Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1899-05-18
REMARKABLE VOYAGE
Of the Gunboat Wilmington
Up the Amazon River.
CAPT. ToDD's INTERESTING REPORT

AsCENDBD THE GREAT RIVER TO
PERU WITHIN -FOUR HUNDRED
MILES OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN
AND A THOUSAND MILES FUR.
THEIR THAN EVER BEFORE AT.
TEMPTED.
Captain Todd, commander Of the gum
boat Wilmington, has Just sent to the
Navy Department. at Washington, an in.
teresting account OF the remarkable voy-
age OF an exploration up the Amazon
river. made by that vessel In April last.
The Wilmington was instructed by the
Navy Department to push on up the
great river and ascertain how far II was
navigable. Captain Todd reports that no
ascended to Yquitos. in Peru which Is
about 2lOO miles up the river. This voy-
age was made, as he says. against an
adverse current averaging three knots
for the entire distance.
.Manaos. at the junction Of the Rio
Negro with the Amazon, has heretofore
been regarded as the head Of navigation
for steam vessels, and from that fact
has grown to be a prosperous city Of 49,
900 Inhabitants. Consequently the inten-
ton Of Captain Todd to ascend the river
above that point caused CONSERVATION.
and, I'm The end,as revealed by subsequent
reports, led to some adverse demonstra-
tions against the American consul and
against the native pilots who assisted
the Wilmington's commander to make
the voyage. Captain Todd succeeded, not
rIfN NNIafa H. -.
ing the Amazon for ], 600 miles above Ma
naos, and had IL not been for lack OF
fuel he could have steamed about 300
miles further, he believes As 1t was.
the Wilmington, which entered the Anna
zon from the Atlantic ocean, was within
about 400 miles OF the Pacific and well
into Peru before she turned backward
down the river
The possibilities OF the successful navf-
cation Of the vast and hitherto unknown
Interior of South America revealed by
| Captain Todd's voyage, Will, It is be-
| lieved, be Of the greatest commercial i'm
portance, and the Navy Department
probably will take steps to see that they
are made known to the maritime world
| Unfortunately, Captain Todd shows the
great Amazon, like the Mississippi is 81
changeable in its channels as not 10 per.
NIT of successful charting so that ex.
pert pilots will always be required
The Wilmington left Manaos, in Brazil
April 8, for the upper river, and arrived
at Yquitos on the 18th Of April, running
day and night, stopping only twice. frs
to procure fresh meat for the ships com
pany, and again to procure green foot
for the living animals aboard. for the
| Wilmington Is collecting geological speci
mems for the National Museum here
The greatest vigilance was required II
the upper river navigation. owing to th'
logs and drift brought down by the foo,
waters, and the commander and execu
tive officer took the night watches them
selves. 1t was soon found that the exist
ing charts were Of no value. whole is
lands disappearing with the change Of
season. Not less than seven fa.thoms o
water was found on the way up from Ma
naos. The upper river ran through
thickly populated country. the
character of the people changing from
Portuguese and Brazilian Indians t
Peruvians and Peruvian Indians.
Commander Todd. proposes to make
trip up the great tributary, Rio Madeira
before leaving the Amazon. There hav
been a few mild cases of malaria anon
the ships company, yielding rapidly t
treatment.