Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-01-09

Along the great rivers of South Amer
would seem incredible = floating in
graceful motion on the rising and fall
ing waves beautiful green islands Gov
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 overfowing 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 a solid mass or raft
upon which Il 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, flat leaves, like lily pad, which
become a mass of solid matter tioated
by the autumn floods down the rivers
and eventually out into the open sea,
where they are soon dashed to pieces
and destroyed
Along the Amazon. RIO de 40 Tia-.
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 on
their seward journey, sometimes
measuring nearly a mile in length.
about hundred feet wide and four to
six feet in thickness. the greater por-
ton of which is under water. Amid
no oh 10
hold numerous tropical animals In
strangely mingled companionship =
crocodileS. monkeys. stOrks. wildcats
and snakes-assembled together as Que
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 a wave like duck in the
wake of a 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 prof
.eed down the river, frequently block
aiding the channel. so that i'm many
places a safe passage is impossible.
One of the largest of these floating