The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1905-12-29
GARDENS OF THE SEA.
FLOATING ISLANDS THAT FORM AND
BLOOM AND PERISH.

: ..
would seem Incredible - floating in
graceful motion on the rising and fall
ing waves beautiful green islands COW
cred with trees and flowers, alive with
hundreds OF birds and strange combi-
nations of terror stricken animals.
Floating islands are generally the re-
suit of the overlooking and the wash
ing away of river banks. Others are
formed by the twisted roots of the bog
rush and matter-trees which year aft
er year have drifted slowly down the
streams, forming solid mass or raft
upon which a gradual deposit Of vege-
table mold is formed and fitted for the
luxuriant growth of plants. Still 9TH
ers are formed by aquatic plants, with
large, fat leaves, like lily pad, which
become mass Of solid matter floated
by the autumn floods down the rivers
and eventually out into the open sea.
where they are soon dashed to pieces
and destroyed.
ZAAOAS lAC i1uOAO1, 1SlO uC Ia L Ia u
and their tributaries wonderful sights
are frequently seen on the hundreds of
floating islands as they gracefully pass
by, driven by the wind and current OH
their seward journey, sometimes
measuring nearly mile in length.
about hundred feet wide and four to-
six feet in thickness, the greater por-
ton Of which Is under water. Amid
the dense foliage the observer will be-
hold numerous tropical animals In
strangely mingled companionship -
crocodiles, monkeys, storks, wildcats
and snakes-assembled together as one
family and regarding one another with
hostility and mistrust. Parrots and
squirrels are frequent passengers, and
in this odd way of travelling, sometimes
thousands of miles, they find them
selves transported to new and strange
localities far from their native homes.
Great alarm Is sometimes caused
among the inhabitants Of the towns
and villages along these rivers by
strange and ferocious animals prowl-
ing about the streets, having been
washed ashore during the night. One
Of the most remarkable passengers
aboard one Of these natural floats was
small Indian boy found drifting on
an island near Buenos Ayres. How
long he had been drifting or how he
happened to be there could not be
found out, but he had nearly sue
cumbed from hunger and long expo
sure.
Floating islands are also the means
Of various seeds and rare plants being
carried to foreign soil thousands of
miles distant from their starting place,
but often only to fade and perish from
the extreme change of climate.
Not alone to South American rivers
are these homeless wanderers" as
they are sometimes known, common,
but in Africa, on the Kongo, are found
floating isles green with foliage, bril-
liant with flowers and covered with
birds Of gorgeous plumage, being watt
ed along by the wind, sometimes sink.
Ing from sight, sometimes rising on
the crest of wave like duck in the
wake Of boat. On the Mississippi are
found numerous islands that float. The
existence Of vast forests bordering the
banks account for this phenomenon, as
the gradual wearing away of the earth
causes sections of the mainland to be-
come disconnected and to slowly pro-
coed down the river, frequently block
aiding the channel, so that in many
places safe passage is impossible.
One Of the largest of these floating
islands ever known on this greatest
American river was ten. miles in
length, 200 yards wide and about eight
feet deep, rising and falling with the
water, yet covered with luxuriant trees
some sixty feet in height. This great
island so INSTRUCTED the river that the
state of Louisiana had to take steps to
dispose Of the raft and open naviga-
ton, which required the space of near
~ four years to complete.
History tells us that islands made
from reeds, which were not only NOV
ed about by the wind, but by oars,
were the means Of the escape Of many
Roman citizens during the Mithridatic
wars. Indian legends are full of inter-
esting stories of the marvellous es-
capes Of fugitives on "camelotes,"
which were floating islands composed
OF green RATS Of canes or brushwood.
The wondrous floating gardens of
Mexico, though little heard of today,
We're at one time famous for their
great beauty. A foundation made of a
sort of wickerwork which was over
spread with clay, manure and rich
mold was formed in such a way as to
float, upon which maize, vegetables
and other useful plants were raised
1t is said that at one time the city OF
Mexico received an ample supply of
fresh vegetables from these floating
gardens.
Many of the gardens were large
enough for tree and little hut which
sheltered the farmer from the sun and
rain, while to others, not being stuff,
GENTLY large to bear the weight Of man,
the farmer was compelled to row in a
boat and from it attend to his daily la
bors. Cucumbers and melons were
among the most successful crops. Nj
merous flowers and odoriferous plants