The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1903-10-17
NTERMoLNTAN AND COLORADO CATHOLICS OCTOBER ~ 1908

British Guiana. one of the two English
men who climbed Mount ROraima, pene-
trated alone to the settlements OF the
Macusi Indians in the UNEMPLOYED Kama
ku mountains on the borderland between
British Guiana and Brazil.
Il thought l was the first white man
who had ever visited that region. sald
Mr.. Quelch to his friends in Georgetown
on his return, but I found a couple of
Germans settled on what Is regarded as
the British side of the frontier. although
the Brazlians claim the territory as be-
longing to their republic.
They told us that the Brazilian gov
eminent had sent them. years before TO
explore the country and Introduce civil
cation among the Macusi Indians. BUT
the Indians uncivilized them instead.
nounced all their prospects of advance
ment under the Brazilian government.
turned their backs forever on civilization
and were eontentedly leading the peace
full, pastoral life of the Indians.
These men spoke of some strange
beasts which they called the Warakabra
tigers. They said these tigers roamed
about the country in large numbers,
hunting in packs and attacking any ami
mails, including human beings, that
crossed their path. The Germans as
serted that the only way to escape from
these beasts was to get into running wa,
ter. where they would not follow YOU.
Mr.. Quelch's expedition was undertake
en- on behalf of the British museum.
He discovered several small mammals
hitherto unknown to science. He also
discovered a number of new orchids Of
wonderful beauty.
But what l have found" he told his
friends, lis nothing when compared with
that which remains undiscovered in those
regions They are an inexhaustibe mine
for the hotanist, the ,zoologist and the
anthropologist.'
The great republic of Brazil. with its
area of nearly three and a quarter mil
lion of square miles. is largely uneX-
plored The vast valley of the Amazon
and its affluents, as well as those of
many other great Brazilian rivers, are
practically unknown
In the Royal Geographical society's
rooms in London there is a series of out
line maps showing the UNEMPLOYED and
are black and the latter white. These
maps represent the central part OF South
America as the least known section of
any continent.
A big black blotch indicates the ANA
zon river basin. Narrow white lines run
through it here and there, showing where
explorers have journeyed up the rivers.
They have not been able to penetrate
overland to any considerable extent and
discover the mysteries of over 100000
square miles of jungle and mountain.
One of the best of all South American
explorers. the Colombian general Rafael
Reyes. speaking to an assembly of South
American geographers in the City of
Mexico. recently said:
I'm the extended forests in which can
nibal savages were wandering when my
brothers and | made our explorations,
only few years ago. there exists today
an important commerce of some tens of
millions of dollars, and town of thou
sands of inhabitants have been estab-
lished"
His explorations extended over a long
period of years, and were made in con-
junction with his brothers, Nestor and
Henry Reyes. The three brothers sue
ceeded in their main enterprise to dis
cover a waterway navigable for steam
ers from Colombia to the AmaZon-and
they also found many unknown tribes
of Indians. But they paid dearly for
their heroism.
Henry died of malignant fever while
exploring the Yabari river. Nestor lost
In the forest of Putumavo, was captured
and devoured by cannibals; Rafael spent
his fortune and ruined his health
Rafael Reyes met President Roosevelt
in Washington recently and the latter
said to him, speaking of central South
America:
THAT region is new world. destined
for the progress and welfare Of human
ity''
There is much to be done before the
country is even properly explored, to say
nothing of it's being commercially deVel-
oped. The proposed intercontinental rail-
way, which is to unite all the existing
systems on the American continent, will
doubtless have a powerful Civilizing ten
dency. Already the surveyors for that
road are throwing light on many dark
their work is finished and every branch
of the line is in working order, the I'M
explored section of the country will be
much circumScribed.