intent on
securing rubber.
tery because uf the low price OF coffee. This
IS largely due 70 the great abundance OF coffee
trouble lies in the great a1uterstton Of
coffee. ion Envy way from Rio to Southampton
Imst three saiIee merchants from di,otenl
England by the Coffee Growers Associa,
tio% to start uro o%Gss for The
the Engiish had become so SO accustomeG Gus %GG
to adulterated coffee that they had grown
One fE baE TS Of coffee often psoS so a$Sisr fSsr
atel as, to make five, hnes OF alIegeC
s"Ts pn Ens.h siPk lie o
CONSUMPTION Of chtcory and induce them. /
possible. to use nothing but pure coffee; Co.,
coast In he West Indies tho complaint is tia
ago. In Dutch Guiana. they say the prize
OF cocoa is constantly falling. In Brazi! 1t 10 h
the nrcc OF hides. which gives cause 10
complaint Yet there arc great opportuni
tie. for the building up Of an enor
ip crior Of Brazil There is no American linz
between New. York and Brazil. but II one wer
established | believe il would pay hand
somely. Whir the territory along the rive
IA not suitable 10 the rails ing OF coffee, tn
Is ETT N fTTS F%%n% and %mor5 evGryh aum
the people very hOspitablr and vas hand
somely entertained AZ number Of places alon
the river.
MRS. CARNEGIE'S AUNT DROTNEL