Evening journal., 1899-07-24
Will MINGTON'S REPORT
Gunboat's Remarkable Voyage
Up the Amazon River.
COMMANDER TODDs SUGGESTIONS

CURED FOR THE NATIONAL ZOO.
The Navy Department has made pub
lie the report recently received from
Commander C. C. Todd. Of the VIII
mington, relating to the cruise of that
vessel up the Amazon. The Whining
ton proceeded 1900 miles up the river.
investigated the topography and nat
ural resources of the country; made a
collection of animals for the zoologi-
cal Park in Washington. and secured
series Of photographs of the towns
along the river. the natives and the
most important features and scenery.
Commander Todds report is very
lengthy, and includes reports from his
subordinate officers. who were entrust-
ed with special investigations.
The valley Of the Amazon, according
to Commander Todd, is an immense
area Of low lying land. interspersed
with innumerable, waterways which.
during the rainy season, from May to
December, overflow almost all of the
intervening country. The towns. OF
which there are few of large popula-
tion, are built on the higher bluffs
along the river, and at certain points.
where the country is above the aver
age high water level, there are small
plantations whore cocoa, grain and
vegetables are grown for local con-
sumption.
Nearly all Of the native houses as far
west as the Peruvian line are built
upon piles TO raise them above the
food level.
The valley, strange as it may seem.
does not produce food stuns sufficient
for the support Of the people. The
foreign residents Of all the large towns
rely largely on canned goods and
other imported foods for subsistence.
CHARACTER OF THE CLIMATE.
The climate was found to be oppres-
sive and humid. The annual range of
the Thermometer is from ~ to 80 de-
grees, and the whole valley is the seat
OF tropic malaria, which is exceedingly
dangerous to unacclimated visitors.
Great care was taken of the health OF
the men on shipboard None OF the
officers or men was allowed to remain
on shore at night. The result was the
health of the ships company was good
throughout the voyage, only a few
cases Of mild malaria developing.
1t was found necessary to engage
river pilots for almost the whole voy-
age. This service was expensive, but
efficient, as the ocean going steamers,
which ply up the river as far as Ma
naos, have a fine corps Of pilots, who
are familiar with the changes of chan
mel that come with every high water.
The Wilmington grounded but once on
the whole trip of 4,1OO miles, and re-
turned to Para in condition to pro-
ceed Immediately to sea.
The treatment Of the United States
vessel and her officers by the local au-
thorities was courteous throughout. al
though at one point in the Peruvian
section Of the Upper Amazon a whole
military post, composed Of six men.
fed to the bush on the appearance oil
a man-of-war. and il was with diff
Guilty that two of them cosld be in
duced to return long enough to accord
the Wilmington official sanction tol
proceed up the river to Iquitos. This
city was the farthest point reached by
the Wilmington on her long inland
voyage, although she might have pro-
ceeded about 400 miles further had
there been supply of coal accessible.
THE CITY OF MANAOS.
The most important city along the
river above Para is Manaos, close to |
the juncture Of the Rio Negro and the
Amazon. This is the seat Of govern
ment Of the State Of Amazon, and has
a population Of between 10000 and 4O,-
600 1t is the distributing point for the
immense trade of the interior ANA |
zon basin, and seems destined to grow
in commercial Importance. It is here
that the ocean going steamers trans
ship their cargoes to the smaller river
boats by which they are distributed
along the Madeira. Purus. Jurna, ia
para and Rio Negro The town does
an important trade in rubber. cocoa
and dye stuffs from the interior, and is
looked upon by Commander Todd as
an important post for our consular
service, in view of the opening for
American imports.
The difficulty in securing coal sug-
gested also that this was a good OPEN
ing for American enterprise. Poca-
hontas coal brings $40 ton laid down
at Manaos. Further up the river Napo, |
Davond fhp rifv Tnuifoc in PORN ~ ic |