The San Francisco call., 1903-12-13

TO meet. Whether IN peace or war he
will prove a foeman worthy Of our
steel. And that is General Rafael
Reyes. the Presidents designado who
succeeds Marroquin in the Presidency.
He is superhcially an accomplished
boulevardier. but with a quick, feline
step and now and again a glance OF the
eye which somehow or other always
suggested the jaguar Of his native jun
gle.
Whatever may be the result Of his
present mission. whether his political
activity will prove a bane or a blessing,
it is certain that IS an explorer Rafael
Reyes has gathered imperishable Iau-
rels- He has laid bare the secrets OF
South America as did Marco Polo those
OF Asia and as Stanley In our own day
and generation threw the first light
upon the Dark Continent.
His Journeys led him from Panama 70
Patagonia In all he Travelled twenty
five thousand miles. and every step he
took was through regions hitherto un-
known to the pioneer OF any race or
civilization If the story be true which
have often heard IN South America
that Reyes began his explorations by
the merest chance-that. IN fact. the
first journey he undertook was to get
out Of Colombia by the back door-that
is. down the OrtnocO. because all the
ports and main Travelled roads were
held by his enemies-then II must Be
recognized that the revolution which
sent Reyes upon his scientific wander
ings was the most profitable revolu-
tion that South America has ever pro-
duced.
What Alexander Humboldt ala fog
the shell, that Reyes has done for the
kernel and the heart OF the great conti-
nent to the south OF US In the twelve
years that followed his hasty Departure
from Bogota Reyes never returned to
the tickle capital from which. like ths
great Liberator. Bolivar himself, It Is
said, he escaped with but his life and
a handful Of faithful friends.
When his work was accomplished and
the veil Of mystery that had hung so
long over the interior Of South America
was raised, there was much enthusiasm
in Colombia, and the demand was made
of the Government OF the day. not by
any party. but by the people OF the
country, that he who had so honored
his native land be IN turn given that
recognition which was the least OF his
deserts.
So Rafael Reyes. the refugee. was
made Minister Plenipotentiary to
France. and the Paris Geographical So
ciety esteemed 1t an honor to have tho
privilege Of publishing in its bulletins
the record Of his inland Odyssey.
The journey which he began to save
his life Reyes continued, to the inestiul-
able gain Of science. The canoe trip
down the Orinoco would have suficed
brrk crIr oIrcv, ,aH in
Reyes hitherto unsuspected thirst for
travel and scientific research. The de-
tails of his explorations are too absorb
ingly interesting to be condensed. but
a skeleton chart or outline drawing will
give some idea OF the cahber OF the
man.
Starting on foot from the Pacific
Coast OF Colombia and following the
banks OF the Yapura through entirely
unknown regions, for the greater part
uninhabited even by Indians, Reyes at
last reached the great Amazon. and.
building a canoe. hoated down to Para
and the Atlantic. Within few months
after this journey was completed an
enterprising firm OF English shipown-
ers availed themselves OF Reyes dis
coveries and placed a line OF steamers
along the route he had travelled. and
as q result an extremely profitable,
and let Us hope civilizing. trade has
sprung up.
But Reyes was an explorer. not .
promoter, and while the merchants
were getting ready to exploit the field
he had opened he disappeared IN an
other direction He had heard Of .
noble. although somewhat lonely,
stream, the Tocantin. which runs
I'll a.
meets with the Amazon Accompanied
by brothers and his nephew. he fol-
lowed the stream upward for uncounted
miles. At last they came to the head
waters OF the great river and to q
mountain range which under various
names extends across the entire
It breadth OF South America between the
= tenth and twelfth degrees OF latitude.
l. Undeterred by this great natural OBJ
i stacle, Reyes and his companions
It pushed on, and on the other side OF the
l. mountain they came upon the head
: waters OF the Parana. down which
i they fiOated into the River Plate, land
r ing at Buenos Ayres.
: In a word. they proved what had
Il never been suspected before, that South
= America from 35 degrees south to 10
t degrees north of the equator is supplied
by nature with the most magnificent
= water system that can be imagined.
Is There is but one cutting Of less than
: fifteen miles to be made. and even that.
?, it is suspected. may prove unnecessary
/ on closer investigation. Indeed. with
: only the ramifcatiOns which are known
! at present, this perfect waterway ex-
n tends from the western point Of Peru
II to the most eastern point of Brazil
e and from Colombia on the north well
l. into Argentina and Uruguay on the
e south In the course OF these journeys
It through virgin forests and up streams
g never before traversed by white men
Z Reyes ran and survived many dangers.
Like the few Colombians who are OF
Fl pure Spanish descent, Reyes is very