Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1902-07-10
THE ORiNOCO.
Little knA wn, but One Of the Greatest
Rivers In the World.


Rivers In the World.
One Of the greatest rivers Of the
world, the OrinocO, Is also one of the
least known to Europeans. Its sister,
the Amazon, has often been described
by Wallace and Bates among others,
but Humboldt remains practically the
only writer Of standing upon the great
stream which. rising on the frontiers Of
Brazil, runs for 1000 miles through
Venezuela. receiving in its course such
immense tributaries as the Mera and
Apure. and discharging itself by hun
dred mouths into the south Atlantic op-
posite the British island Of Trinidad.
The principal entrance, and the only
one available for sailing vessels, is the
BOca Grande, to the south. into which
flow. among other tributaries, the Ara
tura and the Amacura. the latter also
coinciding in its course with the SchOm-
burgk boundary line between British
Guiana and Venezuela. But most Of the
traffic Of the OrinocO passes through
Trinidad, where passengers and goods
fiat-b0ttomed, and reach the Orinoco by
the mouth known as MacaraO, the open
sea being avoided. 1t was by that
route that the writer started in the
Apure, chartered for the occasion. for q
trip Of 500 miles up the great river.
forming probably the first, and certain
ly the largest, party Of tourists which
had ever assembled it.
Six hours after leaving Port Of Spain
the entrance Of the MacaraO was reach
ed, and for fourteen hours we navigat-
ed deep channel, perhaps half mile
wide. whose attractions surprised those
who had read OF the delta Of the Grin.
OcO as a dismal swamp, thousands Of
square miles in extent, tenanted only
by few wild Indians, who built their
houses in among the trees, by wild
beasts and by birds. The description
is true. though the impression left il
not quite correct. Well nigh impene-
trable forests and underground hid
ground which Is for the most part OOze,
covered for half the year by water.
The Guaraoan Indians, many Of whom
padded out to meet the steamer and
beg, in canoes roughly followed from
the trunk Of tree, and who dispute
supremacy Of these wilds with jaguars
and alligators, are extremely low spec
linens Of humanity. though attachment
to their dogs, large. rough-haired and
excellent hunters, should be mentioned
to their credit.
But the passer-by sees none Of the
horrors Of this great swamp. They are
concealed by magnificent trees growing
to the waters edge, whose branches
may sometimes be touched from the
steamer when she is steered close to the
shore in order to avoid the current.
Sometimes that splendid parasite, the
matapalO. has wrapped in its deadly
folds several adjacent trees. and, these
perishing. it stands alone, showing
walls Of green and resembling large
ivy-mantled tower. Upon this and upon
the tops Of the tallest trees other para
sites ding masses Of blossom. A flock of
'fiamingOes makes brilliant scarlet
patch here and there; the sun flashes
from parrots Of many sizes and various
hues; snOw-white cranes gaze stOlidly
from the banks; macaws. green and
yellow, or deep crimson on head and
breast, fly heavily past. and smaller
birds Of every color Of the rainbow
scream or chatter or sing among the
trees.-Caracas (Venezuela) Herald.