New-York tribune., 1907-12-17
Literary Wetvs and Criticism.

thefn not only from paying their employees. but
diso ifom afording them decent provisions.
Onoer such circumstances nothing but disaster
could be expected. Out of seven hundred men
VINO reached San Antonio, ifty-six died at that
station and seventy-five more lost their lives
In an attempt to reach Bolivia overland This
Is more than twice the percentage of mortality
among the Union forces in the Civil War
Here is a characteristic glimpse of the condi-
tons that obtained almost everywhere during
the latter months of the work. 1t is quoted
from the diary of Mr. J. P. O'Connor, who is
now private secretary to Archbishop Ireland,
but was at that time attached to Engineer
Corps No 4, which had been sent out to survey
the country along the upper Madeira:
On May 20. after helping the Indians to bridge
fever, compelled to return to camp and there re-
lily growing weaker and rapidly losing flesh When.
3n fen tne o soIn: fastening gave way and our tent
had not energy sufficient to move from the places
June 2-The last few days have been fun of mis-
cry ana suffering for the twelve men under Cap
time in their hammocks sick and crazy from chiils
ano fever Weakness and loss of vitality.
cause have reduced to our present condition.
There seems TO be no remedy in sight Food
supplies that we should have had with us when
we left the river some two weeks ago have not
June 73Another week OF misery and mush Yes.
mush and molasses. naolasses and mush. with fried
Mr.. Craig was member OF a corps commits
stoned to lay the route along the Jaci Parana.
about seventy miles above San Antonio. He
writes:
Instead of improving, our condition became stead
ily worse; The small quantity of provisions the
engineer had been able to furnish was soon ex
upon the generosity OF the Indians at St Helena
not have cent of money TO pay for anything.
After September is work was practically
IN Eriph and
the only men in camp not prostrated by fever, and,
the invaids. we had to visit Las Pedras and carry
on our own backs as much of load as we could
empty tin cans and every article we could spare
& tor e ypeaS sy of small sS6y MS did ID n0t dTe
ton on game while there was danger of being at
ready killed one of their numberl and at the very
time when almost every American and Indian in
qunne gave out The rains. at this time heavy w
S 2nq frequent MADE made our camp often very uncoms
unusually active. Besides the omnipresent ants
wood ticks and piums. great armies of larger ants
frequently routed US from our hammocks at night
ana compelled us TO do battle with them. Such in
they compelled in raging fever to leave shell
ter during a downpour OF rain
The atmosphere in this part of the continent
is so surcharged with moisture that revolvers
become unfit for use overnight with rust unless
soaked in kerosene-a climate favorable to every
variety of vegetable and insect life. but fatal
TO a white man without ample munition Of
quinine.
Every inch of the line had to be cut through al
most impenetrable vegetation. Quite frequently
immense trees. after being completely cut through
at the base, would continue TO stand erect held
firmly in place ny the network of vines that tied
radius of fifty feet. No idea could be formed IN
rniiIniyspr W lie & @ i7; oL me k@ha 20 ~1.ch & me
knowledge OF a high hill a deep valley in front
Of him obtained when his axenen disappeared
among the treeops or sank out Of sight below him
M Surveying throush these forests Vas like working
Occasional encounters took place with boa
constructors and leopards: but by far the most
inveterate foe was the pest of insects-fies that
so persistently that II often required two
to keep them out OF the eyes Of a transitman
during the few seconds required to line a point
ahead" clouds of savage mosquitoes and ants
Of every description, crawling under clothing
penetrating everywhere and each apparently
possessing a means OF torture more ingeniousy
diabolical than its predecessor One variety
red and small, gave bite which caused no
swelling but felt like "an electric shock pene-
trating to every part OF the body
Grim as is the history OF this ell fated" ex-
petition in the main, Mr.. Craig has not for
gotten a good number of humorous incidents
that enlivened IL. Trust an American for that
He recounts most entertainingly such episodes
as involuntary experiment with monkey
meat; the delight of the engineers in unex-
pected accession of tobacco: number of anus
ing encounters with local magnates, one OF
whom refused TO conduct his guests further
until the entire supply of whiskey had been con-
sumed-a business Of seven days One feels
throughout the record the splendid quality of
the typical American engineer keen minded.
ambitious. intrepid, persistent. taking hardship
quite prosaically a part Of the days work.
always ready TO extract from misfortune what
ever hunor il may possess. and never admitting,
so long as there is ghost OF a chance. that
failure is a possibility When the Madeira X
pedtion finally broke UP, all the engineers hoped
that so soon as the English litigation should be
ended they would be able to return more
to the enterprise in which they had already
sacrificed so much. But this was not to be.