The times., 1899-05-18
EXPLORING THE AMAZON.
An Interesting Report on the Cruiss
Of the Wilmington.

scriolng the recent voyage OF exploration
made by that vessel up the Amazon River.
| mas been received at the Navy Department:
"Yquites. Peru. April ls.
nave to report the arrival OF the ves-
sci under my command at this port today.
naving left Manaos. Brazil. April 5. In
crder not to lose valuable time, on the
trip up the river and to economize fuel.
OF which there is a great scarcity in these
regions, employed two pilots so as 20 be
aoie to run. weather permitting. das and
| night Leaving Manaos. I proceeded up
the Solimoes River toward this point. stop-
ping only twice. once to procure fresh meat
LOT the SHIPS company at a cattle ranch
about 800 miles above Manaos. aud again
-Oo miles higher to procure green food for
the living animals now on board. causing
| ohiy stoppage OF about one hour at each
| piace. owing to the rapid rising of the
| river at this season of the year and the
three continents. Purus. Jura, and the ia
vary, emptying their waters into the Soil
NOES. as far as Tapayinga. 800 miles from
uanaos, large amount of driftwood logs.
ETC. was encountered. and 1t REQUIRED a
very careful lookout and navigation to
avoid ihlurlng the propeller. To this end
ene commander and the executive officer
took the night watches, with the two iunIor
watch officers to assist and in cases Of
emergency to act. The nayigator's duties
IN taking photographic notes during the
entire day preciuded his assignment 10
.hese duties. Very full photographic notes
nave been made by the navigation officer.
Lieutenant Carter. which will be forward
! collected.
No charts exist of the waters between
Manaos and Yquites. Rough plans show
| ing the track of steamers at the time of
publication of these plans were obtained
at Mahaos- They contained no hydro
graphic Information. and were found To he
"noiiy useless. and cannot be considered
OF any value, although they will be for
| Warded with the photographic notes taken.
In TACT, 1t may be stated that charts is
sued three months after being made are
OF no value in these waters owing to the
very rapid changes that occur and must
| necessarily occur In such a rapid current
IN such great body of water. assisted by
immense continents pouring in from both
siues' Islands in existence at this season
disappear before the next. and others are
formed, entirely changing the channel and
only frequent voyages OF the pilots, them
serves giving information to their fellows
! at either end of their trip, can they keeb
/ the run OF the navigation of the stream
| While not less than seven fathoms of wa
ter can be found on the trip from Mauaos
up the pilots explained that at the rising
period OF the river. as at present so great
changes occurred between their trips that
| the frequent use of the lead at various
points was imperative So conclude that
except for general information at the pres
ent time, the photographic notes taken
| and the corrected plans forwarded. will
prove of no value for navigating purposes
| The general character OF the river from
Manaos to Yquites is practically the same
| o. from Para to the former point. For the
first 500 miles above Manaos. but few peo-
nj 1rC
| that point onward the number gradually
increased as we approached Tapayinga.
within thirty miles OF which the land
above high water was quite thickly popu-
lated Nothing like so much high land
was encountered between Manaos ind
| Yquites and was found between Para and
| Manaos.
Approaching the Brazilian boundary at
Tapayinga at I:30 p. m, the 11th instant,
the Wilmington passed into the waters OF
Maranon and stopped at the Peruvian from
| tier station. five miles above to notify
| the officer in charge of the purpose OF the
| Wilmington to proceed into Peruvian ter
/ ritory. At this point, Laticia, is stationed
lieutenant OF infantry with small squad
of Peruvian soldiers as a frontier guard
| All vessels ascending the river are ex-
pected to stop and be boarded. The COM
manding officer was found to be absent
| thirty miles down the river, but one of the
! soldiers came of and was informed of the
| purpose intended. and offering no objec-
| tion, the Wilmington proceeded toward
| Yquites. In the Maranon River, compara-
lively little driftwood was encountered.
only grass and light pieces OF wood being
observed
THE banks OF the Maranon, where there
! is high land enough to be above high wa
I ter is more thickly settled than in the
! lower rivers, and the character OF the peo-
pie changes from Portuguese and Brazilian
I Indians 10 Peruyians and Peruvian Indians
1t is also observed that cattle ranches on
which are raised beef and sheep were
much more frequent than lower down. be-
! low Manaos. One of the first needs OF the
Amazon valley is meat foods. and the up
per regions seem to be in better shape in
this respect than those lower down. The
city of Manaos. containing 10000 people
is often without beef for two weeks and
they explain this scarcity by saying that
last year. owing to an unprecedented rise
in the river. greater portion of the cat
tie in the valley was drowned. but / learn
ed upon further enquiry that this scarcity
had always existed. but was more keenly
felt now than formerly. owing to the rapid
increase in population in Manacs. The city
of Para, with 10000 psople. is fed by cat
tie brought from Argentine 1900 miles
away. There is almost an equal scarcity
Of vegetables in the valley. consequently
the prices for these two staples of meat and
vegetables is very high. There is fine
opening for energetic and healthy people
to take up this line Of business from Para
to Yqutes.
1T has been found that the distance
| given in the sailing directions are in er
ror as follows: From Para to Manaos.
given as $50 miles. should be increased BY
SO; from Manaos to Tapayinga. by 81;
| from Tapayinga to Yquites, by 80 miles.
| all due to the changes in the channel from
I time to time, and these correct distances
will apply only for two or three years;
consequently. in making the trip from Para
| to Yquites the Wilmington has steamed
| 81 000 miles up the Amazon and its tribu-
| taries, against an adverse current averag-
/ ing for the entire distance about three
/ knots. Referring to same page OF sailing
/ directions. some OF the towns entered
thereon as existing do not now exist. and
| others take their places These towns ap-
! pear TO be rs changing as the river ITSELF
| but the pilots. keeping run OF tae old sites,
pointed them out as the Wilmington pro-
ceeded up the stream.
Il shall remain at this point not ex-
ceeding three days. then return to Manaos
stopping en- route at such places as may
be deemed advisable for few hours TO
take fresh provisions and to pick UP such
living animals as can be had. in accord
auce with the Departments instructions.
Unless otherwise instructed. upon return
to Manaos | shall fill up with coal. il OBJ
tainable. obtain Madeira River pilots, and
proceed to San Antonia. the head OF navi-
cation on that river. expect to reach
Para. concluding the Amazon cruise, be-
tween the 5th and 10th Of May.
The usual official calls will be made
upon the Peruvian officials here. and
friendly feelings will be conveyed through